Schools
Choking Third-Grader Saved By ‘Heroic’ Livermore Custodian
School officials said this is not the first time Patrick Mulrooney has had to use the Heimlich maneuver to save a student's life.
LIVERMORE, CA — A custodian at Altamont Creek Elementary in Livermore recently saved a student from choking to death, school officials said. On Oct. 25, as soon as Patrick Mulrooney noticed the girl choking, he quickly administered the Heimlich maneuver and saved her life.
School officials said Carolyn Reggiardo the school’s nurse, heard the emergency on her walkie-talkie and responded to help care for the child. This is the second time Mulrooney has saved a choking child's life, according to school officials.
Principal Tara L. Aderman said the school community is grateful for Mulrooney's quick-thinking and heroic efforts, which will be celebrated.
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Mulrooney, 47, lives in Livermore and has worked for the district for more than 22 years.
Choking, which blocks the airway, hindering a person's ability to breathe, can lead to brain death within 10 minutes, and is one of the leading causes of death, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health.
Find out what's happening in Livermorefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
How to perform the Heimlich maneuver on a child:
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