Above: Town officials thanked a staffer who provided urgent aid to a child in distress during the first week of camp. (images above and below from Rec Dept Facebook post)
Last night, the Recreation Department and Southborough Select Board commended an employee for properly responding to a child who was choking at summer camp.
Southborough’s Erin Navaroli, the summer camp’s Asst Director, received a citation from the Select Board for her actions.
At the start of last night’s Select Board meeting, Recreation Program Coordinator Christina McCarthy described the incident that took place at camp on the morning of July 2nd during snack time:
Erin Navaroli was approached by a six-year-old camper who was signaling that she was choking, hands on her throat and her face turning red. Without hesitation, Erin immediately sprang into action and began performing the Heimlich maneuver. Once the child began to cough, Erin followed up with back blows to help fully dislodge the obstruction. The camper, understandably frightened and in tears, was quickly comforted by Erin, who shifted seamlessly from emergency response to providing reassurance and emotional support, letting the child know she was safe.
An incident report was promptly completed, and the child’s parents were immediately notified by phone, who expressed their utmost appreciation. Southborough Recreation would like to formally commend Erin Navaroli for her swift, decisive, and life-saving actions. Her composure and compassion exemplify the highest standard of care, and we are incredibly fortunate to have her as a member of our team.
Navaroli’s response was humble:
I’m just very fortunate that I was there. I’m really fortunate that the child knew the universal hand signal that she was choking and that she knew to tell someone.
As the parent of a child who sometimes attends the summer camp, Select Board Chair Andrew Dennington said he got “a little emotional” just hearing McCarthy describe the incident. He presented a certificate from the board to Navaroli to acknowledge her “Bravery in Action”. The certificate thanks her for the “swift and skilled response” and “demonstrating exemplary preparedness and professionalism” to ensure a child’s safety.
During the discussion, Rec Director Tim Farley also gave some credit to McCarthy for a “wonderful job” training, their “fabulous seasonal staff workers”.
