What Were Those LBPD Units Doing With Lights/Sirens Along With An Ambulance Speeding Down Atlantic Ave. To Memorial Hospital Monday Night? Here's What An LBPD Officer Did Minutes Earlier; UPDATE: LBFD Details Added

The LBPD response alongside the LBFD response was noticed by a number of participants attending a BKBIA event at the time; they asked us, and LBReport.com asked LBPD about it...and we've now learned the rest of the story.

LBPD Public Information Officer Lisa Massacani emails that on Monday Sept. 17 at about 7:30 p.m., LB police officers were called to a residence in the area of Paramount Blvd./56tth St. regarding a 14-month old baby boy who was in full cardiac arrest.

[LBPD text] Officer Alfonso Navarro was one of the first police officers at the scene, and immediately began CPR until the child took a few breaths, then took him outside where he was immediately met by arriving paramedics. The paramedics continued to assist the child’s breathing while he was placed in the Fire Department rescue ambulance for transport to Memorial Medical Center.

As the child was being treated and readied for transport, the same officer radioed for patrol units to block traffic along their route in order to provide an unobstructed route for the ambulance.

Other units at the scene provided an escort for the Fire rescue ambulance, activating lights and sirens to warn other motorists of the urgency of the situation in order for paramedics to get the child to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Upon arriving at the hospital, staff took over the life saving efforts. At the conclusion of the call the child was found to have an obstruction in his throat, which was cleared, enabling him to breathe freely and he was doing well.

Simply put: the actions of Officers Navarro, assisted by other LBPD and LBFD personnel, helped save the child's life.

[UPDATED] LBFD Public Information Officer Will Nash adds the following, citing this report by Robbie Grego, Captain 11C [bracketed material by us]:

On September 17, 2012, Incident # 37349 @1924 hours, Engine and Rescue 11 responded to [an address on E. 56th Way] for a reported pediatric full arrest. On arrival, Long beach Police officer Narravo who had the baby in his arms and was performing mouth-to-mouth ventilations met Rescue 11 at the sidewalk.

Navarro was also performing modified chest compressions. Officer Navarro handed the small child off to FF/PM Holloman who placed the child onto the gurney in the back of rescue 11. The 17mo./old child was in severe respiratory distress [describes medical conditions]...LBFD crewmembers began to assist patient’s respirations with BVM and suctioning.

Paramedics started an IV and made base contact with the hospital. The patient was driven Code 3 [lights and sirens] to Long beach Memorial Hospital with LBPD leading the way and clearing intersections...While en-route and performing therapy, paramedics noticed the child’s respiratory effort had improved. The child was handed off to Long beach Memorial Pediatric staff that was eventually able to remove a small plastic object from the child’s airway. The child eventually regained full consciousness and was resting in the mother’s arms later that evening.

Engine 11: Captain Pedroza, Engineer Willis, Firefighter’s Wade and Hakopian

Rescue 11: FF/PM’s Hollomon and Verga