Most people know that when disaster strikes, it’s best to reach out to a first responder for help, whether by dialing 911 or approaching one out in the wild.
S.W.A.T. Officer SPO Oden was on patrol on May 13 when he spotted unusual behavior being displayed by a motorist on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Atlanta, Georgia.
The car had its hazard lights on and the driver was repeatedly honking the horn. Oden decided to follow it, and eventually it turned in to a fire station.
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As soon as it stopped, the people inside jumped out. One of them ran straight for Oden, carrying a limp baby.
Oden checked for a pulse, but couldn’t find one. He then radioed dispatch to let them know about the situation and started administering CPR.
After a bit, the baby’s legs began to move and it had a pulse again. Grady EMS arrived shortly after and whisked the baby off to the hospital.
Since then, Oden has been recognized for his involvement by the City of Atlanta Police Department, and they shared footage from his bodycam, showing the rescue.
“S.W.A.T officers are typically involved in dangerous situations, challenging details, riots, and other potentially volatile incidents,” the police department’s post read. “Giving CPR to a 4-month-old baby, is not a routine part of a SWAT officer’s day but that is exactly what happened in this incident.
“On 5/13/22, around 12:38 pm, S.W.A.T. officer SPO Oden was patrolling in the area along the Martin Luther King Corridor when he noticed a vehicle driving down MLK with its hazard lights active and the cars horn frantically blowing. SPO Oden followed the vehicle to investigate if a possible emergency was at hand. The vehicle parked at the Fire Station and the occupants jumped out and flagged down SPO Oden for immediate assistance.
“A female ran to the officer holding a 4-month-old infant saying the child was not breathing. SPO Oden remained calm and began checking the child’s pulse, unable to find a pulse, SPO Oden immediately notified radio dispatch of the situation and began administering CPR. Officer Oden continued CPR on the infant for the entire duration until Grady EMS arrived. By the time Grady EMS arrived, SPO Oden had successfully gained a pulse from the infant as the infant’s legs began to move. Grady EMS took custody of the child and rushed him to the hospital for further treatment.
“If being at the right place at the right time was a person, SPO Oden is him. He could not have imagined that his patrolling that area would result in this type of emergency encounter.
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“Officers never know what to expect during their shift, they just show up ready to act. SPO Odens actions were quick, calm, caring, and professional. This is another example of the heroic work that officers do on any given day. His response reflects a high level of training, readiness, and compassion.
“We could not be prouder of him in this critical moment. We know the City of Atlanta is safer with SPO Oden and our team of professional, responsive, and caring officers who do this work and patrol our streets, 24/7, and 365 days a week. It is indeed a calling. Job well-done sir!”
The video shows how tense the moments were between Oden getting out to help and EMS arriving. The family was frantic, but Oden remained cool and collected, displaying true professionalism even in a highly stressful situation.
Many from the community commented to thank the officer for jumping in when and how he did, but no doubt the most thankful party was the family of the 4-month-old.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
