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Mall security officer helps rescue child www.privateofficer.com
March 29, 2009
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KINGSPORT TN March 29 2009 — A 2-year-old child lay almost limp in J.J. Williams’ arms. She wasn’t breathing well and had a burning fever. With kids of his own and previous EMT training, instinct took over.
“One of the first things that went through my mind, besides trying to save this little girl, was ‘I’ve got children and what if this was me. I’ve got to do everything I can to make sure she makes it,’” Williams said.
He’s a security officer with the Kingsport Town Center (formerly Fort Henry Mall).
On March 9, Williams was on routine foot patrol inside the mall when he received a call from office personnel that a small child was crying and screaming, and the mother was reporting her daughter was having trouble breathing.
“When I got to them, she was holding her daughter in her arms, and I observed that she was semiconscious — a little bit awake but disoriented,” said the officer.
“I took (the girl) from the mother because she was very upset, and then I started to try and get her to respond to me while I informed the other officer to contact 911 to have emergency personnel come to the mall.
“I went ahead and relocated her outside because a crowd was starting to form, and when I exited the building I noticed that she went completely limp and went unconscious on me. I checked and she still had a pulse, but she had quit breathing.”
Williams had previous training in CPR and other resuscitation techniques during his time as a volunteer firefighter, skills he said came back almost instantly as he tried to keep the little girl breathing and awake until an ambulance arrived.
“I cleared her airway and then gave her two small breaths. At that point, she came back and was crying,” Williams said. “There are certain ways to administer CPR to an adult and a child, so I had to make sure I was doing the right procedure because they are way different.”
The girl, whose family lives in Kingsport, stopped breathing again and Williams had to administer two more small breaths, which got the toddler breathing again.
Williams said he managed to keep the girl awake until the ambulance crew arrived just minutes later, and then she was handed off and taken to an area hospital for treatment.
That’s when Williams said the adrenaline started to subside and he began thinking of his two girls at home.
“Your first responsibility is to provide safety and help to the public. But even when you are doing that, you can’t help but think of what you would do if it was your child lying there,” he said.
“I think if it were not for that training, I don’t know what would have happened. I might have frozen up. You just never know. But with the training they provide for us here at the mall, it all came back quickly.
“This was the first time I had done the breathing technique on a child. With a child, you flip them over (with their face opposite you) and you pat their back to make sure they are not choking. I’ve got kids, and it’s a scary thing when you have to try and help them, but you do what you are trained to do.”
The family of the child could not be reached for comment, but they told mall management that the 2-year-old has recovered from what her mother said was a small seizure brought on by a high fever.
Mall Manager Kevin Harmon said Williams has earned the title of “hero” because of his unselfish act and his quick thinking.
“He is to be heavily commended for helping this little girl. Because of his specialized training, and just knowing the kind of person J.J. is, he deserves all the credit that can be heaped upon him,” said Harmon.
“One of the first things that went through my mind, besides trying to save this little girl, was ‘I’ve got children and what if this was me. I’ve got to do everything I can to make sure she makes it,’” Williams said.
He’s a security officer with the Kingsport Town Center (formerly Fort Henry Mall).
On March 9, Williams was on routine foot patrol inside the mall when he received a call from office personnel that a small child was crying and screaming, and the mother was reporting her daughter was having trouble breathing.
“When I got to them, she was holding her daughter in her arms, and I observed that she was semiconscious — a little bit awake but disoriented,” said the officer.
“I took (the girl) from the mother because she was very upset, and then I started to try and get her to respond to me while I informed the other officer to contact 911 to have emergency personnel come to the mall.
“I went ahead and relocated her outside because a crowd was starting to form, and when I exited the building I noticed that she went completely limp and went unconscious on me. I checked and she still had a pulse, but she had quit breathing.”
Williams had previous training in CPR and other resuscitation techniques during his time as a volunteer firefighter, skills he said came back almost instantly as he tried to keep the little girl breathing and awake until an ambulance arrived.
“I cleared her airway and then gave her two small breaths. At that point, she came back and was crying,” Williams said. “There are certain ways to administer CPR to an adult and a child, so I had to make sure I was doing the right procedure because they are way different.”
The girl, whose family lives in Kingsport, stopped breathing again and Williams had to administer two more small breaths, which got the toddler breathing again.
Williams said he managed to keep the girl awake until the ambulance crew arrived just minutes later, and then she was handed off and taken to an area hospital for treatment.
That’s when Williams said the adrenaline started to subside and he began thinking of his two girls at home.
“Your first responsibility is to provide safety and help to the public. But even when you are doing that, you can’t help but think of what you would do if it was your child lying there,” he said.
“I think if it were not for that training, I don’t know what would have happened. I might have frozen up. You just never know. But with the training they provide for us here at the mall, it all came back quickly.
“This was the first time I had done the breathing technique on a child. With a child, you flip them over (with their face opposite you) and you pat their back to make sure they are not choking. I’ve got kids, and it’s a scary thing when you have to try and help them, but you do what you are trained to do.”
The family of the child could not be reached for comment, but they told mall management that the 2-year-old has recovered from what her mother said was a small seizure brought on by a high fever.
Mall Manager Kevin Harmon said Williams has earned the title of “hero” because of his unselfish act and his quick thinking.
“He is to be heavily commended for helping this little girl. Because of his specialized training, and just knowing the kind of person J.J. is, he deserves all the credit that can be heaped upon him,” said Harmon.
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