Hero Dispatcher Saves Baby’s Life

Alabama Mobile A panicked father called 911 because his infant baby was not breathing. Sonette Buzbee helped walk the father through CPR. Click here to listen.

by Jamie Burch

Published: Tue, February 03, 2009 - 3:34 pm CST Last Updated: Tue, February 03, 2009 - 3:50 pm CST

A panicked father called 911 because his infant baby was not breathing. Sonette Buzbee, with Mobile-Fire Rescue, helped walk the father through CPR.

Tuesday, the Mobile City Council presented Buzbee with the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department’s Non-Sworn Employee of the Month.

Click play to listen to the 911 call.

Text of 911 Call
(dispatcher) Mobile Fire-Rescue, what's the emergency?
(caller) Yes please. My baby girl, she's not breathing.
(dispatcher) Tell me exactly what happened.
(caller) My little girl, she's bleeding out of her nose. You gotta hurry up right now.
(dispatcher) Are you with her right now sir?
(caller) Yes ma'am. I'm holding her in my hands
(dispatcher) How old is she?
(caller) She's (inaudible) Hurry up. She's not breathing. She's not conscious.
(dispatcher) Sir listen to me. Listen to me carefully. I need you to lay the baby flat on her back. Remove any pillows. Do not put anything under her head.
(caller) Ok, she's flat on her back.
(dispatcher) OK. Look in her mouth and tell me if you see any food or vomit.
(caller) No ma'am. I can't tell. She's blue.
(dispatcher) OK. Now listen to me, ok. We're gonna help her until they get there. I want you to place your hand on the baby's forehead.
(caller) Yes ma'am.
(dispatcher) Your other hand under the baby's neck.
(caller) Under the baby's neck?
(dispatcher) And her shoulder
(caller) And her shoulders?
(dispatcher) and slightly tilt her head back
(caller) Yes ma'am.
(dispatcher) Put your ear next to her mouth.
(caller) Put my what?
(dispatcher) Put your ear next to her mouth and tell me if you can hear any breathing.
(caller) She's got her eyes barely pinned open and her lips blue. She's purple.
(dispatcher) I'm gonna tell you how to give her mouth to mouth, okay.
(caller) Yes ma'am.
(dispatcher) With the baby's head slightly tilted back, I want you to completely cover the baby's mouth and nose with your mouth.
(caller) Yes ma'am.
(dispatcher) Your going to blow two puffs of air into her lungs, about one second each.
(caller) Yes ma'am. One second each.
(dispatcher) Just enough to make the chest rise with each breath, okay. Do it now.
(caller) Ok.
(caller's wife) Hello?
(dispatcher) Yes ma'am.
(caller's wife) I need you to tell us what to do.
(dispatcher) I know ma'am. Is he giving her air?
(caller's wife) he's trying to giver her air.
(dispatcher) Ask him 'did he feel the air going in and out?'
(caller's wife) (did you feel the air going in and out?) Yes. He's got her head pulled back trying to give her air.
(dispatcher) Ma'am. Make sure the baby's flat on her back on the ground.
(caller's wife) The baby's flat on her back.
(dispatcher) Place two fingers on the breastbone in the center of her chest.
(caller) Yes ma'am.
(dispatcher) You're gonna place two fingers.
(caller) Yeah. Yeah.
(dispatcher) OK. Place two fingers on the breastbone in the center of her chest, right between the nipples.
(caller) Yes ma'am.
(dispatcher) You're gonna push down one inch, only with your fingers touching her chest
(caller) Only my fingers touching her chest.
(dispatcher) Yes.
(caller) Two fingers.
(dispatcher) Yes. You're gonna pump her chest hard and fast 30 times.
(caller) 30 times.
(dispatcher) At least twice per second.
(caller) Alright.
(dispatcher) You're gonna let the chest come all the way up between pumps. I want you to tell me when you're done.
(caller) OK
(dispatcher) Do you understand me so far?
(caller) the chest between her nipples, between her two nipples, uh 30 times, uh
(dispatcher) Twice per second
(caller) 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9
(dispatcher) 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6. Okay, keep it going. Go.
(caller) 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 (crying) 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30
(dispatcher) With your hand under her neck and shoulders, you're gonna slightly title her head back again. Two more puffs and then pump her chest 30 more times.
(caller) Yes ma'am. Two more?
(dispatcher) Two more puffs and 30 times. Make sure you're fingers are on the breastbone in the center of her chest right between the nipples. Do you understand? Do you feel the air going in?
(caller) Yes ma'am. (baby cries)
(dispatcher) Is that the baby crying.
(caller) Yes ma'am. (baby crying) What do you want me to do? Lay her on her side, pat her on her the back?
(dispatcher) Don't pat her on her back.
(caller) OK
(dispatcher) Just let her lay there. I'm going to stay on the line with you but I want you to tell me exactly what she does ok. I don't want you to give her any more breaths and do not pump her chest anymore.
(caller) OK
(dispatcher) You didn't see anything in her mouth?
(caller) No ma'am.
(dispatcher) Tell your wife to go open the front door.
(caller) Thats her crying.
(dispatcher) OK thats good. She's getting good air. You stay with the baby.
(caller) OK, can I pick her up for a minute?
(dispatcher) Just leave her right there. Wait for the paramedics to get there with her.

