The life of a student at West Elementary in Knoxville was saved recently, due to quick thinking and first aid from a staff member.

Knoxville Community School District staff member Heather Peterson, who works as an associate in the special education room at West Elementary in Knoxville, also spends time working in the lunchroom.

During lunchtime, Peterson noticed a student using his hands to indicate that he was choking. Peterson quickly approached, and after confirming what was happening, immediately performed the Heimlich maneuver, after which the student cleared his airway and began breathing normally. The student was then escorted to the nurse’s office, and later determined that he was healthy despite the incident. Peterson tells KNIA/KRLS News she doesn’t want to be the focus of what happened, she just wants to stress the importance of first aid training because you never know when you might need it, whether its at home, school, or out in public–it can happen at anytime.

Peterson also said that she doesn’t consider herself a hero, just that she saw a need, relied on her instincts, and did what she needed to do. This is the third time in recent years that a student or staff member’s life has been saved during a medical incident in the Knoxville Community School District.