Public Employee Press

On-the-job heroics
Local 1549 member saves cop in cardiac arrest

A quick response by a Local 1549 member likely saved the life of a police sergeant who went into cardiac arrest at 1 Police Plaza.

On May 26, responding to a call for help from a coworker, Sr. Police Administrative Aide Latreva Mumford dashed from her workplace to another office on the 11th floor of police headquarters. When she arrived, she found Sgt. Frank Tamburrino unconscious on the floor.

"He wasn't breathing while I checked his pulse," Mumford said.

Right away, Mumford turned him on his back to begin to apply CPR, and he started breathing again. Police Communication Technician Yarmaine June helped her, and Luis Rojas, an analyst in the procurement office, applied mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Within minutes, Emergency Medical Technicians were on the scene, and they rushed Tamburrino to nearby Beth Israel Hospital in an ambulance.

"Thankfully it happened to me in the office where people could see me and help," Tamburrino said. "Because of their quick action, I have not had any ill effects from the cardiac arrest."

In a ceremony on June 19, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton presented Mumford with a police medallion in honor of her CPR work. She learned CPR several years ago, when she took a course with her sister-in-law, who is a registered nurse.

"We were thrilled to hear about Latreva's heroism," Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez said.

"Everyone at the union is proud of her," said Alma Roper, the local's executive vice president.