By FDNY
NEW YORK — One quick-thinking FDNY paramedic and a team of skilled Department members saved the life of a man choking at a steak restaurant in Midtown Manhattan on Dec. 7.
“It was one big group effort,” said EMS Lt. Thomas Eppinger. “I’m very proud to work with these guys.”
Units were called to Le Marais restaurant on West 46th Street and Broadway just before 9 p.m. At first the call was for someone having difficulty breathing, but was quickly upgraded to someone choking and in cardiac arrest.
FDNY Paramedics George Doremus and Michael Cilento were called to the scene along with firefighters from Engine 54 and EMTs from Roosevelt Hospital.
Members found the man lying on the ground in the supine position. Bystanders had tried to do the Heimlich maneuver on the man, to no avail.
The EMTs began doing chest compressions on the man, which is protocol.
Paramedic Doremus then approached with tools that enabled him to see the obstruction in the man’s throat. He found the large piece of meat was completely obstructing his airway, making it impossible for him to breathe.
The paramedic then used a Magill’s forceps to pull the meat from the man’s throat. Lt. Eppinger said the man began breathing immediately.
“Everyone worked together to save this man’s life; it was incredible,” Lt. Eppinger said. “They couldn’t stop thanking us.”
The man was transported to Roosevelt Hospital and is expected to make a speedy - and full - recovery.
When all the units returned to Station 8 at the end of their shift, Lt. Eppinger said the paramedics remained humble, not telling anyone what happened.
“I was telling everyone,” he said. “I was so proud of them.”
Republished with permission from FDNY