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Marysville Dispatcher Cool Under Pressure During 911 Call Where Her Toddler Was Choking

MARYSVILLE (CBS13) — A Marysville dispatcher's training was put to the test when she got a call from her own home saying her toddler was in danger.

Britney Melchor was training a new employee when a call came in from her husband that she never expected:

"Can you respond to my aid, my child is choking."

"Medical's en route."

That's the voice of Melchor dispatching first responders to her home. The call came from her husband Robert who noticed his son Maverick was turning blue.

The 1-year-old had swallowed a metal washer that fell off a piece of furniture.

"I heard him say an address and I perked up and then I heard him say it again and I recognized that as my own home address," Britney said.

It was a shock, but she said she had to keep her composure and do her job to get Maverick help fast.

"He went completely limp, wasn't breathing," Robert said. "At that point I made the decision to take my middle finger and shove the object past his airway."

Robert says his past medical training helped him dislodge the washer and clear Maverick's airway. Crews arrived about the same time.

The family got an X-ray of the washer inside Maverick's stomach after their trip to the hospital.

"My first reaction was getting help to him right away," Britney said. "Just like any other 911 phone call I've ever had my first instinct is to do my job and help save that life."

She says she just did what she's trained to do, but her bosses are proud of her performance under pressure, saying her composure, professionalism and poise stood out.

Britney was also honored by the Marysville Police Department and the city for her performance that day in the face of emotional distress.

Maverick passed the washer a couple of weeks after the incident and suffered no injuries.

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