[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19337]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     IN RECOGNITION OF MS. LINDSEY NIES AND THE AMERICAN RED CROSS

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                          HON. JOHN P. MURTHA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 24, 2009

  Mr. MURTHA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Ms. Lindsey Nies 
of Leechburg, Pennsylvania and of the American Red Cross for their work 
in teaching emergency preparedness and life-saving skills.
  On January 14, 2009, Ms. Nies helped save the life of her choking 
classmate. While eating lunch in their school cafeteria, Ms. Nies 
noticed that her classmate began to cough and could not breathe. When 
Ms. Nies asked if she was okay, she could only respond by grabbing at 
her throat while tears were streaming down her face. While other 
students went to seek help, Ms. Nies remained calm and administered 
back blows which dislodged the food that was preventing her classmate 
from breathing. The skills that Ms. Nies learned from her American Red 
Cross Health and Safety Services course helped to save her classmate's 
life.
  For her efforts in saving another's life, Ms. Nies has been awarded 
the highest award given by the American Red Cross, the Certificate of 
Merit.
  In addition to teaching Ms. Nies, the American Red Cross has taught 
countless numbers of individuals valuable skills so that more lives can 
be saved. Since 1911, the American Red Cross has presented the 
Certificate of Merit over 12,000 times, to those who have saved or 
sustained a life.
  Madam Speaker, I conclude my remarks by commending Ms. Lindsey Nies 
for her efforts in saving another's life and the American Red Cross for 
teaching Ms. Nies, and many others, invaluable life-saving skills.

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