Julissa Palomo (center) stands for a photo with the Waukegan City Council, members of the Waukegan Fire Department, fellow Amazon employees and other city staff after receiving a Waukegan Proud Award on Monday for saving the life of her co-worker last month. | Provided Photo

An Amazon employee was honored by the Waukegan City Council Monday for saving the life of a fellow co-worker who was choking at an Amazon warehouse in Waukegan.

Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor and the rest of the Waukegan City Council honored Amazon Process Assistant Julissa Palomo with a Waukegan Proud Award.

On February 5, an Amazon associate was eating an apple in the break room of an Amazon warehouse in Waukegan and began to choke on it.

Palomo noticed what was happening, rushed over and began performing the Heimlich maneuver, Waukegan Fire Department EMS Battalion Chief Ken Mayfield said.

Palomo successfully performed the Heimlich on her co-worker, who had stopped breathing, and dislodged the apple from her co-worker’s airway.

Mayfield said the choking victim began breathing and did not need to be taken to the hospital.

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Approximately 5,000 people in the United States die by choking each year, fire officials said.

“Thank you and congratulations on keeping a level head and springing into action, despite the high pressure and dire situation, Julissa,” the City of Waukegan said.