BROWNSVILLE, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Gerardo Yzaguirre who was working at the Veterans International Bridge helped save the life of a traveler suffering from cardiac arrest.
“Officer Gerardo Yzaguirre's prompt action played a key role in the survival of the traveler,” said Port Director Petra Horne, Brownsville Port of Entry. "Our officers involved did an outstanding job working as a team to assist the traveler in need of immediate medical attention."
The incident took place on Tuesday, Jan. 3, when Brownsville CBP Officer Gerardo Yzaguirre received notification from the occupants of a vehicle in his lane that one of the travelers was having a heart attack. CBP Officer Yzaguirre called to request EMS on the radio and referred the vehicle and its occupants to secondary. In secondary, the traveler lost consciousness, stopped breathing and did not have a perceivable pulse. Yzaguirre immediately began performing chest compressions and remained with the traveler until EMS arrived on the scene. CBP Officer Gerardo Yzaguirre was relieved by Supervisory CBP Officer George Acres when he came to the point of exhaustion. The officers were later informed that the traveler had survived the cardiac arrest.
“I saw the situation and all of the training kicked in,” said CBP Officer Yzaguirre. “I immediately took action and started the chest compressions since every second counts in these situations.”
Mr. Yzaguirre has been a CBP officer for a year and a half and was a member of CBP Explorer Post 3103 before that. CBP Officer Yzaguirre is currently assigned to the CBP Field Operations Port of Brownsville.