Faced with an unconscious baby in a bathtub, a hysterical 911 caller had the good fortune of dialing in to Fortuna Iamunno.
Iamunno (pictured in video), a 911 operator for the city, talked the caller through CPR and was credited with saving the life of an 10-month-old baby girl in August. She received an official citation from the Board of Aldermen Wednesday night.
Click the play arrow to hear the 911 call.
Iamunno answered a 911 call on Aug. 21 from young, panic-stricken caller from East Ferry Street, Fair Haven Alderman Ernie Santiago said. A 10-month-old baby had been found unresponsive in a bathtub.
Iamunno talked down the hysterical caller and calmly gave instructions that saved the infant’s life.
“I need you to please listen to me,” Iamunno says at the beginning of the recorded 911 call. The sound of the baby’s wailing mother can be heard in the background, part of a chaotic and emotional scene.
“Cover the baby’s mouth and nose with your mouth and blow two puffs of air in,” Iamunno says calmly. She instructs the caller to put two fingers on the baby’s breastbone and do chest compressions.
“Pump the chest hard and fast 30 times,” she says. “I need you to count out loud.”
Emergency medical personnel arrived and took the baby to the hospital, where she recovered.
Iamunno is a hero and a credit to her department and her profession, Santiago said.
Fair Haven Alderwoman Migdalia Castro began the official recognition by reading off of her cell phone a selection from the Bible’s Proverbs on the virtues of a good wife. She said Iamunno lived up to the Bible’s description of a good “wife” by doing her job well.
Thomas MacMillan Photo