CENTURY, Fla. — A Florida agricultural law-enforcement officer used back blows to help clear the airway of a choking 1-year-old after the child's parents rushed to him for help, according to the state office and two Northwest Florida news reports.

Officer William Register of the Florida Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement was working a detail in Century on Tuesday, Aug. 11, when a couple approached him at the Marathon station on North Century Boulevard. Their child was choking and struggling to breathe, NorthEscambia.com reported.

Officer responds before EMS arrives

The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement said Register immediately began giving back blows. The action helped clear the child's airway, and the child's breathing improved before emergency medical personnel arrived.

The child was then taken to a local hospital for treatment. ThinBlueNews is not identifying the child or parents and is not reporting a medical outcome beyond the publicly released information.

WEAR-TV independently reported that Register was assigned to the Century detail, that the parents sought his help with their 1-year-old and that the child's breathing improved after he administered back blows.

Emergency response crossed the Florida-Alabama line

NorthEscambia.com reported that the emergency began in nearby Flomaton, Alabama, where the couple called for help. Flomaton Fire Department and Newman's Ambulance responded, while the parents drove south and stopped at the Century gas station.

Because those responders were already moving toward the family, they continued to the station. The Century station of Escambia County Fire Rescue also responded, the local report said.

Flomaton Fire Chief Steve Stanton later praised Register's care and professionalism. The state office said it was proud of the officer's quick thinking, calm composure and compassion.

What Florida agricultural law-enforcement officers do

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services describes OALE as a state civilian law-enforcement office. Its officers enforce laws governing department-regulated businesses, inspect agricultural shipments and investigate crimes involving agriculture and state lands.

The agency says OALE operates agricultural interdiction stations on highways entering and leaving Florida and works with local, state and federal law-enforcement partners. Register's lifesaving response in Century occurred while he was on a law-enforcement detail, not as part of a staged training event.

This account is a reminder that law-enforcement officers may become the first available responder when a medical emergency unfolds in public. ThinBlueNews is reporting Register's specific actions as attributed by OALE and local news organizations; this article is not medical instruction.

Readers can find more verified service stories in our law enforcement news, police rescue news and positive police news sections.

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