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Cridge Says:

Mon, Feb 09, 2009 at 11:53 am

You never know in a situation like that how you will react. Thank God that baby is ok! I can’t imagine having to go through something like that with my little girl. That terrifies me! Way to go Sonette Buzbee and the baby’s dad! I was unable to listen to it but I read the phone converstation.

bama_girl Says:

Wed, Feb 04, 2009 at 2:01 pm

Thank you Mom2AngelBaby drugs are not always involved. Everyone handles things different. She may have just realized how important it was to listen and calm down.

Mom2AngelBaby Says:

Wed, Feb 04, 2009 at 10:49 am

We can’t just assume drugs are involved with this woman. Its highly possible that she has some type of disability, I mean there are disabled people who have children. Lets hope this is the case…and besides you never know how you will react until your in that spot…Thank god the babies life was saved no matter the case…

DEW26M Says:

Tue, Feb 03, 2009 at 6:47 pm

seektruth, I get cussed at and called a heartless sob about every 5 posts I make. I’m pretty used to it, anyone who can not hear in that mother’s voice, that she was definitely on some type of “downer” should invest in some q-tips or take a crash course in drug education .

seektruth Says:

Tue, Feb 03, 2009 at 6:44 pm

I know when my first baby was born I couldn’t even take the 5 mg Tylox the doc prescribed me because I’m really sensitive to medicine and after taking it one time, I knew I couldn’t take it and take care of the baby at the same time. Hopefully, our assumptions are wrong though. We’re probably undermining the whole point of this story and ruining it for everyone by bringing it up. I’m sure someone will catch wind of our audacity and in about 3 posts, they’ll cuss us the best they can without using 4 letter words. That’s how things usually go on here.

shuga Says:

Tue, Feb 03, 2009 at 6:01 pm

Thank God for this dispatcher…. she was very proficient and calm throughout this ordeal she was able to keep the father reasonably calm and talk him through crp and saved this precious babies life!!

DEW26M Says:

Tue, Feb 03, 2009 at 5:41 pm

Seriously, I withheld my thoughts about the mother due to the nature of the situation. She sounded like she had eaten about 5 XanaX bars or maybe a handful of Oxycontin. She was definitely on something, rather prescribed or otherwise.

seektruth Says:

Tue, Feb 03, 2009 at 5:35 pm

Drugs were my first thought too, that just sounded super strange.

sunny Says:

Tue, Feb 03, 2009 at 5:21 pm

Yes, the mother did sound real relaxed but who knows what they would do in that situation. Thank God for the 911 dispatcher. She is really an asset to our 911 system.

KxVicious Says:

Tue, Feb 03, 2009 at 5:20 pm

Great job, Sonette!

I wonder what was going on? The father was so frantic, but the mother….she sounded so apathetic, like she wasn’t upset that her baby was purple. Maybe she was on drugs or has PPD?

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