SPD thanks citizens
By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – Chris Masingill and Arthur Laughlin are two men who have jobs in the public sector but have generally tried to do them without getting the spotlight on themselves.
That’s exactly what did NOT happen at a Slidell Police Department press conference recently.
Masingill and Laughlin found themselves in front of a host of media from newspapers to TV cameras as the SPD honored them with rarely given “Citizen Service Awards.”
The special recognition came because the two men responded to help in an emergency situation, they unexpectedly found themselves in on April 15, 2024 while driving on West Howze Beach Road, near Old Spanish Trail.
In front of them was an accident that involved Slidell Police motorcycle rider Jason Walden, who was helping lead a procession with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who was viewing storm damage. Walden’s motorcycle was struck by a car, and he was thrown into the air, fortunately landing between two trees, but still having a large cut on his upper arm, as well as other serious injuries.
Masingill has a high-profile job as CEO for St. Tammany Corporation and Laughlin is a parish councilman, but fortunately, both men have previous experience when they learned first aid and CPR.
Laughlin rushed to the scene first, quickly followed by Masingill, as the two men jumped out of their cars after seeing Walden on the ground.
Laughlin, who used to be an EMS worker, immediately applied pressure to the arm to minimize the bleeding, but said he knew one other thing was important in that kind of accident.
“The first thing you do is stabilize the head, neck and spine to ensure no further damage could occur in case of a spinal cord injury. As soon as Chris showed up he immediately said he would keep his head still, and I knew that meant he had training,” Laughlin said. “Between the two of us we were able to keep him stabile until the regular EMS guys got there.”
Laughlin said he would not have been able to keep pressure on the arm and stabilize the head and neck by himself and needed a second person with training to ensure no other injuries would occur.
Walden told the men, “you two didn’t have to do anything, but what you did was really important since the doctors at the hospital complimented both of you for the pressure dressing on my arm.”
Walden said he started riding in 2014 and “figured one day I might have an accident.”
But even with the accident, he has recovered and is back on the road.
“When I started with the police department, I never thought I would be doing it on a motorcycle. But once I started, I loved it. Kids always wave to you when we come by, and it’s fun doing all the parades too,” he said.
Walden had to have three shoulder surgeries as part of his recovery that took almost a year before he went back to work. It also included healing from right side injuries, plus a knee and ankle injury.
Masingill, who comes from a family in law enforcement that led him to work in that field previously and learn first-aid, seemed humbled by standing in front of the media as the center of attention.
“I’m thankful God was watching over all of us. Cops put their lives on the line every day for us and the fact that God put us there to give back, well, we would do it in a minute again if the need came up,” he remarked.
Walden, who just finished assisting in New Orleans for the Super Bowl crowds and is now preparing for riding in Mardi Gras parades, added, “as for the accident, the only explanation is the good Lord didn’t want it to be any worse and now I am back on the bike.”