A Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agent successfully saved the life of a Chalmette man on May 9 in New Orleans East.
Corporal Joshua Laviolette was on patrol around 7:30 p.m. in New Orleans East performing a license compliance check on a fisherman on the bank. During the check, an adolescent girl ran up to him asking for help for her grandpa, who was in a truck on the driver’s side about 100 yards away.
Corporal Laviolette immediately went to the truck where he found an unresponsive 60-year-old man, who’s complexion in his face was already blue. Corporal Laviolette checked for vital signs and found no pulse.
Corporal Laviolette then got the man out of his truck and onto the ground to start Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). With the aid of a good Samaritan, Corporal Laviolette performed CPR for two to three minutes when he observed the man breathing and felt a pulse.
Corporal Laviolette then monitored the man until Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived to take the man to University Medical Center in New Orleans. Corporal Laviolette checked on the man a few days later and learned that he was discharged from the hospital.
The granddaughter told Corporate Laviolette that her grandpa lost consciousness as they were traveling on the interstate from Slidell to New Orleans and she was able to get the truck off the first exit and stop it at the bottom of the ramp when she saw his truck.
“I want to praise the granddaughter, the good Samaritan and Corporal Laviolette for their quick reaction during a desperate time of need for this man,” said Col. Chad Hebert, head of the (LDWF) Enforcement Division. “Corporal Laviolette’s first response training kicked in as he was able to quickly diagnose the situation and start CPR, which probably saved the man’s life.”
