Etobicoke officer recounts baby rescue effort at Raptors parade

One moment they were high-fiving the crowd. The next, they were frantically trying to save a baby.

It was 1:30 pm June 17 when the police ceremonial unit marching north on York Street at the Toronto Raptors victory parade came to a sudden stop just north of Front Street.

“Our attention is diverted to the east side of York Street where a small group of citizens are yelling,” recalled acting Staff Sgt. Jeff Alderdice, who works at Etobicoke’s 22 Division and is also a member of the ceremonial unit.

Moments before the yelling, a baby boy stopped breathing while being breastfed along the parade route.

Behind the police ceremonial unit in the parade were the ceremonial units of the two other emergency services: fire and paramedics.

In this article recently published in the Etobicoke Guardian, Metroland Media and Toronto.com reporter Andrew Palamarchuk speaks with 22 Division acting Staff Sgt. Jeff Alderdice about the challenges of responding to an emergency distress call during the Toronto Raptors’ victory parade.

Read the full article here: https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9480284-etobicoke-officer-recounts-baby-rescue-effort-at-raptors-parade/