Griffith teacher saves student from choking
Jan. 29 was a typical day for Griffith Middle School math teacher Adam Noel until a sixth grade student who appeared to be choking approached his desk.
As Noel explained the situation, “I was at my computer in the front of the room and the student approached my table with his mouth open and a very panicked look on his face. He didn’t say it out loud, but I realized he was talking about a water bottle cap because he had some water coming out like coming out the sides of his mouth.”
Realizing the student had a small plastic water bottle cap stuck in his throat, Noel applied the Heimlich maneuver and attempted to dislodge the cap. It wasn’t easy.
“I gave him the Heimlich maneuver by my table but nothing came out,” he said. “I had to give it to him like four or five more times until he coughed it up.”
Noel said it was a terrifying situation, but a call button inside the classroom notified a school administration, who was on the way moments later. The student was taken to the nurse’s office, but then wanted to go back to class and finish an assignment he had been working on.
“I have three kids and have had some choking scares at home but nothing where I had to do the Heimlich maneuver,” he said.
Downplaying his potentially life-saving actions, Noel said, “Seeing the terrified look (on) the boy’s face, honestly, I think any teacher would have done it and reacted the same way.”
He noted that Griffith schools require Heimlich maneuver certification every five years and also provide school staff CPR training.
Griffith Middle School Principal Alana Anderson said, “I’ve known Adam for quite a while. We used to teach together in the district and I’ve always known him to be levelheaded, cool, calm and collected in situations that are high intensity or things that I feel like some people would panic. He’s a great person and teacher and we’re thankful to have him here.”
Leah Dumezich, superintendent of schools, said a choking inci
dent is a rare occurrence at school, but students are allowed to drink from a water bottle in class.
“Luckily it was a small water bottle cap, those kind of softer plastic ones, so it wasn’t it large is what it could have been,” she said.
“Our teachers are prepared for whatever it may be, whether it’s out of school safety or if students are in danger. I mean, they’re there for our kids.”