The American Red Cross First Aid & Safety: The Heimlich Maneuver

In my book "The American Red Cross: First Aid & Safety Handbook" I was taught and showed how to save a person's life by performing with rapid first aid for choking by doing abdominal thrusts, also called the Heimlich maneuver. My author Kathleen A. Handal explains that "choking is your body's way of trying to remove a foreign object (such as food) from the airway. A choking person's airway may be completely or partially blocked" (Handal 108). Without oxygen the brain can begin to die within 4-6 minutes. Some signs and symptoms of choking are grabbing of the throat with the hand, gagging, pale and bluish skin on face, weak, ineffective coughing; noisy breathing; high-pitched crowing sounds, convulsions and/or loss of consciousness.

"Choking is often associated with eating; alcohol consumption, trauma to the head or face, and young children" (Handal 108). Some warnings are:

• DO NOT interfere if the victim is coughing forcefully and has good air exchange. However, be ready to act instantly if the victim's air exchange worsens
• DO NOT pinch or choke an object that is lodged in the victim's throat. This might force it farther down the airway.

Steps to proceed with Heimlich:

First ask the victim if he or she is choking. If the victim can't answer, the obstruction is life threatening. Call EMS. Then tell the victim you are going to try to help and ask for permission to proceed.
1. Perform abdominal thrusts
2. Stand behind the victim
3. Wrap your arms around the victim's waist
4. Make a fist, place the thumb side of your fist in the middle of the victims abdomen, just above the navel and well below the lower tip with your outer hand
5. Grasps your fist with your other hand
6. Keeping your elbows out, press your fist with a quick, upward thrust into the victim's abdomen. Each thrust is a separate attempt to clear the victim's airway by forcing air out
7. Continue performing this maneuver until the obstruction is cleared or the victim loses consciousness

Have you ever been in a situation where you have almost or had performed the Heimlich maneuver, and what was the situation?