JACKSON — Quick actions by a Jackson police officer helped save an infant’s life Tuesday evening.
The incident unfolded around 5 p.m. during rush hour at the off-ramp from Highway 45.
A mother called 911 because her son was choking. Officer Logan Speaks raced into action, running through traffic down the off-ramp to reach the car on the side of the road.
“This is my very first CPR call in the two years that I’ve worked here,” Officer Speaks said.
He told TMJ4 that the child was tense and not breathing. That’s when he began performing infant CPR.
In under a minute, he was able to get the baby breathing and crying.
“The crying was a sign of relief where you’re like, ‘I did it. It’s over,’” Officer Speaks said.
He stayed on the scene until more first responders arrived. The three-month-old was taken to the hospital and is now recovering, according to police.
Watch: Jackson police officer races through traffic to save choking baby
Officer Speaks told TMJ4 that the boy’s lungs had filled with fluid, causing him to choke.
The whole incident took around eight minutes. Slinger Fire Department and Lifestar EMS Wisconsin also responded. Jackson Fire was responding to a barn fire at the time.
Later that night, the mother stopped by to thank the hero who saved her son’s life, giving Officer Speaks a mug with an "S" on it in honor of his name.
“It was something really, really special,” Officer Speaks said. “It was nice for her to come back to the police department so I could check on the baby and see how he’s doing.”
The two even took a picture together.
Chief of Police Ryan Vossekuil said the department had trained for this exact situation two months ago.
“We have regular training to make sure everyone’s proficient in responding to this type of emergency, and he did exactly what we’re trained to do,” Chief Vossekuil said.
Both Chief Vossekuil and Officer Speaks are now advocating for people to get CPR certified. This skill can be a matter of life and death.
“Definitely, it’s a moment that I will never forget,” Officer Speaks said.
Chief Vossekuil said you can contact your local fire department for CPR training.
If you’d like to learn how to become CPR certified, visit the American Red Cross website for resources: https://www.redcross.org/local/wisconsin/take-a-class/cpr?srsltid=AfmBOop366kpumtzQLGhh2Ff50s1cL4gnpuz4NPx4YuRh94UXgcB8vf3.
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