Heimlich Maneuver for Adults and Children (1-8 Years of Age)

Always call 911 for a medical emergency. It is the safest and fastest way to get life-saving help. 911 call takers are trained to ask a series of important questions that usually begin with "What's your emergency?" The questions allow call takers to send the right type of help. Know that as call takers are asking questions and gathering information, they are dispatching units and sending information real time. 911 operators are trained to talk callers through giving first-aid or CPR, if necessary.

When you choke, you can't speak or breathe and you need help immediately. Follow these steps to save yourself from choking:

• Make a fist and place the thumb side of your fist against your upper abdomen, just above the naval and below the rib cage.
• Grasp your fist with your other hand and press into your upper abdomen with a quick upward thrust.
• Repeat until object is expelled.

Alternatively, you can lean over a fixed horizontal object (table edge, chair, railing) and press your upper abdomen against the edge to produce a quick upward thrust. Repeat until object is expelled.

Unconscious victim, or when a rescuer cannot reach around victim.

• Place the victim on his/her back.
• Perform CPR on the victim, checking the mouth each time you attempt to ventilate the victim to see if the object has been expelled.
• If you see the object, remove it carefully.
• Continue CPR until you observe a response from the victim or until help arrives. The victim should seek medical assistance immediately after rescue.

A choking victim can't speak or breathe and needs your help immediately. Call 9-1-1 and follow these steps to help a conscious choking victim:

• Determine if the person can speak or cough.
• If not, proceed to the next step.
• Perform an abdominal thrust (Heimlich Maneuver) repeatedly until the object is expelled. From behind, wrap your arms around the victim's waist.
• Make a fist and place the thumb side of your fist against the victim's upper abdomen, just above the naval and below the rib cage.
• Grasp your fist with your other hand and press into their upper abdomen with a quick upward thrust. Do not squeeze the rib cage;
  confine the force of the thrust to your hands.
• A chest thrust may be used for obese persons or in late stages of pregnancy.
• If the adult or child becomes unresponsive, perform CPR. Check for an object in the mouth or throat, if you see the object in the throat or mouth, remove it carefully.