In early October 2022, Rick Fikes and his partner responded to a call that a person at a group home was choking while eating a meal.

Upon arriving at the scene, a firefighter with the local department was already visualizing the patient’s airway. The firefighter told Rick the patient’s airway was full of pasta and that he could not clear it. Rick verified the patient’s airway could not be cleared, then performed a surgical cricothyrotomy on the patient. This quick thinking and clinical skill resulted in him achieving temporary return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The patient was an organ donor, so the procedure performed by Fikes ultimately saved many lives.

Rick was commended by everyone in the emergency department, including the physician, for performing this intricate surgical procedure in the field.