When someone is laughing or talking while swallowing, the food can get stuck
(especially if they consumed alcohol).
Often a cough or two loosens it immediately.
If the person is coughing, they are breathing, even though it can be very uncomfortable,
so it is not yet time to call 911 or the local emergency number . . . as long as they keep coughing.
People who start coughing on food are often embarrassed, especially if they are out in public at an upscale dining establishment.
If they do not know what to do, and their dining companions/a waiter/server does not step forward to encourage them to continue to cough, some will be so embarrassed they want to leave.
(Often when EMTs are called to restaurants it is for someone passed out on the restroom floor and often that turns out to be someone who was coughing on food, did not get help, went to the restroom to have privacy and then went from coughing to actually fully choking on the food, and as a result did not get the help they needed, so they passed out (blacked out – went unconscious). This is life-threatening.)
The Red Cross says, in a video:
“If you encounter a conscious, choking individual that is coughing, encourage continued coughing.”
This is as easy as saying, “keep coughing, keep coughing !!“
If the victim stops coughing without getting whatever they are choking on out,
and is unable to cough, speak, or breathe, care is needed.
Even if there is someone trained in first aid or CPR who is helping the victim,
this means that 911 (or the local emergency services number) needs to be called.
——————————————————————————————-
This webpage is not complete instruction in what to do when someone starts choking, but is an introduction before a class I teach, or useful as a review.
——————————————————————————————-
CALLING 911
When you ask someone to call 911, preferably it should be someone who knows where the closest land line phone is,
(Would the closest to the restaurant dining room be the manager’s office, but is the door often locked?)
or is carrying a cell phone on them that can get service and knows what the local number to call is, if it is not 911.
Don’t say “someone call 9-1-1!” Instead, point to the individual you want to go and make the call,
say, for example,
“Call 9-1-1, tell them we have an adult who is choking and come back and tell me what the 911 operator says.”
By asking them to come back you will get confirmation that the local dispatch got the message. (Or, sometimes in rural areas, you might get word that the only local ambulances are busy with other emergencies and will be delayed.)
——————————————————————————————-
MORE NOTES ON CALLING 911
When you call 911 from a land line telephone, such as in your house, you get dispatch for the city the phone (your house) is located in. When you call 911 from a cell phone you most often get the Highway Patrol at a central location. Sometimes, especially if you are not calling about something on the freeway/highway, it would be faster to get dispatch for the specific city the problem is happening in. This requires knowing the direct dial ten or seven digit phone number for each dispatch.
When you are planning a camping trip, try to get the direct dial number for the park dispatch/Sheriff or agency in charge before you go.
In a lot of Canada you can dial 911 in an emergency just like in the U.S. But in other countries it’s often a different number. See this list from the U.S. Department of State and double check when you get there:
https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/students-abroad/pdfs/911_ABROAD.pdf
And note that in many other countries, when you call their emergency services (911 or 999 or 112 or a local number or ___ ) it does not necessarily mean an ambulance will be dispatched. The emergency services operator decides what’s appropriate, talking you through your own first aid, or sending you to your doctor or sending an EMT with or without an ambulance.
Be sure to find out, at a hotel you stay at, if you need to dial “9” or “8” or . . . before you dial 911, to get an outside line.
Direct dial emergency phone numbers for most cities in Santa Clara County, California, can be found at the Santa Clara County ARES/RACES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services) website.
http://www.scc-ares-races.org/SCCoEmergencyNumbers.pdf
San Mateo County cities (and the San Francisco airport) direct dial phone numbers can be found at:
http://www.blackberryreact.org/smco911phones.html
The Red Cross requests “If your wireless phone came pre-programmed with the auto-dial 9-1-1 feature turned on, turn off the feature. Do not program your phone to automatically dial 9-1-1 when one button, such as the “9” key is pressed. Unintentional 9-1-1 calls, which often occur with auto-dial keys, cause problems for emergency call centers. Lock your keypad when you’re not using your wireless phone. This action prevents automatic calls to 9-1-1.”
See also:
more details about How To Call 911
including
what to do if you dial 911 by mistake
advice for using a cell phone
times to NOT call 911
and the answer to the question; “Why Shouldn’t I Just Drive the Patient Myself” instead of getting an ambulance
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
(Note to on-line users not in my classes: this is a study sheet. It is not complete instruction in first aid or the topic named in the webpage title.)
<span style=”color: green;”> ——————————————————————- </span>
The author of this webpage, (written as a reading assignment for my students), does not give any warranty, expressed or implied, nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product, or process included in this website or at websites linked to or from it. Users of information from this website assume all liability arising from such use.