LAX AIRPORT POLICE ANGELS GIVE A WOMAN A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE IN 2012

            (Los Angeles, California – January 1, 2012)  Two quick thinking Los Angeles World Airport (LAWA) Police officers save the life of a woman who has a heart attack at LAX. 

Around 10:15 on the evening of December 30, 2011, two Airport Police officers rushed to a call of a woman feeling sick at Terminal 2.  Little did they know, soon they would be saving her life.

When officer’s Robert Mosquera, 4-years with the department, and Thi Tran 2-years as an Airport Police officer, responded to the departure level at Terminal 2, they found 49-year old Etel Martinez sitting in a car parked curbside.  Martinez had collapsed on the sidewalk while walking her sister to a ticket counter inside.  Her husband, Aldo Martinez helped his wife back into their car and called for help.  As the officers were talking to Martinez, she suddenly stopped breathing and had no pulse. Acting quickly, officer Mosquera began Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) while Officer Tran ran inside the terminal and grabbed an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).  Working together the officers used the defibrilltator and continued with CPR until Martinez began breathing again.  Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics then arrived and quickly transported Martinez to a local hospital for further medical treatment.

“The quick actions of officer’s Mosquera and Tran have given Etel Martinez a second chance at life in the new year,” said LAWA Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey. “These Airport Police officers were truly her angels.”  City of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said, “Thanks to the commendable actions of Officers Mosquera and Tran, who quickly responded to a life-threatening medical emergency and effectively used their emergency medical training, a woman who was at LAX is alive today and will be able to enjoy the new year.” Chief of Airport Police George R. Centeno said, “This is great work by two officers who knew what to do at a very critical time.  Their quick response and focused actions were truly lifesaving.”

            The Los Angeles Airport Police Division is the fourth largest law enforcement agency in Los Angeles County, with more than 1,100 law enforcement, security and staff personnel.  The Airport Police is a division of Los Angeles World Airports, the City department that owns and operates three airports in Southern California:  Los Angeles International, LA/Ontario International and Van Nuys (general aviation).