Published: February 16, 2006 11:58 pm      

Training helps Red Cross worker save a life

Kenya Darden is a hero.

But don't tell her that. She won't believe you.

Darden, director of health and safety services at the Key Chapter of the American Red Cross, saved a 7-year-old boy from choking to death on a quarter Wednesday afternoon.

"I wouldn't call myself a hero. I was just doing what I was trained to do. I did what anybody would do," she said.

The boy was at the Red Cross' 23rd Avenue office with his mother and grandmother, who were seeking aid after their home had been badly damaged in a recent fire. The boy was outside playing when he ran inside in a panic, gasping for air.

"He came to the door, and it was apparent that he was in a good amount of distress. But my mind went blank, and then all of a sudden I remembered Kenya would know what to do, so I called for her," said Ruth Smith, receptionist at the Red Cross.

Darden is an instructor of CPR techniques for the Red Cross.

Darden said the quarter wasn't completely lodged in the boy's throat yet, so he was able to communicate. It was a good thing, too, as his mother — whom Red Cross officials would not identify due to their policy of confidentiality for clients — thought he had already swallowed the quarter.

"He kept panicking, which made his throat constrict tighter and tighter. His mother didn't realize that it was still stuck in there," Darden said. "So I kept performing the Heimlich Maneuver until it finally popped out."

Darden said the quarter made a satisfying "clink" onto the sidewalk outside when it finally became dislodged.

"He was just in a state of shock staring at the quarter. He gave me a big hug afterwards, but he was just so surprised at the whole deal," Darden said.

Eugene Ramsey, the Key Chapter's Armed Forces emergency services volunteer coordinator, said everyone at the Red Cross is proud of Darden for her action.

"She is a wonderful instructor. She is very good at it and it shows," Ramsey said. "She got a chance to practice what she preaches."

Darden said the mother did not know any CPR techniques and the boy might have died had she not been there to provide assistance. She said there are several things every parent should know.

"Most importantly, they should teach their children not to chew on anything," she said. "Every parent should teach their children the universal sign for choking, which is placing their hands around their neck. They should also take CPR classes. They are easy, and they only last four hours. It's worth it if it means you can save someone's life."

Darden said parents with children under age 1 can dislodge an object by turning the child upside down and administering five hits to the back.

To find out more about taking CPR classes, contact Darden at the Red Cross at (601) 485-5151, ext. 14. Classes are $25 per participant.