[redheadtoo]

...the student was very large & they couldn't get their arms around him.

It is more difficult to do the Heimlich on an obese person but not impossible. You use the same technique that you would use for a pregnant woman. The Heimlich can also be used on a person who is laying on the ground.

[Amelia]

The other stories said there were some nurses in the building for a blood drive, and they responded before the paramedics arrived.

They were able to partially clear the airway, but not completely.

The student apparently had crammed half a hamburger into his mouth. Not sure how much he actually swallowed.