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This morning, July 18th, 2014, at 1:38 a.m., Spokane Valley Sheriff’s Deputy Randy Watts heard a medics/ambulance call for service near the 1200 block of South Fox Road. In the broadcast, information was relayed that a female had delivered a baby and that the baby was not breathing.
Deputy Watts was near the call, has basic medical training and responded to the residence. He arrived on scene and the father was waiting on the front lawn. The father led Deputy Watts to the upstairs bathroom where he contacted the mother and midwife crouched over the baby on the floor.
Deputy Watts saw the baby was purple, not breathing and had no detectable pulse. Deputy Watts had the mother and midwife move aside and he began rescue breathing and chest compressions.Â
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After the first cycle of CPR, Deputy Watts could see the baby was attempting to breath but assumed the newborns airway was still blocked with mucus. Deputy Watts placed the newborn on his forearm and began back strikes until she discharged a large amount of fluid from her nose and mouth. Once the fluid was discharged, Deputy Watt’s rescue breaths became much more effective and the color began to return to the newborns skin.
During Deputy Watts third cycle of CPR, Spokane Valley Fire Department personnel arrived on scene. A Valley Fire Captain had Deputy Watts continue CPR while fire personnel and the midwife cut the umbilical cord and administered oxygen. Once the cord was cut, Deputy Watts carried the newborn to the ambulance and continued chest compressions while en route to the hospital. About half way to the hospital the baby was able to maintain her heart rate and attempted to breathe on her own several times.
At that point Deputy Watts stopped compressions and assisted paramedics with warming the baby. Once at the hospital, the newborn regained all of her color, had a very strong pulse rate and was recovering well. Prior to Deputy Watts leaving the hospital the newborn was off the ventilator and stable.
Deputy Craig Chamberlin
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office
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