A trooper’s first aid training came in handy while on vacation with his family when he was able to save a man choking on food using an abdominal thrust.
Master Trooper Glen Fifield was with his family in Minnesota visiting the Mall of America this past weekend, when early Saturday morning, while they were eating breakfast at a local hotel, Fifield’s daughter told him about a man sitting behind them that appeared to be in distress. Fifield observed that the man was hunched over and drooling, trying to put his finger down his throat. When Fifield asked him if he needed help there was no response.
Fifield asked the family members of the distressed man if he needed assistance and identified himself as a police officer. They told him to please help him. Trooper Fifield did abdominal thrusts on the man and on the third one the food became dislodged. The man was then able to stand up straight.
Fifield asked the man if he was okay at that point he realized there was a language barrier and the man’s family translated and answered for him that he was. He had the man sit down to catch his breath, and told him it was okay to sip some water slowly.
The family thanked Fifield for his efforts as did the hotel management. Master Trooper Fifield stated, “I’m just glad I was in the right place at the right time, and that I was able to use my training that I’ve learned”. Master Trooper Fifield is a twenty year veteran of the department.
Indiana State Police go through 32 hours of first aid training/certification while they are in the Indiana State Police Law Enforcement Academy. All troopers are re-certified biennial (two years) in first aid per our Standard Operating Procedures.