Camden fire department, North East EMT assist hiker who choked on apple down mountain trail

Mon, 03/30/2020 - 4:00pm

    CAMDEN — Seven Camden firefighters and one North East Mobile Health EMT hustled up a Megunticook Mountain trail Sunday, March 29, to assist a young man who was short of breath and dizzy after choking on an apple.

    The man, in his early 20s, had been hiking solo near the Tablelands, close to the top of Megunticook, in Camden Hills State Park, when he stopped to enjoy an apple. In doing so, however, part of that apple got lodged in his throat.

    Choking at first, he managed to cough violently and dislodge some, but not all, of the apple out of his airway. Still, some remained caught in his throat, it hard to ventilate.

    He called 911, Knox Regional Communication Center, in Rockland, which dispatched EMS and the Camden Fire Department.

    He then started walking down the trail, breathless and dizzy. Meanwhile, the seven firefighters, carrying oxygen, a Stokes Basket (to carry him out, if necessary) and other emergency supplies, walked up the trail, along with the North East Mobile Health EMT.

    The man had made it down to a fork in the trail, and sat down. A family of four, who were hiking the mountain with their dog, stopped to help him, staying by his side while the firefighters hiked to reach him. He was on the phone first with Knox RCC and then Camden Fire Chief Chris Farley, for the duration.

    When they arrived, they gave the hiker oxygen, as he was still breathless, dizzy, anxious and reported that he legs and arms were numb and tingling.

    The rescuers helped hum walk down the trail to a waiting ambulance, which transported him to Pen Bay Medical Center, in Rockport.

    “He stood up and decided he was more comfortable walking down,” said Farley.

    Firefighters who hiked in to help the man included Todd Anderson, Earl Holt, Clint Beveridge, Matt Heath, John Heath, Jack Oerestis, and North East ambulance EMT C.B. Spady.


    Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657