A quick-thinking Auburn elementary school teacher is being credited with helping save a student’s life after a choking emergency during a field trip to Syracuse.
Holly Signor, a fourth-grade teacher at Genesee Elementary School, used her first aid training last month when a student who had swallowed a bottle cap approached her unable to breathe while visiting the Erie Canal Museum. Signor immediately recognized the signs of choking and began performing abdominal thrusts.
“It all happened very quickly, I realized he couldn’t breathe,” Signor said. The student soon began coughing, indicating air was moving again, and confirmed he was able to breathe.
After the incident, Signor said her primary concern was making sure the student had not been injured during the rescue. She checked for any pain or injuries and reassured the emotional student that the most important thing was that he was safe.
Signor also used the experience as a teaching moment for the rest of the class, reminding students that actions can have real consequences. She said many people later told her the student was fortunate someone with first aid training was nearby, but in the moment, she simply acted.
Genesee Elementary Principal MaryClaire Pineau praised Signor’s response, calling her knowledge and quick thinking commendable. The Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education and administration later presented Signor with a “Superhero Certificate” in recognition of her actions.
The incident marks the second time this school year that an Auburn educator has been recognized for assisting a choking student. Last fall, Auburn Junior High School Dean of Students Allison Teachout helped a student who was choking on a cookie during lunch.
Following the incident, Signor renewed her first aid certification, saying emergencies can happen without warning and preparedness can make all the difference.
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