7-year-old boy reunites with Anne Arundel first responders who saved his life

The family of a 7-year-old boy who nearly died after choking on a piece of meat and going into cardiac arrest reunited Monday with the paramedics and 911 dispatcher who helped save his life last month in Anne Arundel County.

Emmett Petri and his family visited the Galesville Fire Station Monday to thank the emergency responders who saved his life. The first responders were honored with the department's Gift of Life Award.

"It is beyond words the gratitude that I have," said Sherri Petri, Emmett's mother.

On Aug. 17, Emmett's family was sitting down for dinner. Sherri Petri said they were eating burnt ends, one of his favorite foods, when Emmett suddenly began choking on a piece of meat.

His father immediately performed the Heimlich maneuver while Sherri called 911.

"He went unconscious, and when that happened, they instructed us to start CPR," Sherri Petri said.

Emmett's father, who has military training and experience performing CPR, began chest compressions.

On the other end of the phone, 911 dispatcher Angie Reslie kept the family calm while they waited for paramedics to arrive.

"I get it, take a couple deep breaths for me, we're going to get through this," Reslie said.

Paramedics arrived at the home in about four minutes.

"He wasn't breathing and he had no pulse. The father was continuing compressions," said Anne Arundel County Fire Lt. Cory Polidore.

Polidore worked to clear Emmett's airway and began ventilating him. Emmett regained a pulse and began breathing again before he was flown to Johns Hopkins Hospital.

"I believe that if those steps of compressions, the Heimlich maneuver, the back slaps, if those were not implemented, we might not have the outcome we have here today," Polidore said.

Emmett spent about 48 hours in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit but made a fast and full recovery.

For the first responders, receiving the award was meaningful, but the real reward was seeing Emmett healthy again.

"It was a relief because a lot of times the outcomes aren't as good. It's a great feeling," Reslie said.

Polidore said the call was one of those rare emergencies that responders will never forget.

"This kid is going to be healthy, he's going to grow up and graduate high school, and who knows, maybe he'll join our department one day," Polidore said.