
08/02/2023
Planning to propose tonight at dinner this Valentines Day? If their speechlessness is matched with blue lips and an inability to speak or cough, they're choking and you need to act fast.
Make your way behind the person choking and support their chest with one hand. Give up to five sharp blows between the person’s shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. Pause between each blow to check if the blockage has cleared. If blockage does not clear and the person loses consciousness, lay them in the recovery position and check their airway. If you can see the obstruction; remove it, open the airway and check for breathing.
If you cannot see the obstruction and the casualty is not breathing, call 000 and start compressions.