News
Sam saves his best friend’s life after going on St
Ellesmere Port schoolboy, Sam Holmes, recently saved his friend from choking to death using first aid skills he had acquired during a St. John Ambulance sponsored course - the Injury Minimization Programme for Schools (I.M.P.S).
Sam, 10, and Oliver Wedgwood, 11, Sam’s best friend who both attend Whitby Heath Primary School were sat in the very back two seats of a 7 seater Zafira en route to a birthday party in Ellesmere Port on 20 January. Oliver was snacking on midget gems and despite being warned not to do so put several of these pea-shaped sweets into his mouth all at once. He then started to choke and as he was gasping for air his lips became blue. Sam remembering his I.M.P.S training sprang into action to help his best friend. He tried to give Oliver lifesaving back slaps but their seat belts were preventing him from doing so. On hearing the commotion the driver quickly looked for a safe place to pull over on Buttermere Avenue and Sam immediately undid Oliver’s seatbelt, leant Oliver forward and gave him back slaps until the sweets were dislodged. It was the eighth back slap that saved his friend’s life. Fortunately Sam did not need to do any abdominal thrusts which he was preparing to do. Abdominal thrusts are done as a last resort when someone is choking as they can cause some internal problems.
When the driver was able to pull over safely, he lept out of the car and rushed to the boys’ aide but by this time Sam’s lifesaving work had been successful and Oliver was o.k. The youngsters were all then able to continue onto the party.
Posted by: Debbie Lock
Date Posted: 03/06/2007