Thousands of lives saved!
LifeVac has saved thousands of lives. It provides an invaluable interim between choking rescue and resuscitation with CPR! I wouldn’t be without ours. This video shows how a mum saved her sons life; I wanted to share her story because it can happen to anyone.
Winter’s Story
I had just given birth to our beautiful baby girl, Winter. She was only 13 days old when she suffered a severe airway obstruction. The doctors believed it was remnants from her lungs due to being born via caesarean section. My partner called an ambulance while I began using back slaps and tried to clear her airway. She couldn’t breathe, and I could see the panic on her face. As she continued to turn purple and blue, struggling to move any air, I feared the worst.
I brought her outdoors onto the front lawn so that the ambulance would see us immediately. I had to move on to rescue breathing because nothing was coming out of her airway. I knew it was mucus, as her mouth was filling with foam and saliva. If I couldn’t get it out, I needed to try to push it past her trachea and into her oesophagus in hopes that she could take in at least one breath.
Two, three, four times I tried to push air into her lungs without any success. Her eyes started to bulge with fear, and her face and body were now very blue. I yelled out to my partner that I needed suction. He ran into the kitchen to get our LifeVac Anti-Choking Device, but I decided we didn’t have the time to wait. I decided to reverse my rescue breaths and try to suck the obstruction out of her mouth and nose.
The universe was kind, and the suction worked. I managed to clear her airway enough for her to breathe, and she began to cry. The sound of her cry was music to my ears as I realized that we had almost lost her. I had to continue to give her back slaps from time to time and held her in a recovery position, clearing her airway every few minutes.
The ambulance finally arrived with a basic tech crew in tow. They didn’t have any paediatric equipment on board or any experience in paediatric or neonatal care. It had taken them 65 minutes to respond to our call. Winter had been blue for 40 full minutes.
We spent a week in the hospital where Winter needed frequent suctioning, struggled to eat, and had to be monitored at all times.
I thank the universe every single day that I am trained as a Critical Care Paramedic, a Resuscitation Practitioner, and a Paediatric Specialist. My partner and I have reflected many times that if it had been a family without such training, Winter wouldn’t be alive today.
It is because of this that I want to empower all families to care for their loved ones. We can only hope that no one ever has to experience the trauma that we have, and if they do, that they may be prepared to help their loved ones.
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FAQ’s
Our most frequently asked questions about our LifeVac® anti-choking device.
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LifeVac® is a class 1 medical device: a revolutionary non-invasive anti-choking device to be used when choking emergencies arise and first aid BLS choking protocol has failed or cannot be performed. LifeVac® is made from proven and tested materials and has a patented one-way safety valve system. This means when applied no air can be forced through the interchangeable sized masks, therefore, when pulled, this generates the perfect suction to dislodge an obstruction of the upper airway.
LifeVac® is medically registered and regulated by governing bodies around the world, such as the FDA, MHRA, TGA, MOH, IMA, AMAR, HPFB, CE and many more. It’s the only legal, regulated, non-invasive proven airway clearance device on the market to save lives and prevent emergencies escalating – which you can purchase directly from the manufacturers here. From choking accident prevention at schools to the hospitality industry, our LifeVac medical devices are already equipped in most industries to help save people in a choking emergency.
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Yes, LifeVac® can proudly say it is the only non-invasive airway clearance device or suction device with multiple independent medical testing, peer-reviewed medical publications and medical abstracts covering safety, effectiveness, lives saved, comparison studies and ease of use.
With every life saved with LifeVac®, we encourage our customers to report a life saved to assist with our choking aid research to save even more lives and receive a free replacement. Discover our success stories and testimonials to see how we are raising awareness of choking to prevent choking deaths across the world with LifeVac®.
