Officer Anthony Vondrak was awarded a Letter of Commendation for his actions on November 10^th, 2011 when he saved a choking 14 month old child.

Officer Vondrak overheard dispatch advise that medical was being sent to a house in the 200 block of 24^th St for a child choking. Vondrak was close to the location and was the first emergency responder to arrive. At the house, he found that the child was distressed and unable to breathe normally due to a blockage of his airway. Vondrak gave the child back blows as he had been trained to do in CPR training. Upon doing this life saving maneuver, a dime the child had swallowed, dislodged and fell out of his mouth. The child’s breathing returned to normal after that. The child was treated by medical personnel and is doing well.

Sioux City Police Officers are regularly trained and certified to perform CPR as well as assisting a choking victim. “By utilizing his training and experience along with his quick and decisive actions, he was able to save the child’s life,” the Letter of Commendation stated.