The Heimlich Maneuver...Know it. Use it. Save a life. There are several things that are needed to sustain life, of which food is only one. But what happens when something needed to sustain life can actually take life away? At your next meal, that very thing could happen - if you're choking. The National Safety Council reports that choking is the third-leading cause of accidental death for people 65 and older, and most of the choking accidents occur as a result of improper chewing or eating too fast. Although the thought of choking and not being able to breathe is a frightening one, there is a simple technique that can save a life. It's called the Heimlich maneuver, named after surgeon Henry Jay Heimlich who developed the technique. Fred Pape, a 25-year-old chef's assistant at the Bayou Country Club in Thibodaux, knows first-hand how important it is to know and understand basic life-saving techniques such as this one. At a recent social at the Bayou Country Club, a patron began to choke on a piece of roast and was unable to breathe. Pape's instincts told him that this patron was choking and he immediately performed the Heimlich maneuver. "The event was coming to a close and I had started cleaning up. As I was making my last trip to the kitchen, I looked at the guest and saw that he was choking. I walked up to him, did one thrust and dislodged the piece of food. Then I went back to work," Pape said. Pape, an education major at Nicholls State University, was taught the Heimlich maneuver in a first aid class that was required for all education majors. "In our last day of class, the instructor said 'You'll probably never use this again,' and I honestly forgot all about it. But when it happened, it all came back and it happened too fast for me to stop and t hink about it," Pape said. This scenario is a common one that doesn't always have such a happy ending. Medical professionals have reported that people who are choking often walk away from others because they are embarrassed and think they just need a little air. They move into an unpopulated area or out into a parking lot, and sometimes collapse and die from the lack of oxygen. It is important that, if you are choking, you let someone know immediately. Read the following steps to find out how to perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself or someone else. If you see someone choking, you can save their life by following these simple steps: If a person is choking, they will probably make sign that they can't breathe, usually by placing their hands around their throat. If you see a person making this sign, ask them if they are choking. If they nod yes, let them know that you can help them. Grasp the choking victim from behind, wrapping your arms around the waist just below the ribs but above the navel. Make a fist, thumb side in, and place it just below the victim's breast bone, with the other hand placed firmly over the fist. Pull your fist firmly and abruptly inward and upward into the top of the stomach in order to force the object up the windpipe. Repeat the maneuver until the person coughs up the object or begins breathing or talking. When performing the Heimlich maneuver, periodically check the victim for consciousness (approximately every five thrusts). If at any time the person becomes unconscious, immediately stop the Heimlich maneuver and call 911. If you are alone and choking, stand with your back firmly against a wall and give yourself upward thrusts. If this does not work, try using the back of a chair, pushing your abdomen by "falling" against the top of the chair several times in a row. Make note of these simple steps. By following them, you can save the life of someone you love...or the life you save may be your own. For more information on the Heimlich maneuver, call (504) 493-4326. return to health articles