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Employee Who Helped Choking Victim Receives Lifesaving Award
06/21/2021
In life’s most decisive moments, training matters. That’s the personal and professional mindset of Entergy Louisiana employee Ron Moore, who was recently recognized by the American Red Cross for taking action to help a choking victim in a West Monroe restaurant last September.
“That’s why we train so much at Entergy — so that in stressful situations, we’re prepared to act,” said Moore, who worked as a lineman for 11 years before becoming a safety specialist three years ago. “I was very comfortable in that type of situation because of my training and experience.”
On June 7, the American Red Cross presented its Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action to Moore during a media event attended by his coworkers and family members. The honor is given to individuals or teams that sustain or save lives through training provided by an entity other than the American Red Cross.
“Ron’s award shows our employees’ connection to our communities,” said Safety Supervisor Darrell Woullard. “Ron is a selfless person who always looks for ways to help others. He takes his training seriously, and because of that, he was able to respond appropriately in an emergency situation. It’s second nature to him to help others.”
On the day of the incident, Moore and a coworker had just been seated at Trapp’s Restaurant when they noticed a diner who appeared to be in distress. Moore directed the wait staff to call 911 as they headed toward the man’s table, where he was sitting with his wife.
“I reached him first and asked him if he was choking, and he indicated yes,” Moore recalled. “His hands were around his throat, and his face was turning red.”
With the help of his coworker, Moore was able to stand the man upright and began delivering several forceful back blows. When those were unsuccessful, Moore positioned himself to perform the Heimlich maneuver, and after a series of thrusts, a piece of meat was dislodged from the man’s throat.
Once the crisis was over and the man could breathe freely again, Moore encouraged him to drink some water and continued observing him after they walked outside and talked a few minutes. The man regained his composure and did not require hospitalization.
Before his Entergy career, Moore was a firefighter for eight years and was trained to respond to a variety of situations that required lifesaving skills. However, the restaurant incident was the first time he’d used the Heimlich maneuver in a real emergency.
“My reward was that the man was OK,” Moore said. “We learn these skills for a reason, and it pays off to pay attention. We benefit from training at work and at home through courses like driving safety, ladder safety and fall prevention. I have two teenagers who I taught how to drive, and they know to back into a parking spot. I learned that at Entergy. Employees can take the things they learn at work and apply them at home to keep their families safe.”
