THREE RIVERS – Armstrong International has been long-known in the community of Three Rivers for having several volunteer firefighters on their workforce at this 114-year-old company. Often you will see employees leaving company grounds as they race to an accident scene, fire or other local emergency. In fact, the company encourages this as part of its mindset of giving back to the community – so, it’s not unusual to have several of these volunteer EMT’s in attendance at any given company event. Armstrong retiree Bob Forsyth is extremely grateful for this fact, as he reflects back on the evening of May 16.

Just a few short weeks ago, some 250 Armstrong employees and retirees gathered for the annual “men’s steak fry” staged at the company Recreation Center. No one knew that just a short time into the event, Forsyth would soon be fighting for his life. He choked on a piece of steak that had become lodged in his airway. The room turned hush and all eyes were on Forsyth as he struggled to breath. Enter the trained EMT’s from Armstrong that were in attendance at the gathering and sprang into action.

First, retiree and trained EMT Lee Arnett rushed to Forsyth’s aid … soon thereafter, current Armstrong employees and EMT’s Chase Carpenter and Mark Blentlinger joined in, as the trio went into life-saving mode without hesitation. Carpenter played a key role in opening the airway and Blentlinger began to perform the “Heimlich Maneuver,” which eventually dislodged the meat. At one point during the life-saving procedure, Plant Manager Dan Findlay said it became very evident that Forsyth was beginning to slip into deeper trouble.

“There came a point and time where it seemed like it was taking an eternity to remove the dislodged piece of meat that was stuck in Mr. Forsyth’s airway,” cited Findlay. “All the while, he was struggling to breath, gasping for air. This could have turned into a tragedy … however, with the quick thinking of several people in attendance, Bob’s life was saved. A situation that could have been very sad, turned into elation. There is no question, Bob could have easily died.”

Armstrong encourages its employees to be educated in CPR and other life-saving techniques, according to Findlay. As for the three men that were all instrumental in saving Forsyth’s life, they all just took it in stride.

“Bob needed our help and we didn’t think twice to step in and help him … it’s just what you do in a moment like this,” said Blentlinger. Carpenter added, “I heard someone (that someone was retiree Bob Marvin, who was sitting near Forsyth when he began choking) yelling for help and hollering for an EMT. I just did what I had to do in order to help Mr. Forsyth. It’s what we are trained to do and I was glad I could be a part of helping him.”

While the modest men at Armstrong International may have considered it to be just another day at the office, Bob Forsyth remains forever grateful for their quick actions – as do the many onlookers that witnessed the incident that evening.

“Those involved kept their composure and saved a life,” emphasized Findlay. “What a great feeling it was to see that Bob was going to be fine. A happy ending to what could have been a tragedy.”

About Armstrong International

Armstrong International provides intelligent system solutions that improve utility performance, lower energy consumption, and reduce environmental emissions, while providing an enjoyable experience. Founded in 1900, Armstrong International is a family-owned company headquartered in the United States, with manufacturing, sales and seminar centers located throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and the subcontinent of India. More information can be found at armstronginternational.com.