Learn First Aid

Was told one time that the intial reaction of people choking is not to grab their throat but to rush to the bathroom so as not to be embarrassed.

Can now attest to that. Of course the bulging eyes were a key also but no grabbing of the throat.

I can also attest that the heimlick works. If you don't know it, learn it as all first aid. I haven't taken a first aid course in years but it comes back fast when the chips are down.

I sure hope nobody was sitting there wondering why I was following another dude into the bathroom. If someone had walked in at that "magic moment" they would have seen me standing behind some guy bending over him in a very compromising position. Guess I (we) can laugh about it now.

He choked on pork. Had just saw a story that morning about a pro football player that had the same thing happen last week on pork also.

This is another "great save". Thanks for taking the time to learn this and save another man's life. I didn't know about the run to the bathroom reaction people have.

The wise and powerful CARNAC does it again! Good job soldier (as PB would say)

I had to do the Heimlich on my three or four year old son once. It took seconds to realize he was choking, seconds more to react. Thank You, Anna Wingert, she was the woman who taught me the signs and procedure. It was only after the young fellow was breathing again that i had the panic attack. Scary to think what might have happened had you not been there. Well done.

Nice job; I have BLS because it is required for my job, but haven't used it in any way outside of coding somebody at work.

Everybody should consider getting certified; re-certs can be done online conveniently.

For some reason, people think you hold a child's arm up if they are choking. I don't know where this started but I'm pretty sure it doesn't help. The Heimlich works.

Saw it first hand as well when I was a private. Soldier in the DFAC stands up holding his throat, eyes bulging, SFC jumps up without missing a beat and gives him the Heimlich. The offending food shoots out and the SFC ends up with an ARCOM from the BDE CDR a few days later. All the other privates just stared while the SFC didn't hesitate at all. It was probably only a few seconds, but he recognized what was happening and likely saved a Soldiers life.

Nice job Carnac. Thats the reason that I'm on the Emergency Response Team at work.....so I have an idea of how to handle situations like that until fully trained emergency personnel arrive.

The same thing happened to my child’s pediatrician. He was choking in a restaurant, and went to the restroom, where he passed out, and somehow fell as to perform the Heimlich maneuver on himself. However he badly broke his jaw in the process. (Fair trade in my opinion)

You can do it yourself using the back of a chair if you find yourself in this situation alone or everybody is just staring at you while you choke to death. It's not nearly as good and you can break ribs but you may have to try and help yourself if no one else can or will.

CARNAC said:

Was told one time that the intial reaction of people choking is not to grab their throat but to rush to the bathroom so as not to be embarrassed.

Can now attest to that. Of course the bulging eyes were a key also but no grabbing of the throat.

I can also attest that the HIND-lick works. If you don't know it, learn it as all first aid. I haven't taken a first aid course in years but it comes back fast when the chips are down.

I sure hope nobody was sitting there wondering why I was following another dude into the bathroom. If someone had walked in at that "magic moment" they would have seen me standing behind some guy bending over him in a very compromising position. Guess I (we) can laugh about it now.

He choked on pork. Had just saw a story that morning about a pro football player that had the same thing happen last week on pork also.

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Glad you helped him, but it sounds like a different technique than what we are taught up here in the north.

m16ty said:

For some reason, people think you hold a child's arm up if they are choking. I don't know where this started but I'm pretty sure it doesn't help. The Heimlich works.

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I have not heard to do that while they are choking on something, but if they are coughing a lot it helps.

Carnac, good job. I have had the Red Cross training in BLS and first aid, my one job also required us to get certified on an AED. And the Army saw fit to make me a CLS (Combat Life Saver) during my tour in Iraq. Luckily so far I have not needed to use any of it.

I have had the chance to use my BLS first aid and also my Army CLS skills on several occasions. Not something I have enjoyed but very happy that I had been trained and able to assist when needed.

Everyone needs to go through the minimum Red Cross courses.

Great job CARNAC.

jj said:

It took seconds to realize he was choking, seconds more to react.

It was only after the young fellow was breathing again that i had the panic attack.

Scary to think what might have happened had you not been there.

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Ditto all three. Who knows, maybe he'll be the one that happens into me one day and has to do CPR on me. Although people would really start to talk then.

I was still pretty excited when I did the O.P. The thought of the mental picture of this fat guy embraced behind some dude in the bathroom puling him closer. Heck if some kid had walked in at that point, he would have been mentally ruined for life.

Of course I am hearing the Army is changing their slogan now and this situation would apply. It is no longer "Army Strong" but under the new don't ask but do tell it is "Never leave your buddy's behind".


Oh, and maybe we should all get trained in First Aid and CPR. The next life you save maybe my fat arse.

One point worth mention is that if you are NOT BLS certified and preform CPR, Heimlich or use an AED on somebody, in many states you are not protected by their Good Sam laws. i will not generalize and say all states don't protect you, but I am a licensed RN in 25 states and so far have not found one that will protect you if you are not certified.

Just be careful.. People are crazy and bad things can happen.

Carnac, maybe we could take 30 minutes at the GA rally and give a demonstration of proper technique for CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. Not a lesson, a demonstration.

doghead said:

Carnac, maybe we could take 30 minutes at the GA rally and give a demonstration of proper technique for CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. Not a lesson, a demonstration.

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Are you volunteering to be the demonstration dummy?

FYI for what its worth the new CPR guidelines use the following set:

Circulation - 30 chest compressions
Airway - head tilt to open airway
Breaths - 2 breaths then repeat

Think CAB for the procedure.

Basically they have found that you have enough oxygen in the blood to go straight to chest compressions there by giving the brain blood much sooner than previous regs. I just got recertified last month so this is current as of then.