Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Supervisory TSA officer William Brand spoke on Friday just days after saving the life of fellow TSA officer Marie Benny's after she began choking in the breakroom at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
Brand described the moments leading up to the tense situation, and how he only had "seconds" to react.
"I just came in for my shift. I started at 11:30 a.m., so I was here a few minutes early," said Brand on Friday. "I was sitting there talking to another supervisor, and I didn't even realize she was starting to choke until she kind of came over to my table. She had her hands on the table. At that point, I'm like, 'Oh, something serious is happening'. Someone had said pat her on the back, and I'm like, that's not going to do anything if someone's choking."
Brand had learned previously how to do the abdominal thrust Heimlich maneuver, but that was around 15 years ago. He says he never had to use it before, but is thankful he knew what to do to help save a colleague's life.
After the incident, Brand said Benny was checked on by her supervisors and was allowed to finish the rest of her day at work.
"Word got out pretty fast. We had managers come in, and they checked on her. She was fine afterwards," Brand said. "She just took like an extra 15 minutes on her break, and then she went back to work. She only worked until one that day, which is her schedule, and then she went home. She didn't call in the next day. She was here the next day. Same thing."
