Newark Public Safety Director Brian A. O’Hara reports that Police Officer Claudia Martinez performed life-saving CPR on an unresponsive Newark man, saving his life, on Saturday, June 12.
“I commend Officer Martinez for applying her training as a licensed practical nurse to perform life-saving chest compressions, reviving an unresponsive man and preventing a tragedy,” Director O’Hara said. “Every second counts when someone stops breathing. I am grateful that both of these first responders took the necessary, immediate steps to assist the victim.”
According to police, at approximately 1:10 a.m., Officer Martinez and her partner, Officer Stevenson, responded to a call of a sick or injured person at a residence in the 500 block of Market Street.
The officers located an unresponsive 29-year-old man on the living room floor.
Police said that Officer Martinez, who served as a nurse prior to becoming a police officer, observed that the victim had no pulse and was not breathing. She performed chest compressions on the victim while Officer Stevenson immediately called for EMS.
Following several moments of Officer Martinez performing continuous chest compressions, a pulse was detected and the victim began breathing on his own. The responsive victim was then transported to University Hospital for further treatment.
“When Newark police officers respond to a life or death incident and take this kind of quick-thinking action, it shows their commitment to treating every member of the community the way they would treat someone from their own family,” Director O’Hara added.