Three West Shore RCMP officers made the switch to babysitting this week after a Langford daycare operator had a medical emergency.
Police were notified by B.C. Ambulance paramedics on Tuesday that the woman had called 911 and was being taken to hospital as a precaution. The officers stepped in to watch the four young children at the daycare until their parents could pick them up.
Officers and children wasted little time in getting down to some serious play involving playdough, balloons and toy cars. Leading the way was Const. Alex Bérubé, who used his experience as the father of a five-year-old son to keep the children entertained.
He said he had the popular children’s song I’m Hungry — one of his son’s favourites — on his phone and played it for the youngsters.
“So they were happy and they sang along and they danced,” he said. “We were just trying to get their attention away from what happened and to let them go on with their day with the least amount of trauma possible.”
He and his colleagues were happy to lend a hand, Bérubé said.
“It’s just another hat that we wore that day,” he said. “We’re here to help, it really comes down to that.”
Police were at the daycare for about two hours. Neighbours also pitched in to help the operator, whose condition improved, Bérubé said.
