Chandler Police officer saves choking man by performing Heimlich maneuver

By David Baker

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    CHANDLER, Arizona (KPHO, KTVK) — New dramatic body-cam video shows a Chandler Police officer saving the life of a man who was choking on his food last week. Last Thursday, Officer Adam Hayes was driving near Arizona Avenue and the Loop 202 Santan Freeway when he spotted a man having trouble. “He was grabbing at his throat. He couldn’t speak. He was having trouble breathing,” said Hayes.

“What’s wrong? Are you choking? Need fire (department)? Heimlich?” Hayes is heard asking in the body-cam video. The man nodded his head, yes. So Hayes then performed the Heimlich maneuver, which dislodged the piece of food in the man’s airway. “Thank you, sir!” said the man in the body-cam video.

Hayes learned the move in the police academy as part of his lifesaving training. “It’s something that I practiced. I never got to use in, you know, real-life and in a lifesaving situation, so you hope those practice attempts were worthwhile and luckily, it had come through,” said Hayes. “Right place, right time to help this guy out.”

It’s a good reminder that everyone can learn a lifesaving skill. “If I can learn it, anyone can learn it,” said Hayes. “It’s something that you want to be able to practice, but a situation may arise where you had to cookout for July or you’re at a family event, and someone starts choking, and are you going to be able to step up and help this person?”

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