A Riverhead Police sergeant and paramedic were honored today for saving a young child’s life at a local day care center on March 1.
Sgt. Jill Kubetz and Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps paramedic Christine Klassert were presented with proclamations by the Riverhead Town Board at the board meeting today at Riverhead Town Hall.
On Monday morning, March 1, Riverhead Police received a 911 call reporting an infant choking at Pine Tree Day Nursery in Riverhead. Kubetz, who was on the road, rushed to the day care center on Roanoke Avenue, arriving within one minute of the call She found the infant to have a fully obstructed airway, Riverhead Police said in a press release that afternoon.
Kubetz used back thrusts to dislodge the object from the child’s lower airway. She noted what appeared to be a large LEGO block lodged in and blocking the child’s airway. Kubetz’s efforts dislodged the object enough that limited airflow was restored, according to the police report.
When Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps arrived, Kubetz held the child while Klassert was able to remove a two-inch LEGO from the child’s throat.
RVAC transported the child, who police said was just under a year old, to Stony Brook University Hospital for evaluation.
The child’s father later visited the Riverhead Police Department with his child to express his gratitude to first responders for their actions that saved his child’s life.
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