Local DMV worker honored by governor for saving child's life
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on November 15, 2017 5:50 AM
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Dean Roscoe, left, of the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles License and Theft Bureau displays his Governor's Award for Excellence.
Bad cellphone service led to an "unexpected honor" for Dean Roscoe of the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles' License and Theft Bureau.
Roscoe was recently presented the Governor's Award for Excellence, the highest commendation a state employee can receive, after he saved the life of a child at the Goldsboro driver license office on U.S. 70.
The incident actually happened over a year ago, on Sept. 14, 2016, he said.
It was a typical day for the law enforcement agent, who works with the N.C. DMV license and theft bureau. His job includes regulating car dealerships and inspection stations and handles cases of identity theft, stolen cars and equipment.
"I had a conference call with one of our majors and we were ordering ammo," he said. "The cellphone service is just not the greatest inside the building so I stepped outside to talk with them and this lady came out (of the building) with a small child, the child was choking."
He promptly apprised those on the call of the situation and ended the call.
"I hung up, went and did the Heimlich maneuver, dislodged the candy, the child went to breathing, the child was OK," he said. "Then the mother walked back inside because she was there to get her driver's license."
Roscoe then resumed the conference call, where he was asked how the situation turned out. He responded that the child was fine, then finished up the call and thought no more about it.
It was, after all, just part of the job, he shrugged.
"We have to do that, we have to go through CPR, the Heimlich maneuver," he said, of himself as well as others in law enforcement.
He has been with the bureau since 2006 and before that, he had worked with the Sheriff's Office. He is also one of the bureau's firearms instructors and field training officers.
The story about his heroic encounter with the child, whom he estimated was around 3 or 4 years old, did not end there, though, he soon learned.
"I got a call from headquarters and they said that I was nominated for the award. And then a month or so later, I was contacted by the governor's office saying that I had received the award and they would be forwarding all the stuff to me as far as when and where (to show up)."
He was admittedly embarrassed, he says now, and a bit surprised by the whole turn of events.
"If I hadn't been on a phone call I wouldn't have seen the child to start with and if I had seen the child and hadn't been on the phone call, nobody would've even known about it but my co-workers," he said.
"We don't do what we do looking for an award. I'm not good with getting awards. I'd rather give them than get them. But I was appreciative and thankful."
The formal presentation was held recently, with a luncheon at the Governor's Mansion followed by the ceremony at the N.C. History Museum.
Roscoe was accompanied by his wife, Jo, his mother, Dee, and two sons, Michael and his wife, Becca, and Hunter.
One of the highlights was getting to meet Gov. Roy Cooper and his wife, Kristin.
"It was very well put together and it was very nice," he said of the proceedings. "There were 12 of us there total that received the award for different things."
In the time since it was announced, he has received lots of calls and words of congratulations, he said, before taking the opportunity to encourage others to learn similar life-saving techniques.
"It would be a good idea for people to take CPR," he said. "They can get it through the Red Cross, I think Wayne Community College offers it.
"I think it's something that everybody needs to know because it could be someone from your family that needs it."