(Seguin) — The Seguin City Council is recognizing the quick thinking and lifesaving work of four of its employees. Seguin Fire Chief Dale Skinner led the brief ceremony during Tuesday’s council meeting.
Skinner says they wanted to honor the courage shown by a Seguin electric utilities crew, made up of Jimmy Herrera, Steven Eldridge, Keff Moore and Nathan Thiry. He says these men showed courage in a difficult situation and ultimately saved a life.
“On December 12, 2024, when an electric crew — these guys were working off of Bartholomae and Koepsel Streets, digging a hole for power poles, — they noticed a female at the entrance of her apartment, screaming for help. She was holding a baby that was possibly choking. Jimmy Herrera said to his crew, ‘let’s go,”’ said Skinner.
And go they did. The men quickly reached the woman and were told that the little girl was choking. Skinner says that’s when the crew’s training kicked in.
“Jimmy immediately grabbed the baby and placed her forward and down while performing back blows to help remove the foreign object from her throat. She then raised her head, and they turned her over to check her mouth and to make sure that there was nothing else in her mouth. He then asked the grandmother for a towel to help clean her up. While they were cleaning up the baby, they told her that they would stay with her to ensure that everything was okay. They asked if she needed medical attention and that they would call it in. She said no to the medical attention and said she would take the baby to the emergency room herself,” said Skinner.
These weren’t paramedics or firefighters, who deal with medical issues on a regular basis, but the men still got the job done. That’s largely due to a program that the city has in place that provides lifesaving training to all of its employees. Skinner says that training paid off in the biggest way that day.
“A few years ago, the fire department along with the city set a goal to train every city employee in CPR. I hate to think what could have happened if these four men weren’t there that day. They truly saved this little girl’s life. This event truly solidifies the reason we took this initiative, and why we should all be trained in CPR. Therefore, on behalf of the Fire Department, I’d like to present the Life Saving Certificates to Jimmy Herrera, Steven Eldridge, Keff Moore and Nathan Thiry,” said Skinner.
The electric crews already have dangerous jobs, but this went above and beyond their normal duties. The men were also thanked for the regular work that they do to keep the lights on to keep people safe and comfortable, particularly during times like these when the temperatures drop across the area.