BRISTOL, Connecticut — Bristol Police dispatcher Melissa Garcia was honored after police said she calmly coached a mother through CPR when the woman reported that her infant was not breathing.
The Bristol Edition reported Saturday that Garcia received the department's Dispatcher of the Month Award for June during Tuesday's Police Commission meeting.
Police chief describes the June 23 emergency call
Police Chief Mark Morello said Garcia answered a 9-1-1 call at approximately 3:05 p.m. on June 23 from a mother reporting that her infant was not breathing, according to the local report.
Garcia “calmly began to give instructions, and within one minute, the mother was performing CPR on the baby,” Morello said, as quoted by The Bristol Edition.
The chief said Garcia continued coaching the mother for about five minutes before the baby began to cry. The public award account did not state what caused the emergency or disclose the child's identity, and ThinBlueNews is not adding medical conclusions beyond those reported facts.
Recognition for calm work behind the radio
Emergency dispatchers often become the first link in a lifesaving response before officers, firefighters or medical crews reach the scene. In this account, Garcia translated training into clear instructions while a parent faced an immediate emergency.
The same commission meeting included recognition for other Bristol dispatchers and officers. Dispatchers Betsy Rosa, Michael Mancini, Robert Krawiec and Amber Vargas received commendation letters for maintaining emergency-call service during a June 2 equipment failure, the local report said.
The meeting also included a Lifesaving Award for Officers Ashley Kozikowsky and Timothy Mazzerole following their response to a vehicle fire, as well as Stork Pins and commendation letters for three officers after police said they helped with an emergency childbirth.
Sources reviewed
- The Bristol Edition — Police awards for June and July announced at commission meeting Tuesday
- Mike Chaiken / The Bristol Edition — source award photograph of Melissa Garcia and Chief Mark Morello
Editorial note: This article uses original aggregation from a named local report and a real, directly attributed award photograph. It does not identify the infant, infer a diagnosis or cause, recreate the emergency, or use AI-generated incident imagery. The story is not video-led, and no bodycam, dashcam or rescue-footage claim is made.
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