This is an excerpt from a letter dated Dec 15 from Fire Chief Michael Damon to a citizen in Red Bluff who made a difference during a medical emergency: 

Dear Mr. Rabalais,

On behalf of all of the members of the Red Bluff Fire Dept I want to thank you for your skilled action in performing the Heimlich maneuver on a choking victim at the Grocery Outlet on Saturday, December 11, 2004.

I spoke to the victim today who cheerfully stated that your quick actions promptly removed the obstruction from her throat and saved her from the need of further emergency medical intervention and complications.

Choking victims are in immediate need of intervention and your successful actions were “just what the doctor ordered”.  Too often many citizens simply rely on 911 to handle these immediate problems.  Your quick thinking and intervention is greatly appreciated by both the victim and our department staff.

Actions like yours often times go unreported to us.  We are therefore very grateful to have this opportunity to thank you.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Damon
Fire Chief