Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass leaped into action when a photographer passed out during a press conference Thursday.
During an event to congratulate the 60 recruits who are graduating from the LAPD’s Elysian Park training academy next week, a KCAL News photographer suddenly collapsed and hit his head on the ground.
“The very first person to run to his rescue was the mayor,” said KNX News’ Craig Fiegener, who was standing next to the photographer when he fell.
Fiegener and a few others helped Bass roll the photographer onto his side. The mayor checked that he was breathing, then took his pulse. Fiegener said Bass, who has a degree in health sciences and previously worked as a physician assistant, was the only person on the scene who knew what to do.
“The chief of police was there, but he didn’t offer any help,” Fiegener said. “A couple of people who, I don’t know if they were medics but they had some medical equipment, helped wrap his head up from the bleeding, from the fall. But the mayor was the one who was in charge of just basic stabilizing him.”
After 15 or 20 minutes, an ambulance arrived to take the man to the hospital.
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