Village of Mineola building inspector John Chilcott gave a local mother an unexpected gift just days before Christmas – saving her infant son’s life.
“It was good,” Chilcott said. “It all worked out well for Christmas.”
Chilcott said the unidentified mother came with her eight-week-old son to Village Hall on Thursday at around 1:30 p.m. to pay a parking ticket, but realized the village court was temporarily closed and left.
As she was leaving the building her son stopped breathing, he said.
“I heard someone call for help downstairs, Chilcott said.
Peter Smith, an emplo yee of Mineola’s Building Department, said he was walking into the building just as the mother was calling for help. He said he ran upstairs shouting for help when Chilcott responded.
Chilcott said he was eating his lunch on the second floor of Village Hall when he heard the commotion and ran downstairs.
“The baby was downstairs on the table and the mother was crying,” he said. “He was eight weeks old, he looked like a doll on that table.”
Chilcott said he immediately put into use the CPR training he had received from the American Red Cross more than 30 years ago, using three fingers to do compressions on the baby’s chest
A few moments later, Chilcott said, the baby started breathing again.
“It was a matter of common sense and a little bit of luck,” he said.
Chilcott said he was comfortable handling a baby since he had just become a grandfather a month ago.
“I thought of my granddaughter,” he said. “I wasn’t intimidated by the size.”
Village Clerk Joseph Scalero said three members of the leisure club, who were playing cards in the community center, had tried to call 911.
But, Scalero said, they were put on hold.
Smith said it was fortunate that Chilcott was present, noting that Smith was usually not in the office during lunch, but was there that day to attend a luncheon.
“He took control of the situation and thank God the baby revived,” Smith said. “It wasn’t looking good.”
The police arrived a short while later, Chicott said.
“I was already holding the baby,” he said. “He was crying, which was a good sign.”
Chilcott said the baby was taken to Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola by ambulance where he was said to be in stable condition.
“I just happened to be there at the right time,” he said.
Smith said Chilcott was honored by Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss during the village’s holiday party the next day.
Reach reporter Bryan Ahrens by e-mail at bahrens@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x204. Also follow us on Twitter @theislandnow and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.
