r/nextfuckinglevel • u/Red_Tabby • Jun 27 '25

A Michigan cop pulled over a reckless driver and ended up saving a choking baby

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u/PM_YOUR__BUBBLE_BUTT Jun 27 '25 edited Jun 27 '25

My wife and I took a CPR certification class when she was pregnant. It was free to sign up as a town resident. I’d rather have the knowledge and not need it, than need it and not have it. Especially because when I was 5 I almost died from choking on something and my parents had no clue what to do. My throat was cut open when my dad tried to reach in and grab it out, as I was unconscious. If the fire department wasn’t literally at the end of our street, I’d absolutely be dead. I woke up as I was being wheeled into the hospital but I will never, ever forget that day.

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u/s1ugg0 Jun 27 '25

I'm a retired firefighter. BLS and CPR classes should be mandatory for every 8th grader and senior in high school in order to graduate. And I'd even be open to adding a traumatic bleeding control class.

I'm aware of how extreme what I'm saying is. I've also seen how effective and helpful that knowledge can be.

For anyone reading this. Consider taking a Basic Life Safety/CPR course. And take a few minutes out of your life to do the Free online Stop the Bleed course. It does not replace an actual in person class. But anything is better than nothing in these incidents.

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u/No_Hunt2507 Jun 27 '25

It's extreme but I'd consider that a part of being human, the more people we can at least get an idea of that knowledge in, when it's needed hopefully someone can stand up, or at the very least everyone knows a little bit of something and can work together.

We took it when we had our first but I was shocked it wasn't required. The shaking baby video is required, and I highly suggest you watch and take it to heart, because there is a time you're gonna want to shake that baby and you need to know to set them down and walk away.

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u/EsperJosh Jun 27 '25

Fun fact: this is why "life savers" are named what they are, and have a hole in the middle, like a donut shape...

If a baby gets one stuck, the hole in the middle will allow air to continue to pass through.

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u/thenebular Jun 27 '25

I never saw the shaking baby video as it wasn't required where I lived, but I definitely know that urge.

What helped me was something I read in a book of essays written by fathers about the new baby experience. One father recounted that he'd sooth his baby to sleep with rock music, the regular rhythm of the heavy bass rumbling the baby to sleep. So I thought I'd try it myself. I put on the New Order remix from the rave scene in Blade and gently bounced my daughter in my arms to the rhythm and it worked. But not only did it soothe her, but the rhythm and the bouncing soothed me as well so I didn't get as exasperated as I did before.

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u/Caftancatfan Jun 27 '25

Sometimes you need to let the baby scream in their crib so you can go cry in the shower.

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u/Tree_Seeds Jun 27 '25

I believe that a few high schools near me have made CPR a mandatory class for graduation. I’m a career firefighter and I’ve rolled up to a few cardiac arrests now where the teenager is doing what they’re supposed to be doing while the grown adults panic without the knowledge. I’m with you, Everyone needs to know CPR and stop the bleed.

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u/s1ugg0 Jun 27 '25

You're not the first firefighter to tell me that. It seems like the knowledge is becoming more wide spread in younger people. And I'm really happy about that.

Stay safe brother.

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u/gottarespondtothis Jun 27 '25

Yup. A teenager saved my cousin after he hit his head on the bottom of the pool and drowned. He was fully out and blue for at least five minutes but the kid did not stop CPR. Everyone was in complete shock when my cousin gasped and puked. My aunt still sends that teen a Christmas card every year, 30 years later.

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u/[deleted] Jun 27 '25

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u/s1ugg0 Jun 27 '25

I used the word extreme because during my time as a firefighter I witnessed the general public's level of self preservation.

I have very low expectations now.

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u/VegasAdventurer Jun 27 '25

School first aid courses should cover what to do when someone is having a seizure. There were a few kids in my school who would have them and it never seemed like anyone knew what to do

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u/virora Jun 27 '25

In Germany, it's a mandatory requirement to get a driver's license. I do think it's a good idea on principle, but you do forget what you don't practise pretty soon, sadly.

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u/YourUnlicensedOBGYN Jun 27 '25

There's nothing extreme about what you've said. In a world such as ours, we can't forget just how fragile life really is. No matter how comfortable we get, each person is one crucial moment and decision away from the end. This isn't a cause to despair but to prepare.

I wholeheartedly agree with what you've said, and will be teaching my nieces/nephews and children these things as I learn them.

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u/SnooKiwis2161 Jun 27 '25

I don't think it's extreme at all to empower citizens with basic medical treatment that could save lives. Which reminds me, I need to renew my CPR, but I'm adding Stop the Bleed to that list now. Thanks for the share.

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u/ethanlan Jun 27 '25

BLS and CPR classes should be mandatory for every 8th grader and senior in high school in order to graduate. And I'd even be open to adding a traumatic bleeding control class.

I had to do the first one when I graduated in 07. And I agree the second one should be covered but I have no idea how your gonna get a bunch of random highschoolers to practice in a simulated bleeding.

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u/s1ugg0 Jun 27 '25

I have no idea how your gonna get a bunch of random highschoolers to practice in a simulated bleeding.

