Mercy dash saves boy

Press, 2 April 1988, Page 8

Mercy dash saves boy

Special correspondent

Auckland

A Hamilton baby ] boy was brought back to life yesterday after he stopped breathing during a mercy dash to Waikato Hospital. Cariieron Bierre, aged 181 months, began choking on a> piece of (food stuck in , his wind-pipe, and lin a race against time I as I his condition his parents raced through backcountry roads to meet the Trustßank Air Ambulance helicopter. I.

Seconds after their arrival Cameron stopped breathing completely, and only skilled work by two Hamilton ambulance officers saved his life.

“I really thought we’d lost him,” said Cameron’s father, Mr Rusell Bierre, as! he watched his; son recovering in Waikato Hospital’s intensive therapy unit last evening.

The drama began i when Mr! Bierre and his I wife, Christine, were visiting ; relatives at Ruakiwi, ;a remote farm- ; Ing district north of Raglan Harbour, yesterday “We were having a cup of tea with Christine’s mum and dad when Cameron! began to choke,” said Mr Bierre. ; *’l did; all the usual things like tipping him upside down and hitting him on the back, but they weren’t working and he was getting bluer and bluer in the face. I rang 111, and asked the ambulance people to send out the helicopter.” It was arranged that the helicopter would meet Mr and Mrs Bierre in their car at the Wairigaro Hot Springs, and the jtwo arrived almost simultaneously. Cameron’s condition ; worsened during the 15minute dash by car, and about a minute after he was passed over to' the

i ambulance officers he ] stopped breathing. An advanced care officer, Mr Peter Murfitt, ; and 1 Mr Vern Watkins, from the Hamilton ambulance base, both worked on the baby trying to clear his airways. They had to put a tube down his throat and give him cardiac massage bei fore] they could get him f; breathing again. He was awake and crying within about 10 i minutes, but was rushed to Waikato Hospital in the air ambulance for further examination. Mrs Bierre, accompanied him in the helicopter, and both parents were still at jhis bedside in the emergency ward, late last evening. Mrs Bierre, aged 30, is a former I registered nurse and Mr Bierre, 35, is a health; protection officer with the Health Department The couple have two daughters aged six and four.