Pryor Police Officers Rescue Baby Girl From Life-Threatening Choking Incident

Two Pryor Police officers saved a baby girl from choking just one week after going through training on how to save lives.

Pryor Police officers saved the life of 9-month-old Gracelynn Bullard, who was choking on a piece of cardboard over the weekend.

When the 911 call came in, Corporal Kenny Bennett and Officer Jessica Flud got to work. Flud dislodged the cardboard with some forceful thrusts to the baby's back, and Bennett stepped in to help.

Corporal Bennett had just been through departmental training on basic lifesaving skills a week earlier.

“I was lucky enough that I just went through Sean's class maybe a week prior. So, it was really fresh in my mind. Immediately, whenever I noticed the kid was breathing, I just opened its mouth and noticed the foreign object in there,” Bennet said.

While a little shaken, the baby survived, and it was an important reminder of how important their training is because knowing what to do can be the difference between life and death.

“You really don’t expect to have to do medical anything in this role, but it happens sometimes,” Flud said.

The 8-hour course teaches officers how to respond to drug overdoses, CPR, how to use an AED, and what to do if someone's choking.

Pryor Police Chief Jeremy Cantrell says it's tools like these he wants all officers to know.

“I'm proud of my officers that are out there that they want the training, but also that they have that knowledge when they get on the scene and can step up,” Cantrell said.

The Pryor Police Department says its Basic Life Support course isn't just for its officers. Anyone will soon be able to attend and learn what to do if help is too far away. Officer Sean Scott says he recommends the course for everyone, especially parents and babysitters.

He says it's better to know what to do and not need to do it than not know and need it.

“It happens more often than you'd think. As soon as that training happens, something happens, and they're like, 'Hey, I can respond to that,' and they feel empowered to do that,” Scott said.