Sheriff's Office Hero Saves Choking Coworker

DUBLIN, CA — When Dagnu Bezu found his coworker Riad Cherifi Monday, he was on the ground choking on food. Bezu's first aid training kicked in, and in seconds the food was dislodged, and Cherifi was breathing normally.

From beginning to end, the whole incident took minutes but bought precious time for Cherifi.

Bezu, who works in the multimedia unit at the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, told Patch that he was on the phone when he heard a choking sound coming from an adjacent office.

"I immediately got up from my desk and ran to check what’s going on," Bezu said. "I found Riad on the floor choking and not breathing. He gave me a sign to push his back since he was kneeling on the floor, then I immediately gave him a strong three push on his back with my palm and the food dislodge."

Cherifi is lucky. Some 5,000 people die from choking in the U.S. each year, according to data compiled by Statista. In 2018, the most recent year that stats are available, 5,084 people died. The elderly are most likely to choke to death, followed by babies and young children.

Bezu had formal training to handle Monday's crisis through his job. "I attended county safety and health seminar that includes certification class for CPR and first aid," he said.

If you have not received formal training to help a choking person, here is a video on how to perform the Heimlich maneuver.

Bezu's office is at the Santa Rita jail complex in Dublin.