Security Guard, Assistant Nurse Save Choking Kindergartener When Heimlich Failed

With a choking 5-year-old running out of time and all the tried-and-true emergency response methods failing, the quick actions and creativity of a security guard and substitute nurse were life-saving.

A typical elementary school lunch at Riley Avenue Elementary School in Calverton, Long Island, N.Y, on May 9 quickly turned into an emergency when a pair of teachers noticed a kindergartener choking on a chicken nugget.

They attracted the attention of Sarah Atkins, who previously worked as a nurse for more than two decades, before taking her current role as security. She started the Heimlich maneuver in the cafeteria, but when that proved unsuccessful, she decided to direct the child to the nurse's office.

Except they never made it.

Atkins noticed the 5-year-old's condition quickly worsening by the time they made it to the hallway, describing "his body ... limp; his complexion turned blue."

She continued to administer the Heimlich maneuver -- to no avail -- and attracted the attention of staff and faculty throughout the hall. It was substitute nurse Judy Marcus who arrived in the nick of time to offer a suggestion that ultimately saved the child.

Marcus instructed Atkins to hit the child on the back with an open palm in an effort to clear his airway. She then joined in as child bent over and they continued to hit his back.

Within minutes, the lunch period had turned into a nightmare. Another staff member called 911 but time was off the essence. Luckily, this technique of hitting his back did the trick and everyone could breathe a sigh of relief.

The child immediately started crying and was evaluated in the nurse's office. He went home but returned to school the next day.

School principal David Enos said this event reportedly sparked a district-wide discussion about the preparation of staff and faculty to administer life-saving care and respond to emergencies, according to the Riverhead News-Review.