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Berrien County honors deputy whose quick action cleared blocked tracheotomy at jail
Summary
Berrien County presented a certificate of accommodation to Deputy Bailey Kessler after she freed a blocked tracheotomy on an inmate on June 10, restoring oxygen and allowing the person to be transported to hospital; sheriff—s officials praised her response at the Aug. 14 county meeting.
Berrien County honored Deputy Bailey Kessler on Aug. 14 after sheriff—s officials described her actions in a June 10 medical emergency at the county jail.
Undersheriff Tim told commissioners that a female detainee—s tracheotomy became blocked after a breathing treatment, leaving her with dangerously low oxygen levels. "She took charge even over some of the medical staff that was present," Tim said. He described Kessler's efforts to clear the obstruction and her use of an ambu bag to restore oxygen: "If it wasn't for her quick thinking, things could have been different there." The detainee was transported by medic to a hospital and returned to the facility a few hours later, Tim said.
Sheriff Hite, Captain Selena Herbert and Deputy Justin Williams joined Tim at the meeting as county commissioners presented a certificate of accommodation to Kessler. Undersheriff Tim said the deputy attempted multiple methods to clear the airway and then "hooked up an oxygen tube to the ambu bag and used that with her quick thinking to free up that blockage," allowing the detainee to breathe again.
The presentation took place during the public meeting of the Berrien County Board of Commissioners; commissioners and sheriff—s office leaders used the recognition to highlight the role of deputies and jail medical staff in responding to on-site emergencies.
No formal vote was required for the recognition. The county recorded the presentation in the meeting minutes and acknowledged the sheriff—s office for bringing the award to the public forum.
The sheriff—s office and county officials did not provide additional medical details about the detainee or the exact nature of subsequent treatment at the hospital.
