(Contributed photo)
Great Neck Alert Junior Firefighter, Ashley Talledo, was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the American Red Cross for using Red Cross training skills to save her brother’s life. The certificate bears the signature of the President of the United States, who is the honorary chairman of the American Red Cross, and the signature of the chairman of the American Red Cross.
Last summer, while having breakfast with her family at a local diner, her brother, Randy, began choking on his food that immediately blocked his airway. Talledo’s quick thinking and recall of her first aid and choking training instantly kicked in and she swiftly rendered the Heimlich maneuver, ultimately saving her brother’s life.
The award presentation recently took place at the Great Neck Alert Fire Company headquarters. The Certificate of Merit is the highest award given by the Red Cross to individuals who save or sustain a life using skills learned in a Red Cross Training Services course. It is the first time a member or a junior firefighter in the Alert Fire Company has ever received this prestigious honor.
Talledo is currently a senior at Great Neck North High School and she, along with the other junior firefighters in the program, is Red Cross certified in First Aid, CPR and AED and receives this training annually. Talledo joined the Alert Junior Firefighter program in November 2016. She is a certified lifeguard and plans to attend college in the fall.
—Submitted by the Great Neck Alert Fire Company
