First Responders Save Elderly Pine Beach Man's Life

PINE BEACH, NJ — Officials received a 911 call Tuesday that an 85-year-old Pine Beach man was choking. Time was of the essence.

Within four minutes of the call, police, fire and emergency medical services got to the Hillside Avenue home. The victim laid on his kitchen floor unresponsive. But thanks to the quick response and team effort, officials saved his life.

Crews recognized that the man still had a pulse but suffered significant airway obstruction. Several attempts at the Heimlich Maneuver didn't work.

So officials got the man on an ambulance to Community Medical Center. Emergency medical technicians Carl Weingroff and Kimberly McKay continued trying to clear his airway. The EMTs were eventually successful, and the man became conscious and started breathing.

He remains in stable condition at Community Medical Center.

"With the quick response and efforts of the highly cross trained personnel on scene this resident's life was fortunately saved," said Beachwood EMS Captain James Horn.

Horn thanked the following for their involvement:

• Ocean County Sheriff's Department, Communications Bureau: Danielle Girgenti, Nick Malvasio, Jonathan Caruso
• Beachwood EMS: First Lt. Carl Weingroff, FF/EMT, Second Lt. Ryan Everitt, EMT
• Pine Beach Police Department: Officer Okinsky, Officer Pruchnik
• Pine Beach Fire Department: Asst. Chief Cabrera, Captain Walters, Rob Brown, EMT, Kimberly McKay, FF/EMT, John Kubilewicz, David McKay
• MONOC: Melissa McKenna, MICU & Jennifer Carnevale, MICU

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