‘Holiday miracle’: Shocking video shows TSA officer leap into action to save baby who stopped breathing
‘Two months on the job and she’s literally a life-saver,’ says TSA boss
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Your support makes all the difference.A newly-hired TSA officer leapt over a conveyer belt at Newark Liberty International Airport to save a baby boy from choking to death, the agency says.
Cecilia Morales heard the two month old’s mother screaming for help after she picked him up from a carrier seat to pass through a security checkpoint and realised he wasn’t breathing.
JUST IN: @TSA officer, a former EMT, hailed as a hero after she jumped over a checkpoint conveyor belt to perform Heimlich on an infant who stopped breathing at @EWRairport checkpoint, saving the baby’s life. #TSAHolidayMiracle. The news release: https://t.co/J1yuT05ysw pic.twitter.com/3NfRD7lvPh
— Lisa Farbstein, TSA Spokesperson (@TSA_Northeast) December 23, 2021
As the young mother sought help from other travellers, Ms Morales began shouting instructions at her from behind the conveyer belt, the TSA said in a statement.
“She was so nervous and I knew if I didn’t get over there, it wasn’t going to be a good outcome. I jumped over the checkpoint conveyor belt rollers and she gave me the baby.”
Ms Morales, a trained EMT with 10 years experience, performed the infant Heimlich manoeuvre on the baby.
She then held the infant carefully to keep his airway open, and placed him face down on her arm while patting him on the back.
The boy showed no response, and so Ms Morales repeated the same action and he started to breathe.
“The mother was too nervous and in shock to hold her son, so I carried the infant through the walk through metal detector,” said Ms Morales.
A pediatric EMT arrived soon afterwards to give the baby oxygen.
Security cameras caught the entire incident on camera, which the TSA are calling a “holiday miracle”.
Ms Morales said it was “mind-blowing” to watch the footage afterwards.
“It was the first time I’ve ever seen myself in action, saving a life. I felt that my training and experience just took over.”
During her decade working as an EMT in northern New Jersey towns, she had performed Heimlichs on adults and children, but this was her first time using the life-saving technique on an infant.
In a statement, Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey, praised Ms Morales’s quick reaction which “helped ensure that this family will have a happy holiday season”.
“Her actions were inspiring,” he said.
“Two months on the job and she’s literally a life-saver.”
TSA Manager Ayrana Frazier said without Ms Morales’ critical thinking, knowledge and quick response, there could have been a “terrible outcome”.
“In the moment Officer Morales was selfless, and her priority was to save a life. We are proud to call her one of our own.”
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