TSA Officer Robert Reynolds knew he was in trouble. He desperately needed help.
Reynolds was getting a bite to eat in the breakroom at Boston Logan International Airport when he felt a piece of food stuck in his throat. He was choking.
Fellow officer Josh Faulkner, the only other person in the room, was in the right place at the right time.
Faulkner knew exactly what to do and refused to let Reynolds go down. After noticing Reynolds in distress, Faulkner asked him if he was ok and proceeded to perform first aid for choking. With a few swift blows to Reynolds’ back, Faulkner dislodged the food from his throat.
Reynolds, who trained Boy Scouts in first aid for 19 years, said Faulkner did everything perfectly.
“Josh’s action could not have been done better by a professional EMT,” said Reynolds. “If he had not been present, I would have lost consciousness quite quickly and would have been found on the floor unresponsive. His quick action saved my life.”
Faulkner was humble about the incident. “I noticed he was apparently choking and unable to breathe,” he said. “I reacted by coming up behind him and hitting his back to attempt to knock whatever he was choking on free. The action was successful and Bob was able to recover.”
Faulkner would never say he’s a hero. His actions were just part of another day at work – another chapter on the job at TSA.
But Faulkner’s quick thinking and fast actions say otherwise. He saved the life of a fellow officer.