Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Captain Lance Bicket and firefighters from Station 58 recognized two students at Bolton Primary School in West Linn on Wednesday morning.
 
The crew surprised second-grader Kaiden Christman and fifth-grader Holden Macom during an all-school assembly, when they invited the boys to stand with them as 378 students, school faculty and their families looked on.

“Both of these young men displayed characteristics needed to be good firefighters, police officers, doctors, nurses or other emergency responders one day,” Captain Bicket told the audience. “They were brave, took swift action, showed a desire to help others, trusted their instincts, and kept their cool and wits about them in very scary situations.”

On April 26, Kaiden was getting ready for school and had just finished breakfast, when he saw his dad on his hands and knees in the living room. His dad was choking on food lodged in his windpipe. His dad couldn’t cough, breathe or call out for help.

When his dad pointed to his back, Kaiden didn’t hesitate. He rushed to his dad’s side and struck him on the back. He hit with enough force at just the right spot to dislodge the food. Kaiden's quick thinking and action saved his dad’s life.

Just last Thursday, June 8, on an overnight field trip in Hood River, Holden noticed one of his fellow fifth-graders choking on dinner and turning blue because he couldn’t breathe. Before a teacher or adult could get to the student to help, Holden recognized the problem and took action.

He asked if his friend needed help. After getting a nod, Holden got behind his friend in trouble, wrapped his arms around him, clasped his hands in a double fist and thrust upward quickly, performing the Heimlich maneuver and saving his friend’s life.
 
Captain Bicket shared both stories during the assembly and presented Kaiden and Holden with certificates recognizing the boys’ ability to take swift action and calmly provide assistance in emergency situations.