BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Blair Emergency Services Chaplain Platoon is donating LifeVac anti-choke devices to police departments in Blair County and Huntingdon Borough to help officers respond to choking emergencies.

Officials emphasize that these devices provide police officers, who may not have EMS training, with an additional tool to assist individuals who are choking.

"We wanted to get this into the hands of our front-line troops, mainly the police, because they don't have the specialty training like a medic or the fire department. We want to give them the tools they need to perform immediately before EMS gets there," Altoona Chief Chaplain Mike Blackie said.

Statistics indicate that every day, 14 people die in the United States from choking-related incidents, and every five da

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