April 13, 2023

By all accounts, March 17 began as a typical St. Patrick’s Day for The Illuminating Company’s (CEI) T.J. Guinter. The Strongsville Line & Substation Supervisor, his wife Nicole and kids went out for a festive meal of corned beef sandwiches.

They ordered some additional food to-go and then stopped by the household of Nicole’s brother, Kevin Oyler, for a visit with him and his family. Kevin is also employed by FirstEnergy as a CEI line worker based at Brooklyn Service Center.

T.J. and Kevin stood next to each other at the kitchen counter as Kevin started eating one of the corned beef sandwiches, taking a big bite.

“The next thing I know, Kevin starts to look like he’s choking,” recalled T.J. “I knew something wasn’t right. The look on Kevin’s face told me he was not okay.”

Kevin turned to the kitchen sink area and leaned over. That’s when T.J.’s memory of work-related first aid training kicked in.

“I went over to Kevin at the sink and asked if he was ready. Kevin nodded his head and I immediately started administering the Heimlich maneuver,” said T.J. “After I performed three to four thrusts to his abdomen, the food dislodged, and Kevin was able to breathe normally again.”

The whole ordeal only lasted around 10 seconds but made a lasting impression on both men. The two made sure to share the story with coworkers at their respective line shops, reinforcing a critical message that first aid training literally saves lives – on and off the job site.

“When an emergency happened, I knew exactly what to do thanks to the first aid training I attended at work last year taught by my fellow supervisors Josh Jurcak and Kevin Pacifico,” said T.J. “Realizing right away the warning signs of choking, I was able to intervene before Kevin turned blue, needed medical attention or something worse happened. I’m glad I was there.”