Paramedic Saves Baby Choking on Sukkah Decoration in Netivot

An unusual emergency occurred in Netivot on Tuesday evening when an eight-month-old baby choked on a piece of Sukkah decoration at home. A senior Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedic's swift actions successfully dislodged the foreign object from the infant's throat, stabilizing his condition shortly thereafter.

At 10:36 PM, MDA's Negev region emergency dispatch received a report of a choking infant. MDA teams, including paramedics and EMTs, were immediately dispatched to the scene. Uriel Cohen, a senior paramedic on an MDA motorcycle unit and one of the first responders, observed the baby's face had turned blue, indicating severe respiratory distress and airway obstruction.

Cohen immediately began emergency procedures to remove the obstruction. After several attempts, he successfully extracted a piece of Sukkah decoration that was blocking the baby's airway. According to Cohen, within seconds of the object's removal, the baby's color returned to normal, his breathing improved, and his condition stabilized.

Following an on-site examination and treatment, it was determined that the baby was in good condition and did not require hospitalization. The incident, which concluded without further injuries, highlights the dangers posed by small objects and decorations within reach of infants and toddlers. MDA reiterated its warning to parents and families to keep small items, decoration fragments, and potentially detachable parts away from young children and to immediately call 101 in any suspected choking or respiratory distress situation.