North Fayette Township firefighters help save another choking child

For the second time in just over a year, North Fayette Township firefighters helped save a child who was choking.

The North Fayette Township Volunteer Fire Department said that just before 6 p.m. on Monday, a firefighter noticed a man walking inside the station along Steubenville Pike.

The fire department said that Deputy Chief Alex Toth went to greet the man and was handed an infant.

Toth was able to immediately recognize that the child was choking and helped clear the obstruction with help from Lieutenant Paramedic Tyler Pilewski, the fire department said.

Lieutenant Chuck Spencer was able to call 911 for an ambulance while the child was being tended to and the fire department said the baby is expected to be okay. 

"The parents, originally headed to Children's by private means, made a decision to stop at the station for assistance," the department said. "We are grateful that our fire department is staffed, not only by paid township fire inspectors during daylight hours, but live-ins and volunteer staffers as well."

The department gave recognition to Deputy Chief Alex Toth, Lieutenant Tyler Pilewski, Lieutenant Chuck Spencer, Firefighter Cory Russi, Firefighter Micah Fitzwilliams, and Firefighter John Leitschaft Jr. 

Just over one year ago, a similar situation happened at the same fire station when a mother got out of the vehicle in a panic along with an infant child who was choking for an unknown reason. 

Firefighters and EMTs were able to help stop the child from choking and allowed them to start breathing normally.