Valiant action saves co-worker from choking

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Lynn Aird
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFNS) --  The life of a 71st Comptroller-Contractor Squadron accounting technician here was saved by an office co-worker Dec. 5 at Vance Air Force Base.

Rose Palacios was working at her desk when she began to choke on a piece of candy. 

"At first I thought I could just cough it up out of my throat. That didn't work," she said. "By this time I was turning blue in the face."

Ms. Palacios staggered from her desk, panicking. She was unable to respond to the inquiries from those around her because she could neither speak nor breathe.

"I've heard about people choking, and I've seen stories on TV, but I could never imagine what it really feels like," she said. "It was the scariest moment I have ever experienced."

When David Gindlesberger, a co-worker, saw Ms. Palacios in distress, he took action by jumping up from his seat, running to Ms. Palacios and performing the Heimlich maneuver. The candy dislodged and flew out of Ms. Palacios' throat and she was able to breathe again.

Mr. Gindlesberger works as a civilian at Vance AFB after retiring from a 22-year, active-duty military career in security forces. He is currently a financial analyst in the 71st C-CS, but attributed his reaction to the situation to his active-duty training.

"I knew how to perform the Heimlich maneuver from all my prior military first-aid training," he said. "This is why the military does so much training; you'll react quickly and remember what to do."

Five other co-workers witnessed Mr. Gindlesberger coming to Ms. Palacios' aid.

"David is a very humble person and doesn't think his actions were a big deal," said 2nd Lt. Tara Nelson, a financial services officer. "It is a big deal to save someone's life, and he should be highly commended for his actions."

Every year about 3,000 adults die due to accidentally inhaling their food. The food becomes lodged in the trachea, making breathing impossible.

The Heimlich maneuver is performed when a helper stands behind the choking victim and wraps his arms around the person. The helper places his fist with the thumb against the victim's upper abdomen and above the navel, but below the ribs and breastbone.

The helper clasps his other hand over the fist and pushes the fist forcefully into the abdomen with a quick upward and inward thrust. This pushes air from the victim's lungs up into the windpipe to dislodge the foreign object. The action is repeated several times, if necessary.

If a person starts to choke while alone, he can perform the thrusts. Or a person can force the edge of a chair or railing into his abdomen to push air from the lungs and into the windpipe. Knowing how to extricate food from the windpipe, either when assisting someone or while choking alone, is invaluable.

"I'm very thankful Dave was there to help me and that he knew what to do, otherwise I probably wouldn't be here now," Ms. Palacios said. "It also made me realize how important it is to know what to do in the event that someone is choking. It's literally the difference between life and death for that person."

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