LETTER: Rep. Ridgeway thanks Shoney's, waitress for prompt action during choking incident

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EDITOR'S NOTE: The following letter was written by Rep. Robert Ridgeway to Andy Stout, owner of Shoney's in Manning.

On April 19, 2014, my wife and I were dining at Shoney's Restaurant of Manning.  During our meal, a disturbance occurred across the dining room.  A man was choking and his wife was yelling for help.  As a physician, paramedic and firefighter, I responded immediately, and upon my arrival, one of your waitresses had already accessed the situation and was taking action.  (She was just one or two tables away). She actually diagnosed the problem and performed the appropriate maneuvers to dislodge the food by correctly administering abdominal thrusts.  This immediately relieved the problem, and the gentleman began to breathe again without any obvious deleterious effects.  The waitress was Allissa Robinson, and I am truly grateful and proud to have witnessed her response to an emergency situation.  I know she most probably saved this man's life.    

This episode only stresses the importance that all people should be trained in the appropriate measures to take when such an emergency arises.  I noticed that no one sitting at the nearby tables even got out of their chairs, and this tells me that they did know not what to do.

 

I would like to therefore take this opportunity to personally thank Ms. Robinson for first, taking the time to be trained in what to do in an emergency situation.  Secondly, I would like to thank her for using the knowledge she gained to help her fellowman, and thirdly, to admire her for keeping her cool.  As soon as the incident was over, she returned to work as if nothing had happened.

 

 REP. ROBERT L. RIDGEWAY III

Manning