Suppose you are faced with a sudden but highly unexpected emergency situation. Here, it is very important to understand that a calm demeanor and the right training should always take precedence over bravery and reckless acts. After all, charging full-tilt into a raging inferno to save the life of a crying baby is all well and good. But if you have no training or fire retardant clothing or any other similar equipment, you will quickly become very disoriented and completely lost.

This means you will end up requiring assistance on your own. In this way, your noble intentions will succeed only in placing an even greater burden on the emergency rescue personnel. Here, it is pertinent to note that highly skilled, training, and experienced professionals have the necessary fitness and the tools to get the job done right.

Your motivation may be very high but without the above, your efforts are doomed to fail. But should you have the requisite training in emergency rescue services, you might be in a position to save a precious life.

The Heimlich Maneuver

In case an elderly person is choking in front of you, it is very important to remember that the Heimlich maneuver is one of the most effective techniques for saving lives. In order to execute this maneuver, you should grasp the person very tightly from behind — all while making sure that the patient is held in a vertical position.  

You should place a very tightly clenched fist above the patient’s navel but just below his rib cage. You have to grasp your fist with your other hand. Once your grip is secure, you should pull your hands sharply backward and upward. This will generate pressure under the rib cage. You should continue doing so until the food particle responsible for choking the victim has been dislodged.  

Performing CPR

Performing CPR is often the last chance at survival for a person who has stopped breathing. If this is the case, you should try to check the patient’s air passage to see if there if he or she is breathing on their own. If there is no sign of a spinal cord injury, you have to tilt the patent’s head backward to rhythmically pump the chest and breathe into their mouth. Place one hand on top of the other one and continue to push downwards at least a hundred times per minute on the chest cavity. You should also breathe air into their mouth till the EMTs arrive or the person starts breathing on their own.  

Conclusion

In light of the above, it can easily be seen that you don’t need to be an expert certified emergency responder to save a precious life. Leaning a few basic activities to save lives can mean the difference between life and death.