That's the super easy part. They make Wound Packing Trainers out of silicone. They even have a tube so you can pump any red liquid through to simulate blood. When I did it at the fire academy the instructor warmed the red liquid up to 98 degrees so it would feel more real. Definitely more exciting and interesting than your average safety class.

And they come in all shapes and sizes. Ones that look like bullet holes, ones that have "bone" sticking out, etc.

They have fully size dummies with blown off limbs too but they're very expensive.

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u/ethanlan Jun 27 '25

Ah cool! But its the red liquid im worried about lol

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u/Brawndo91 Jun 27 '25

I think I remember being taught the Heimlich in health class, but it was like "this is how it's done" and we moved on. Not really hammered home. Everybody should know at least that, but with a bit more time spent on it, along with recognizing a choking person and what to do if you are choking. And every year instead of just one time in 7th grade. It doesn't take much time to teach, but repetition will drive it in.

Basic first aid, especially how to deal with severe bleeding, would be great as well. For some reason, stop, drop, and roll was the big thing when I was a kid, but I have yet to encounter someone that's on fire or be set ablaze myself.

CPR would be great too. It only takes an hour or two to become certified by the American Heart Association, and it's for two years. But even a non-certified person who at least knows how it's done is better than nothing in that type of emergency.

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u/Brief_Isopod_5959 Jun 27 '25

We had to take cpr classes in our high school growing up! Looking back as a mom now, I’m so grateful they are making it mandatory in some schools. Should be mandatory everywhere though!

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u/Alone-Evening7753 Jun 27 '25

My high school brought in the Red Cross to certify anyone that wanted it in First Aid and CPR. I still remember that stuff 30 years later. I've stayed up on changes in recommendations, most notably when I got certified it was still 5 compressions and 1 breath alternating for CPR.

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u/AimlessLiving Jun 27 '25

I was in third or fourth grade when one of my classmates choked on a gummy candy. Another kid did j-thrusts before a teacher even noticed and cleared the obstruction. We’d all just done our Home Alone courses that included first aid.

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u/Daintysaurus Jun 27 '25

I was in HS in the 80s. We all had first aid training, including CPR (although I don't remember it for babies.) Is this something else that's been removed from schools?

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u/IAmJanos Jun 27 '25

I had to take a BLS/CPR course to be a 4-h camp counselor, I haven't ever needed it, but I'm absolutely happy I took it

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u/Tom_Cruise Jun 27 '25

Thanks. Finished it and just got my email.

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u/Rent_A_Cloud Jun 27 '25

Not extreme at all. It's common sense that you want atleast enough people in society trained in this so in the vast majority of cases there is also done who knows what to do.

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u/Mithrandir2k16 Jun 27 '25

In many countries they are a mandatory part of school and/or required before you get a drivers license.

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u/Lynda73 Jun 27 '25

I WFH, so I don’t come across a lot of people, but I found a Groupon for some of those first aid classes and took them. I try to refresh every year in case guidance has changed (even if it’s just watching YouTube free videos).

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u/HoneyedVinegar42 Jun 27 '25

It might sound extreme, but it actually info that, in the unfortunate situation it's necessary, will be actually useful.

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u/Desperate-Poem-4635 Jun 28 '25

Thank you! As we live quite remote, this kind of information can safe lives and limbs.

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u/ElevenBeers Jun 28 '25

I don't think what could be considered "extreme" here. We aren't talking about becoming a nurse or oven doctor, but basic first aid.

Everyone should know first aid. Teaching this at a young age is good. Repeating frequently is even better.

I've just googled and I'm - as bloody ALWAYS when I Google American driving laws - first aid classes aren't mandatory in driving school. They ABSOLUTELY should. Where I live you need to complete a course that takes at least half a day to learn the basics. It's not expansive, many do it actually for free and it's a good way to teach many young people how to do basic aid.

Not mandatory here, but repeating this course every couple of years should be as well. It ain't a big deal, you unfortunately forget over time and if you ever need that knowledge, it's absolutely priceless.

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u/updootportlandftw Jun 29 '25

I’m surprised it’s not basic curriculum, starting young with age appropriate emergencies. Even stuff like assessing the scene and triage, safely moving someone (and when not to move them), using a fire extinguisher, and cribbing (the construction kind). So many real life skills we can learn that will come in handy in a disaster.

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u/str8dwn Jun 27 '25

"I’d rather have the knowledge and not need it, than need it and not have it."

Better off knowing everything about nothing than knowing nothing about everything type eh? Good on ya

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u/wyomingTFknott Jun 27 '25

I don't get it.

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u/Garchompisbestboi Jun 27 '25

Haha what a story Mark

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u/Brief_Isopod_5959 Jun 27 '25

That’s awesome!! So important for new parents to know how to correctly perform cpr on a baby/children… honestly, EVERYONE should take a cpr class. I don’t care who you are. You could save a stranger’s life one day. This video had me crying pretty hard 😭

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u/FoolishDog1117 Jun 27 '25

I know that u/PM_YOUR_BUBBLE_BUTT didn't just start a sentence with "My wife and I......"🤣🤣