Catch of the Day
December 16, 2005
Felix Vasquez, an 18-year member of Local 237 in New York City, has encountered many situations working for the New York Housing Authority, but nothing like what happened December 14. Vasquez caught a one-month old baby as he was dropped from the third floor of a burning building.“I heard the mother screaming and ran over. At first I didn’t realize what the bundle was in her arms,” said Vasquez, a caretaker supervisor for the Housing Authority. “When I realized what it was, that’s when I ran in. She threw the baby across and I grabbed the baby like a football and just caught him just in time. I gave him a quick mouth of air and he coughed and he started yelling and crying.”Vasquez was out on rounds with four caretakers from his unit, also members of Local 237 when they heard the mother, Tracinda Foxe calling for help from her third floor window because of a fire in her kitchen. The men, Luez Jusino, Blanca Ramos, Mushendy West and Donald Drayton all raced with Vasquez to the area below her window and quickly realized Foxe, terrified that help would not arrive in time, was about to drop the baby out the window. The men were preparing to catch the child in a makeshift net from West’s coat, but Foxe didn’t wait. When she saw Vasquez move directly beneath her window, she leaned out and let go of the soot-covered bundle.The baby was already suffering from smoke inhalation, so Vasquez took immediate action, giving him air as he ran from the building. Ramos a four-year member of Local 237 also gave assistance to the baby in the aftermath of the rescue. Firefighters were able to rescue the mother, and now both are doing fine.“We are all very proud of our members who reacted so quickly in this situation,” said Carl Haynes, President of Local 237. “And we are so truly thankful that Felix was in the right place at the critical moment—and that he has excellent catching skills.”“It's just a miracle, a miracle,” said Vasquez. “Especially with the holidays so near. It was a beautiful thing and I feel blessed to have helped.”
Catch of the Day