‘CALM & COLLECTED’
Cop’s ‘perfect’ skill saved man’s life
He has the skills to be a doctor — but he’s an NYPD lifesaver.
A Bronx cop expertly applied a tourniquet on a man who nicked an artery in his arm and was minutes away from death following a robbery — and the quick action saved the man’s life, according to a doctor at Jacobi Medical Center who praised the quick-thinking officer.
“The tourniquet had been applied perfectly,” Dr. Sheldon Teperman, head of trauma for Jacobi Medical Center said of Police Officer Ahmd Ayoubi. “This thing was bleeding like a fire hydrant. There is no question that this officer saved this man’s life.”
For his quick — and correct action — Ayoubi was named a candidate for the Daily News’ Hometown Hero award.
Ayoubi, 28, and his partner were called to the corner of Bronx Blvd. and Duncomb Ave. in Williamsbridge on Aug. 27 when they found the 37-year-old victim on the ground bleeding from the arm.
“The artery was cut and he was bleeding heavily,” Ayoubi said. “He was applying pressure to the wound, but was lying on the ground in a puddle of his own blood. That’s when I went back to my patrol car and grabbed the trauma kit.”
As luck would have it, Ayoubi had been trained on how to apply a tourniquet about three weeks prior.
“The training just kicked in,” Ayoubi said modestly about stopping the bleeding. “If I didn’t have the training, I probably would have been a chicken without a head. The training kept me calm and collected.”
The four-year NYPD veteran took the ambulance ride with the victim to Jacobi, and wowed Dr. Teperman with his spot-on medical skills.
“This was the first time I had seen a police officer save a life with a tourniquet,” Teperman said. “If a tourniquet doesn’t get cinched up tight enough or turned down, there could be bleeding underneath. And he had applied it perfectly.”
Ayoubi did such a great job that, once his patient was treated, he went outside and thanked the cop personally. He then contaced Ayoubi’s commanding officer at the 47th Precinct and told him about the great work he did.
The cop was appreciative of all the praise, but chalked the save up to catchy phrases he was taught during his training, such as “high or die” — which reminds first responders to put the tourniquet above the wound as high as possible to staunch the bleeding. The NYPD began equipping its members with trauma kits as part of a national “Stop the Bleed” initiative. The program was inspired by the aftermath of the Boston bombing in 2013, when tourniquets were desperately needed to treat the wounded, but not available.
The makeshift tourniquets that were used didn’t hold, Teperman said.
Thanks to Ayoubi’s efforts, the victim was released from the hospital about two days after his injury. Cops were still looking for the muggers, who demanded the man’s money, but ended up running off with his bottle of iced tea.
When he got out, the victim approached Ayoubi, thanking him for saving his life. The victim declined to be interviewed by The News.
“He said he didn’t remember much, but he remembered my face,” said Ayoubi, who said he became a cop to help people.
“When I was young and always looked up to the police department,, (I) saw them as a good example of how you can extend out to the public and help out,” Ayoubi said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to be a cop and help someone in need.”
(To make a Hometown Heroes nomination, include a brief description of why he or she deserves an award. Please provide relevant names, dates, locations and contact information for the person making the nomination.
Email: hometownheroes@nydailynews.com. Letter: “Daily News Hometown Heroes,” Attention: Robert Dominguez, 4 New York Plaza, NY, NY 10004. Complete rules: nydn.us/heroes)