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POLC-REPRESENTED DISPATCHER HELPS SAVE UNION MEMBER'S TODDLER 
Jul 25, 2024

By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor

POLC members are dedicated to protecting the public, but on Dec. 6, 2023 a POLC-represented Dispatcher helped save another Union member’s child.

Leslie Clink, the wife of POLC member Rob Clink, an Oscoda Township Police Officer, was caring for her 1-1/2-year-old daughter, who was running a high fever and had just been diagnosed with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) that day, when suddenly the child had a febrile seizure and stopped breathing.

POLC member Oscoda Township Police Officer Rob Clink with his daughter Mylah.

Mylah began twitching, then her head went back, her eyes rolled back and she began foaming at the mouth. “I immediately called my husband. I couldn’t believe she was having a seizure,” Leslie said. “He said … ‘Keep her head up so as not to swallow her tongue. Get cold rags. Put her on her side. Call 9-1-1. Don’t let her lean back. Keep her conscious.’ I knew all of this stuff, but none of that could come to my head.”

“I raced home. I was 6 miles away at the doctor’s office,” said Officer Clink, adding he was very sick and was just diagnosed with COVID-19. 

An On-Call Lincoln Volunteer Firefighter since he was 18 years old, a former medical first responder, and a police officer the past 13 years, Clink knew how to help his daughter. But Leslie was screaming and unable to process what he was saying. She called 9-1-1 and heard the calm voice of Alcona County Dispatcher Samantha LeBlanc, a neighbor and friend of the Clink’s. LeBlanc gathered critical information, contacted first responders who lived close by, and instructed the mom how to help her toddler.

“I remember Leslie being really frantic and screaming and crying. She was pretty tough to calm down at first and she was by herself,” LeBlanc said. “As soon as I heard who it was, I got everyone I knew en route. They live right down the road from me. Our kids go to school together. I didn’t want her to be alone. My first goal was to get help there and everyone was really eager to help.”

Leslie, an assistant teacher at Alcona Community School, was formerly a front desk receptionist at a Lincoln health clinic where she trained co-workers to handle emergency medical situations. “I’ve been in health care for a decade, so I’ve had people drop dead in front of me. I have performed CPR, but all my natural instincts went out the window,” she said.

LeBlanc worked to calm the mom of four while helping her toddler survive the critical 5 minutes before Officer Clink arrived. “She said, ‘Talk to her. Do not lean her head back. Don’t let her jerk her head to the side. Just keep her protected while she gets through it. Rub her chest,’” Leslie said, adding she didn’t realize she was talking to her friend at the time.

“I was trying to talk her through … and get Mylah to wake up and open her eyes,” LeBlanc said.

The toddler stopped seizing, but then she stopped breathing and her lips began turning blue. “Then, out of nowhere, (Rob) comes running in the door. Her little body is pale. He immediately grabs cold towels, tells me to give her sternum rubs, and do not stop talking to her,” Leslie said. “Sam (LeBlanc) said, ‘Please listen to Rob. Rub her chest. Talk as happy as you possibly can in this moment.’ I’m inconsolable and Sam is talking me through this. Rob is continuing to change out rags.”

“I draped her in cold rags, trying to get her temp down. Her temp was 105,” Officer Clink said.

“Then she takes this big gasp of air and starts crying,” Leslie said. “‘Leslie, you did it,’ Sam says.”

“I remember her crying and telling Leslie that was a good thing — that meant she was breathing,” LeBlanc said. “(Leslie) was able to take a breath and calm down. After (Mylah) began crying, first responders began arriving. There was one first responder just down the road.”

“The 911 operator was helping her the whole way,” Officer Clink said, adding he’s worked with Alcona County Dispatch first as an Alcona County Sheriff’s Deputy for 10 years and the past 3-1/2 years as an Oscoda Township Police Officer.

Mylah was transported by ambulance to the hospital, where she made a full recovery. Considering Alcona County is one of Michigan’s largest counties, Officer Clink was very thankful the nearest ambulance wasn’t 40 minutes away. “We got lucky being close by. Medical first responders arrived 2-3 minutes after I did. They were close and (a friend from) Lincoln Fire Department showed up,” he said.

Leslie was very thankful for the rapid help of all the first responders, especially her husband and LeBlanc. “When I’m going crazy, she kept her voice loud enough to hear through my screaming. She kept her voice calm and stable enough to reach me. She was able to pull me out of this trance I kept going into … keeping me concentrated,” Leslie said. “There was a kindness in her voice and a firmness. Her being another mom and helping a mom though this is amazing. I would have let my emotions completely take over.”

While this was her first 9-1-1 call involving a toddler seizure, LeBlanc said she was well-prepared by Alcona County Dispatch through monthly and yearly emergency response training. “It worked out really well and I was happy to hear the updates that Mylah was doing well. That made me feel good,” LeBlanc said, adding, “It’s great that you guys are doing articles, but … I don’t do this for any recognition.” 


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