Most recall a time when they have felt the terrifying feeling of choking on a piece of food, even if briefly. Perhaps even the thought of it makes your heart race.
LifeVac aims to save the lives of those who are choking and empower others to save lives. LifeVac provides some sobering statistics: “More people die from aspirating than die in fires, drowning, or accidental shootings; choking is a leading cause of accidental deaths in persons over the age of 65; one child dies every 5 days from choking.”
LifeVac is “a non-powered, non-invasive, single-use only airway clearance device developed for resuscitating a victim with an airway obstruction when current choking protocols have been followed without success,” according to its website.
The patented suction device is safe to use on adults and children starting at 22 pounds, including those who may be pregnant, disabled, and large in stature. The device can also be used on yourself if you are alone and suffering from a choking emergency.
Since being founded in 2010, LifeVac has registered 1,530 lives saved by their FDA and MHRA-registered kits. The company announced on December 18 that it had saved its 1,000th child by using this effective approach to choking emergencies.
LifeVac kits are available to the general public, with no prescription required, and are fully covered by HSA and FSA accounts.
“I could not believe how successfully this LifeVac worked on my son! My four-year-old son was choking on chewed-up salami. He was not able to breathe, and the Heimlich maneuver was not working on him. He was starting to turn gray. I was starting to panic and then I remembered I had the LifeVac in my cabinet. I yelled for my husband to grab it for me and as soon as I put it on my child’s mouth and plunged it, the food unclogged and cleared the blockage from his throat immediately! He was then able to breathe! This saved his life!” said the mother of a 4-year-old boy from Michigan who was choking, per LifeVac.
The LifeVac Home kit includes the suction device, instruction guide, preventative tips, and three masks: adult, pediatric, and practice mask. The travel kit does not include the practice mask or preventative tips.
LifeVac kits are priced from $69.95 and up and include home and travel options. If a kit is used in a choking emergency, LifeVac will replace your equipment for free. Also, free online training is available to ensure you are fully prepared for an emergency. Bundles are currently on sale.
