Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) TSA Officer Marie Benny and Supervisory Officer William Brand, seated just a few feet apart from each other in the breakroom, were not much more than casual, professional colleagues for nearly 12 years when the day began. Now, thanks to Brand’s successful use of the Heimlich maneuver on Benny, they have an opportunity to be close friends.
With an hour-and-a-half left on her part-time a.m. shift, Benny was relaxing in the breakroom, snacking on granola and speaking with friends just feet away from Brand, who was 15 minutes away from punching in for his p.m. shift.
Unexpectedly, Benny couldn’t breathe.
“I began choking on the granola I was eating and was very scared because I could not get enough air to cough anything up,” remembered Benny. “No offense, but I just kept thinking, ‘Dear God, I do not want to die here in the TSA breakroom.’”
Brand and others were initially unaware of Benny’s plight and didn’t realize she was choking. Distressed and unable to speak, she did the only life preserving thing she could think to do. She made herself known and heard with her hands.
“He could’ve stepped away, refused, froze or said he couldn’t do anything, but he stepped up and put his arms around me with a strong bear hug motion,” said a thankful Benny, who, in hindsight realized she might have forced his hand in the crisis.
Having never put his 15-year-old Heimlich training into practice, all Brand could think was, “I hope this works!”
The food dislodged in five quick compressions, and Benny gulped the breakroom air in relief.
Brand cautioned panicked people may not use the universal choking signal of clutching their throat and modestly said he was glad to be in a position to help.
“Marie’s a trooper,” said Brand. “She took an extra 15 minutes on her break then went back to work.”
“I want everyone to know Bill Brand went into action and saved a life,” said Benny. “It seems like a simple statement, but it is very emotional.”
“I had the opportunity to speak to Officers Benny and Brand shortly after the event,” said Federal Security Director Bart Johnson. “Officer Benny went into great detail explaining the entire event to me, and it is crystal clear that Officer Brand saved her life.”
Johnson added, “We are all very proud of Officer Brand. He was very humble and took it all in stride even though he had just saved a life. I conveyed to him that he represents the best of what TSA has to offer.”
On a lighter note, Benny said she won’t be snacking on granola anytime soon.
“(The event) makes me appreciate life and to definitely NOT talk while I’m eating,” she chuckled.
By Karen Robicheaux, TSA Strategic Communications and Public Affairs