CEDAR RAPIDS- A young Cedar Rapids mother frantically calls 911 to save her one week old baby’s life. Two dispatchers teamed-up to give the mom instructions to keep her unconscious baby alive.
The Cedar Rapids 911 dispatchers just started taking medical emergency calls this year. And after extensive training, that call from a hysterical mom two weeks ago on December 2nd put their skills to the test.
“Cedar Rapids 911 what’s the address of the emergency?” asked Cedar Rapids 911 Dispatch I Kelliann Dykstra.
Kelliann Dykstra had only been a 911 dispatcher for four months before getting this call.
“I need an ambulance, my baby won’t wake-up and he’s stopped breathing,” said mother Rebeca McCorkle.
It was 18-year-old Rebeca McCorkle frantically trying to wake-up her then one week old son Charles, Junior.
“It’s the scariest, worst feeling in the world,” said McCorkle.
“I just knew I needed to get her help and figure out where to go in the card set to give her the right instructions,” said Dykstra.
It’s a true matter of life and death, so veteran dispatcher Andrew Huffman stepped-in.
“Ma’am, stay on the line I’m going to tell you exactly what to do next ok? Slightly tilt the head back and put your head next to his mouth,” said Cedar Rapids 911 Dispatch II Andrew Huffman.
A step-by-step process Huffman instructed to a panicked McCorkle while holding back his own emotions.
“Especially this particular call one of the biggest instincts I know I have as a new father and a lot of parents have is to do everything you can,” said Huffman.
But Huffman kept to the script, until he heard the sound he was waiting for.
“C’mon honey,” said McCorkle.
“Did I just hear him crying just a little bit?” asked Huffman.
“Yeah a little,” said McCorkle.
“Somebody crying means they’re breathing means they’ve got a fighting chance,” said Huffman.
“By the time he was screaming the medics got there,” said McCorkle.
Two weeks later, Charles Junior is preparing for his first Christmas. A healthy infant son is McCorkle’s gift, with a special thank you to the two responsible for his survival.
“I would just say thank you, because honestly without them helping, I don’t think I could have kept it together and did anything right. I would have probably curled up and he really wouldn’t be here,” said McCorkle.
Since March, the Cedar Rapids 911 dispatchers have helped five people who were not awake or breathing when someone called on their behalf, start breathing and gain consciousness before medics arrived. Two of the five people were infants.
