Hero paramedic is seen saving Florida 5th-grader choking on a taco in dramatic video

A Florida medical hero jumped into action and saved the life of an elementary school student who was choking on a taco.

Last week, a first responder was on hand to help a fifth-grader clear his airway using the Heimlich maneuver at Seminole Elementary School in Miami-Dade.

The dramatic incident was caught on camera and shows school paramedic Javier Montes De Oca rescuing 10-year-old Luis Salcedo after several failed attempts by the school principal.

“I couldn’t breathe, it was very hard and I was suffocating,” Louis said. NBC South Florida. “I thought I was scared, that I almost saw the blackout.”

It was the first time Montes de Oca had attempted the life-saving technique, which involves striking the person being choked from behind in the stomach area, and he was glad it worked so quickly.

A Florida medical hero swung into action and saved the life of an elementary school student who choked on a taco.

Last week, a first responder was on hand to help a fifth-grader clear his airway using the Heimlich maneuver at Seminole Elementary School in Miami-Dade.

“I couldn’t breathe, it was really hard and I was suffocating,” 10-year-old Luis Salcedo told NBC South Florida. “I thought I was scared, that I almost saw the blackout.”

Surveillance footage shows the school principal attempting to dislodge the taco from Luis’ airway and performing the Heimlich maneuver.

But the child was still choking and the deputy director was seen radioing for additional help.

Montes de Oca then runs onto the scene and performs the Heimlich maneuver a few more times before the taco comes unglued and Luis can breathe again.

“When I approached the baby, the first thing that came to my mind was, ‘I hope I do well,’ because in an emergency like that, there’s anxiety and all that,” he said.

“But once the situation was cleared up, I was relieved to know that the baby was safe and could breathe again.”

The video shows Luis running away in shock after his airway cleared. “My throat felt like it was full of wind, like there was air in my throat, and I could finally breathe,” the boy said.

Montes de Oca became a paramedic in 2018, but this was the first time he performed the Heimlich maneuver.

“I am glad that all my training was completed in the shortest possible time in such an emergency situation. So I was proud of myself and glad the baby was okay,” he said.

Surveillance footage shows the school principal attempting to remove the taco from Luis’ airway and performing the Heimlich maneuver, but the child is still choking.

School paramedic Javier Montes De Oca rushed into action to save Luis and eventually cleared the child’s airway.

Montes de Oca became a paramedic in 2018, but this was the first time he performed the Heimlich maneuver.

Assistant Principal Raquel Perodin was frightened by the situation because it was the first time she had witnessed serious choking.

“It was a little scary. Honestly, I’ve never seen this happen in person before. I’ve never seen a person have to do Heimlich, so it was quite an intense moment,” she said.

“But I was glad he was here to help with the situation.”

The day before the incident, the school board voted to introduce a Heimlich refresher course for staff and parents.

“Knowing what to do in an emergency situation where someone is choking can save a child’s life and save the life of a teacher, administrator or staff member,” Chairwoman Marie Tere Rojas said at the meeting.

She led the discussion on the issue after hearing about two other suffocation cases in the area.

‘You never know. You will never be fully prepared to face an unprecedented situation that you have never had to face before,” Tere Rojas said.

“But if we’re talking about the opportunity to save one life, then I think that’s extremely important and we all recognize that.”

The school is set to publish more details about the choking hazards course in February.