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Officer recognized for saving life of stabbing victim

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A Chatham-Kent police officer was recognized for his quick thinking that saved the life of a Wallaceburg man after a stabbing last month.

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Const. Max Bossence received a board citation during Tuesday’s meeting from Chief Gary Conn.

According to a report presented to the board, a 911 call came in for help at an apartment building in the early hours of March 9.

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Bossence, a former paramedic who became an officer in 2019, was the first to arrive at the scene.

While speaking to a witness, he learned there was a victim in a nearby apartment and saw fresh blood leading to the unit.

He saw the man had suffered a stab wound to his chest that was bleeding heavily.

Given his paramedic training, Bossence was able to identify the injury as a “sucking chest wound” and grabbed a shirt to apply pressure.

This type of wound features hissing or sucking sounds whenever a person inhales and exhales.

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“While doing so, he kept the victim talking, getting important information about the incident until (paramedics) arrived and took over life-saving efforts,” Conn told the board. “Const. Bossence attended the hospital with the victim and it was confirmed that he indeed suffered a sucking chest wound.”

The citation noted that Chatham-Kent Medavie EMS general manager Don MacLellan confirmed that Bossence saved the victim’s life.

Police board chair Pat Weaver also praised Bossence for his efforts.

“What a marvelous, marvelous thing to have done,” he said.

In an emailed statement to The Daily News after Tuesday’s meeting, Bossence said his previous training was crucial to helping him identify the injury.

He also commended the work of the paramedics who attended the call, saying they played a key role in the victim’s survival.

“I am very honoured to have been chosen to receive this citation,” he said. “Being a former paramedic certainly allowed me to recognize the severity of the victim’s injury and treat it accordingly.

“The paramedics that arrived and attended to the victim deserve just as much credit – they did an amazing job.”

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