VIDEO: Officer saves choking baby, now nominated for award
OXFORD, Mississippi (KFOR/Storyful) - A female police officer has been nominated for a national award for heroism after saving a choking baby.
Officer Atziri Ortiz is seen in the video at the top of this story flipping the baby onto his stomach, while lightly hitting his back, dislodging an object that was causing him to choke.
That act of heroism happened September 15th in Oxford, Mississippi, and now her department has nominated Ortiz for the 2023 RISE Award, while asking the public to vote for her.
Three first responders across the nation will win the annual award, presented by Axon, the company that manufactures the Taser device. Each recipient will win $1,000, a trophy, and a trip to the award ceremony.
In its nomination, the Oxford Mississippi Police Department wrote, "Officer Ortiz remained calm in the face of panic and uncertainty and relied on her training to help save this child's life."
To vote for Officer Ortiz, click here. To view all of the nominations, click here.
Voting for the top ten finalists is open until February 6th.