Police officer rushes to call of 9-month-old baby choking on food — forced to take extreme measures to save baby just in time
When it comes to emergencies, there’s not always a systematic way to go about it. Sometimes things get chaotic and messy and in the frantic moment, the only aim is to get rid of the problem or danger. Any life-saving method, as unconventional as it may seem, is always appreciated as long as it is one that saves or, at least, helps the victim. Officer Fitzgerald from the Albany Police Department is being commended for one such act that helped save an infant. A 9-month-old was choking and when the officer received the call, he rushed to respond and didn’t hesitate to do whatever it took to ensure the baby was saved.
The post commended the officer while sharing the good news that many parents were relieved to hear. On Thursday, October 30, 2025, around 7:40 p.m., the officer received a call regarding a 9-month-old who was choking at their residence. While he arrived as quickly as possible, things had already taken a drastic turn. The infant had become unresponsive and could no longer breathe. The most important thing to do at that moment was to dislodge the food and get the child to breathe. So, he took it upon himself to use whatever method possible to get rid of the food as instantly as possible.
“Officer Fitzgerald administered several back blows, successfully dislodging the food,” the post explained. Though it may seem like an unconventional method, it is the best shot the victim has to breathe again. According to the American Red Cross, children below the age of 5 are at a higher risk of choking. In such cases, where the infant is unresponsive or not breathing, the method of giving blows to the back correctly is suggested. The first step is to turn the infant over so that their back is facing the responder. Next, five thrusts are to be given on the back with the help of the heel of the palm, between the shoulder blades. This can be followed up with chest thrusts and can be continued at a frequency of 5 thrusts each until the infant is responsive.
Careful attention must be paid to the procedure since infants are more delicate and wrong positioning or methods can make things worse. Thanks to Officer Fitzgerald’s experienced and quick action, the infant was able to breathe again. “The Albany Fire Department and emergency medical personnel arrived shortly after and the infant was transported to Albany Medical Center Hospital for further treatment,” the post revealed.
People, most of whom were parents themselves, were grateful for the officer’s act. Kyle Bailey said, “As a father of a 9-month-old, this makes me feel better to know first responders can help in situations like this.” Tim Nelson added, “Job well done, officer!” Karen McGovern Fortsch remarked, “I can’t even imagine how absolutely terrifying it must have been for everyone and thank God for a quick response and the baby is hopefully going to be fine now!” Patti J Duff wrote, “Thank you, officer, you are truly a hero.”
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