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Yes, anyone can use LifeVac®; we recommend using LifeVac® when Resuscitation Council Guidelines (BLS protocol) fails or cannot be performed or have failed. This is where LifeVac® has saved thousands of lives, when standard BLS has failed or cannot be performed. Resuscitation Guidelines are reviewed every 5 years and created by a body called ILCOR (International Liaison Committee); this committee is made up of resuscitation council members from all over the world.
In the last review (2019/20), ILCOR stated, “While we recognise they have saved lives, there is not enough evidence to encourage or discourage their use”. Since then, LifeVac® has saved a further 2,300 lives and gained 8 more peer reviewed medical publications covering lives saved, comparison studies, ease of use, safety and effectiveness.
We are certain non-invasive hand-held suction devices will become part of the standard first aid choking protocol at some point in the future as LifeVac® is saving lives when BLS first aid fails. In addition, BLS choking protocol is only 70% effective when performed correctly in a perfect situation. You also have to remember these are “guidelines” not “laws.” LifeVac® is not a first aid device yet and does not claim to be a first aid device. LifeVac® is a legal option to be used in a choking emergency.
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Yes, LifeVac® can be used if choking occurs at any point, full or partial. If you are unable to breathe, speak, cough, or spit, then it is a viable option to begin using a LifeVac®. When choking protocol fails, LifeVac® can quickly dislodge an airway obstruction and help save a life.
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Our LifeVac® devices can be used in any position, from sitting and standing to lying down.
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Yes, the LifeVac® anti-choking device can be self-applied and has also been used like this to save many lives.
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Whilst LifeVac® is currently recommended for any choking victim over 10kg, users can use this device on choking victims under 10 kg with the paediatric mask attached at their own risk.
However, with the correct application, there have been hundreds of cases where parents have saved a baby with a LifeVac® device. Young children and babies are the second highest risk group when it comes to choking, so we make it our mission to raise awareness of choking. In the event of standard first aid choking protocol failing, our LifeVac® device is the only non-invasive method to protect your children in a choking emergency as a last resort.
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We recommend up to 5 applications if the casualty is unconscious, the only circumstances where LifeVac can be applied more than the recommended 5 applications on an unconscious casualty is if another person is performing CPR.
If the casualty is conscious then LifeVac can be applied more than 5 times.
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With a firm PUSH and TWIST motion in a choking emergency.
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No, LifeVac® comes with interchangeable masks clearly identified by colour-coded labels. Unfortunately, one size mask does not fit all, so we have created a device that can be used on everyone by simply changing the mask. LifeVac® has saved lives from 2 months old to 104 years old.
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No, LifeVac® device does not expire. We chose and tested materials that have a 100-year shelf life, but are fully recyclable, and will perform in very hot/cold climates. Our LifeVac device will not have to be replaced unless they have been used to save someone’s life from choking – as LifeVac is a single use lifesaving apparatus. Only the masks will need to be replaced every 2 years; the expiration date can be found within your kits on the unique label.
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Yes, Project CPR offers video training. We also incorporate training on the LifeVac into all of our first aid courses.
If you are purchasing for a school or nursery local to West Sussex, we offer an in person training option for your staff.
Every kit also comes with a 22-page multilingual instruction booklet, and a QR code which takes you to a free training video.
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LifeVac® is single-use due to cross-contamination, but if you let LifeVac know you have used your device, like many others have, LifeVac will replace it free of charge, until 2025, beyond which you will receive 50% off of a new device purchase.
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Yes, barotrauma, cardiac arrest, brain damage, and death.
Barotrauma is usually associated with positive pressure, usually of the lower respiratory tract rather than the upper airway, resulting from high inflation pressures and damaging the lung parenchyma. Suction devices which generate a ‘negative’ (sub-atmospheric) pressure will not damage distal tissues beyond the larynx.
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Because the LifeVac is non-invasive, there is no risk of any tubes pushing the obstruction further down or causing oral damage, making it a safer clearance device. Also, no tubes can become blocked, which will render the equipment useless if only part of the obstruction has been removed.