- A paramedic was on hand to clear the airway of a 5th grader using the Heimlich maneuver at Seminole Elementary in Miami-Dade last week
- The dramatic incident was caught on camera and shows school paramedic Javier Montes De Oca saving 10-year-old Luis Salcedo
- It was the first time the first responder tried to perform the life-saving technique and he is relieved it worked so quickly
A heroic paramedic in Florida jumped into action and saved the life of an elementary school student who was choking on a taco.
The first responder was on hand last week to help clear the fifth grader's airways using the Heimlich maneuver at Seminole Elementary in Miami-Dade.
The dramatic incident was caught on camera and shows the school's paramedic, Javier Montes De Oca, saving 10-year-old Luis Salcedo after several failed attempts by the school principal.
“I couldn't breathe, it was very difficult and I was suffocating,” Luis said NBC South Florida. 'It was scary that I almost saw a blackout.'
It was the first time Montes de Oca tried to use the life-saving technique, which involves pushing into the person's abdominal area from behind, and he is relieved it worked so quickly.
A heroic Florida paramedic jumped into action and saved the life of an elementary school student who was choking on a taco
The first responder was on hand last week to help clear the 5th grader's airway using the Heimlich maneuver at Seminole Elementary in Miami-Dade
“I couldn't breathe, it was very hard and I was choking,” 10-year-old Luis Salcedo told NBC South Florida. 'It scared me that I almost saw a blackout'
Surveillance footage shows the school principal attempting to free the taco from Luis' airways and performing the Heimlich maneuver.
But the child was still choking and the deputy director radioed for more help.
Montes de Oca then rushes to the scene and performs the Heimlich maneuver a few more times before the taco dislodges and Luis can breathe again.
“When I got to the child, the first thing that went through my mind was, 'I hope I'm doing it right,' because in an emergency like that you get saddled with fear and all that stuff,” he said.
“But as soon as it cleared up, I was relieved that the child was safe and able to breathe again.”
The video shows Luis running away in shock after his airways are cleared. “My throat is like full of wind inside, like air in my throat, I could finally breathe,” said the young boy.
Montes de Oca became a paramedic in 2018, but this was his first time performing the Heimlich maneuver.
“I'm glad all my training came in quickly for such an emergency. So I was proud of myself and happy that the child is doing well,” he said.
Surveillance footage shows the school principal trying to dislodge the taco from Luis' airway and performing the Heimlich maneuver, but the child is still suffocating
The school's paramedic, Javier Montes De Oca, quickly acted to save Luis and eventually cleared the child's airways.
Montes de Oca became a paramedic in 2018, but this was the first time he performed the Heimlich maneuver
Assistant Director Raquel Perodin was scared of the situation as it was the first time she had witnessed someone seriously choking.
'It was a bit scary. I've honestly never seen that happen in real life before. “I've never seen anyone perform the Heimlich before, so it was a bit of an intense moment,” she said.
“But I was glad he was here to help resolve the situation.”
A day before the incident, the school board voted in favor of a measure that would provide a Heimlich professional development course for staff and parents.
“Knowing what to do in an emergency when someone is choking can save a child's life and the life of a teacher, administrator or employee,” President Mari Tere Rojas said at the meeting.
She led the discussion on the issue after hearing about two other choking incidents in the neighborhood.
'You never know. You are never quite ready to face a situation that is unprecedented, that you have never faced before,” said Tere Rojas.
“But when it comes to having the opportunity to save one life, it's something that I think is extremely crucial and that we're all aware of.”
The school will release more details about the choking hazard course in February.