Anonymous
Red Cross CEO Tony Briggs, Det. Chris MacAuley, Board Chair Robert Rauchhaus
Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
In a ceremony held at Sheriff’s Headquarters, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Detective Christopher MacAuley was presented with the American Red Cross Lifesaving Award for his successful intervention which saved the life of a one-year-old child.
On June 21, 2019, Detective MacAuley was working patrol from the Santa Maria Sheriff’s Substation. MacAuley was patrolling the 3300 block of Orcutt Road when he was flagged down by a distraught father who was carrying his limp one-year-old child. Detective MacAuley assessed the child and determined he was unconscious and not breathing. Relying on his first responder training, he quickly administered back blows, chest compressions, and a finger sweep. Detective MacAuley was able to dislodge a small piece of plastic the child had ingested. MacAuley’s timely actions restored the child’s ability to breathe and allowed the child to quickly recover. His actions were instrumental in saving the child’s life.
American Red Cross Central California Region CEO Tony Briggs and Board Chair Robert Rauchhaus presented the award to Detective MacAuley. Sheriff Bill Brown, and the Sheriff’s executive and command staff, along with friends, family, and co-workers of Detective MacAuley were on hand to congratulate him on the occasion. MacAuley remarked that he had never seen a look as horrifying as the face of the father when he handed him his child. “I am just glad that I was there and able to get the child breathing again. I was as relieved as the father.” Detective MacAuley is a 10-year veteran of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
It’s nice to see a feel-good story and know that a Sheriff was in the right place at the right time. But the SB Sheriff has still not released a picture or further information about their Lieutenant Javier Antunez, charged with DUI in October. He was allegedly driving drunk on the 154 with a District Attorney investigator and injured his passenger and 4 other people. JAVIER ANTUNEZ.