Amanda was provided with a LifeVac to review for this post. All opinions are her own.
The other day I came across a product that caught my eye. It is a device made to help choking victims when the Heimlich maneuver fails. I love this idea. As a Physician Assistant who has worked in a rural Emergency Room and now in Urgent Care, I have encountered all types of emergency situations. And while I have the tools I need to help people at my job, I’ve thought about what I would I do if one of my kids started choking at home. If the Heimlich maneuver fails what would I do next besides calling 9-1-1? This is where LifeVac comes in. When I saw LifeVac and read about what this product does, I knew I wanted it and many other people would benefit from having it also.
LifeVac is a device designed to help dislodge food or a foreign body when the Heimlich maneuver fails to work. When a victim is no longer able to cough and cannot move air, and the Heimlich has not worked, then use the LifeVac. You lay the patient down and cover the patient’s nose and mouth with either the adult or child mask. When you push down on the LifeVac the air escapes through the sides of the mask through a special valve that prevents any air from exiting through the mask. When you pull up on the mask, it creates a lot of suction and removes the stuck item from the patient’s throat. These steps are summarized in three simple steps: Place, Push, and Pull.
When I received my own LifeVac, it came with three different masks. One mask is to practice on and when you are comfortable using it you are supposed to throw it away. It also comes with a child’s mask and an adult mask to use in real situations if necessary. I thought it was incredibly simple to use, and I had no problems using it or connecting the mask. LifeVac is great because it doesn’t need to be turned on, is easy to transport and anyone can use it. I was also impressed with all the additional information LifeVac provided when you order this device. There are very detailed instructions that were really easy to understand. There was also a couple of pages with information about the causes of trouble swallowing and choking and who is at the most risk. They also give information about how to prevent choking. One of the most interesting facts that LifeVac included, in my opinion, was the statistics about older adults. They said “choking deaths peak at age 85 and is the second leading cause of unintentional injury or death in adults 89 and older”. Just think about how many grandparents and parents that would affect.
LifeVac was invented after the founder and creator, Arthur Lih, heard a mom crying in the Emergency Room after losing her young son. The little boy had choked on a grape and the Heimlich maneuver didn’t work. Additional medical care couldn’t get there in time and the little boy passed away. Not wanting that to happen to anyone else, he got together with an Emergency Room Physician and created LifeVac.
In my own life I can think of a variety of places I would love to have LifeVac: My urgent care where I work, my house, our church, my child’s preschool, and with all our friends and family. I would hate to have anyone lose a friend or family member from choking, especially when there is LifeVac which could prevent the death. To learn more about LifeVac and how to use it they have a great video online that you can check out here.
Since LifeVac has partnered with Splendry for this post they are offering $10 off all LifeVac with the code DH5 .
I cannot say enough good things about LifeVac. I have been so impressed with this product. I pray I never have to use it, but if I ever come across a situation where I need it, I know I will be prepared.