Courtesy Photo Local emergency responders and government officials pose for a photo during last week's Alpena Municipal Council meeting. From left to right are Chris Stephens, Sarah Belton, Alpena Mayor Cindy Johnson, Casey Wikaryasz, Abby Smith, and Alpena Fire Chief Rob Edmonds. The first responders saved Belton's life on July 4, when she choked on food and it blocked her airway.

ALPENA — A pair of local emergency first responders from Alpena, and another two from Alpena Township, were recognized with lifesaving citations last week for their actions to help save a woman who was choking and unable to breathe.

Alpena Fire Chief Rob Edmonds presented the awards to Alpena Fire Department paramedics, Casey Wikaryasz and Abby Smith, as well as Alpena Township Fire Department first responders, Ed Hoskinson and Chris Stephens, at last week’s Alpena Municipal Council meeting.

The four heroes were also reintroduced to the victim, Sarah Belton, and visited with her during the meeting at City Hall.

According to Edmonds, on July 4, an emergency call came into Alpena County 911 and dispatcher Matt Miller handled the request for service.

Miller dispatched Alpena Township first responders and the Alpena City Fire Department ambulance for a Belton choking and unresponsive.” As part of the dispatch protocol, instruction was given to the caller until trained personnel arrived.

Dispaspatchers handle frantic callers in their time of need, helping calm the situation and providing guidance until rescuers arrive.

Hoskinson and Stephens were the first to arrive at the scene and Belton was found unresponsive and CPR was initiated.

Shortly after, Wikaryasz and Smith arrived on scene and took over patient care and initiated Advance Life Support treatments while CPR was continued by Hoskinson and Stephens.

While CPR was being performed, Wikaryasz utilized a laryngoscope to visualize the airway and noted a piece of meat was obstructing Belton’s airway. Wikaryasz was able to extract the lodged food and clear the airway obstruction.

Belton became

more responsive, regained normal breathing, and was transported to the MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena emergency department for further treatment and assessment. Family members did attempt the Heimlich maneuver on Belton without success prior to the responder’s arrival.

Edmonds told the council that from the time the 911 call was answered until the time Belton arrived at the hospital, everyone involved in the rescue performed exceptionally. He said even one little hiccup could have cost the woman her life.

“Without the proper call intake and online direction by dispatcher Miller, the medical first responders Hoskinson and Stephens to initiate the first assessment and begin CPR, and the patient care interventions by the ALS crew of Wikaryasz and Smith, she may not have survived the incident to continue to enjoy life in its fullest capacity,” Edmonds said.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.