By Derek Schlennstedt
A local constable enjoying his first day on the job got an interesting initiation, helping a man who was choking on his dentures.
Yarra Ranges Highway Patrol assisted an elderly gentleman, 67, from Gladstone Park, who began choking on part of his denture while parked at the Yarra Glen service station, about 9.30am on Sunday 9 June.
Highway Patrol members Brad Raaymakers and Tom Juric had pulled over a speeding caravan opposite the service station when they were confronted by a distressed Taiwanese lady who said her husband “had swallowed a tooth”.
Constable Raaymakers, on his first day with the Highway Patrol, kept watch over the elderly man, ensuring he was able to keep breathing until an ambulance arrived.
“A distressed lady who didn’t speak much English came and told us her husband had swallowed a tooth,” he said.
“He could breathe but was obviously having a lot of trouble breathing.
“I kept him calm and kept him breathing and reclined the seat in the car so he was leaning back more as well as ensuring he didn’t talk too much.”
Ambulance Victoria reported that an ambulance was called to the scene and transported one person with breathing difficulties to Maroondah Hospital.
