Photo By Robyn Stulgaitis | Paramedic Staff Sgt. Kenneth McIntyre sits inside an ambulance at Mike O'Callaghan...... read more read more
It was a busy shift in Mike O'Callaghan Military Medical Center's Emergency Room. Every room was full, and Capt. Angela Leonardo, the acting charge nurse, snatched a hurried bite at her desk between patients. Suddenly, an uncomfortable pressure in her chest signaled trouble. A piece of food had lodged in her throat. She tried to speak, but nothing came out.
Nearby, Paramedic Staff Sgt. Kenneth McIntyre was retrieving specimen labels from the printer. As he turned walk away from Leonardo to head into a patient room, he saw Leonardo clutch her throat with both hands — the universal choking sign.
"Are you choking?" McIntyre asked quickly. Leonardo nodded frantically, her vision blurring as and the room going black around her as oxygen deprivation set in. McIntyre instantly sprang into action, performing three rounds of the Heimlich maneuver. The obstruction was dislodged, and Leonardo gasped a deep, grateful breath.
“It was scary,” said McIntyre. “If I wasn’t there, we would have just found her unconscious. No one else was around.”
“[McIntyre] said next time chew your food,” quipped Leonardo.
For his actions, McIntyre will be awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal. His ability to remain calm under pressure, coupled with knowing exactly what to do in a choking emergency stem from years of experience and proper training.
“Utilizing his paramedic experience and foundational knowledge he appropriately offered care that otherwise would have led to a disastrous outcome,” said Maj. Maggie Smith-Davidson, Emergency Services Flight Commander.
Inspired by his Air Force-veteran grandparents to enlist in the Air Force after high school graduation, McIntyre worked as a medical technician at Shephard Air Force, Texas base before being recommended to apply for paramedic school.
From there, McIntyre spent the next six years at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. McIntyre’s time at Eglin included four years working in the emergency room, two years on an inpatient unit, and a deployment to Kuwait before coming to MOMMC in 2023.
As the Air Force’s only level III trauma center, McIntyre stays busy in MOMMC’s emergency room.
“Nellis offers lots of opportunities to use my paramedic skills,” said McIntyre.
McIntyre takes pride in his involvement in the emergency response to a car accident at the Simmons gate during a busy NASCAR weekend. The accident left a motorist with a severely broken leg. McIntyre applied a tourniquet to the leg and loaded the patient into the ambulance for transportation back to MOMMC’s emergency room. Only 11 minutes elapsed between ambulance arrival on scene and the patient reaching the emergency room.
“I’m proud of that one,” said McIntyre. “I enjoy helping people when it actually matters and making big decisions to save lives,” he said.
McIntyre was in the right place at the right time to help Leonardo, but his decisive actions were not just luck. McIntyre credits his recent Basic Life Support training for knowing exactly what to do in a choking scenario.
“It was my first time ever doing the Heimlich,” said McIntyre. “But I had taken a BLS course recently. If you know your training, you can just jump in without hesitation.”
McIntyre's experience underscores the value of BLS training for everyone. Knowing basic life-saving techniques like the Heimlich maneuver, CPR, and how to recognize the signs of a stroke or heart attack can empower individuals to respond effectively in emergencies. Seconds can matter in a crisis, and a bystander with BLS training can be the crucial link between life and death.
McIntyre's dedication and skill make him invaluable to MOMMC and the Air Force. His actions, while simply "part of the job" for him, are heroic to those he helps, like Leonardo.
“He was right where he needed to be,” said Leonardo. “He saved my life.”
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2025 13:53 |
| Story ID: | 497168 |
| Location: | NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 114 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Breath of Relief: How One Airman's Training Saved a Life, by Robyn Stulgaitis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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