Emergency First Aid

How-To Guide

Choking Response (Heimlich Maneuver)

Current American Red Cross and American Heart Association guidance for a choking adult who cannot cough, speak, or breathe: call 911, then alternate 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades with 5 abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) above the navel, repeating this five-and-five cycle until the object clears or the person loses consciousness.

Spec Sheet

CPR

American Heart Association (AHA) CPR standards mandate a chest compression rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute, at a depth of 2.0 to 2.4 inches (5–6 cm) for adults, using a 30:2 compression-to-breath ratio.