When a police officer lost consciousness after crashing his vehicle on a Staten Island street Tuesday, the first person to rush to his rescue was a mother across the street who heard the commotion.
Debbie Nocerino said she sprang into action after she heard children screaming after the crash in Mariners Harbor.
"I ran across the street, and I didn't know he was an officer at first," she said. "I opened up the passenger door, and his airbag was deployed and he was lying across the front seat of the car."
The officer was unconscious. Nocerino didn't have her cellphone but she spotted the officer's walkie-talkie.
"I saw an antenna stick out, and I was like, 'What's this?'" she said. "So I grabbed it and I pressed the button and it was working, and I was like, 'Hello, hello, is anyone there?'"
As Nocerino gave her location to rescuers, she kept trying to wake the injured officer.
"He didn't respond to anything I was talking to him about, so I sat on the floor next to the seat, and I just kept talking and talking and talking," she said.
Local
Nocerino said she checked the officer's pulse and breathing as she waited for emergency medical responders. She didn't have any medical training, but she said she was running on instinct.
Rescuers got to the scene within minutes, and helped treat the officer for his concussion. He's now in stable condition, authorities say.
Nocerino said she didn't think, just acted.
"I would hope that would happen for me, for my sons. I would hope that anyone who sees someone hurt would respond," she said.
She's hoping she'll have a chance to meet the officer face to face.
It's not clear what caused the crash, but snow made roads slick and icy in the morning.
