Officer Saves Second Life With $70 Choking Device

When Ontario Police Officer Rod Roose saw a choking call pop up on his computer screen, he knew exactly what to grab.

On February 17, Roose and fellow officer Brody Martin raced to an Outback Steakhouse on Lexington-Springmill Road. A diner was choking, and fire and EMS were on their way, but Roose had something that could help immediately: a LifeVac choking rescue device.

This wasn't Roose's first time using the tool. In 2023, he used the same device to save a toddler who was choking on a two-inch bolt. That rescue went viral and was featured on Inside Edition and other national outlets.

After that first save, Roose did something remarkable. He pulled to the side of the road and ordered the $70 device on his phone, thinking of his own eight-year-old child at home.

"We have this tool, we know it works," Roose said. "We're just trying to get it on them and see if we can help out."

Martin describes the device as incredibly simple to use. "It's like a plunger that suctions anything clogging the airway out," he explained. The instructions are just three pictures, and anyone can operate it, even on themselves in certain situations.

When the choking call came through, Roose didn't wait for protocol. "I grabbed Brody, said, 'Let's go,' and we beat feet out the back door," he recalled. They arrived and successfully cleared the man's airway.

Sunny's Take

Days later, Roose and Martin visited the man they saved at a local hospital. The transformation was stunning.

"From seeing someone at the stage they were at when we were on scene trying to help them, to where he is now, it's surreal," Martin said. "It's an awesome feeling to have."

The story highlights something beautifully simple: sometimes the best preparation comes from personal initiative. Roose didn't wait for his department to issue the device. He spent his own money because he knew it could make a difference.

Now, two families have their loved ones back because one officer decided to be ready.