CONTACTS:
Vicki Roberts, The Heimlich Institute, 513-559-2391
Simon Chaitowitz, PCRM, 202-686-2210, ext. 309; simonc@pcrm.org

Washington, D.C.—The Heimlich Maneuver isn't just for choking victims, but will save a drowning victim's life as well, says the Heimlich Institute.

Many Americans may remember the tragic incidents of two babies, Jahzion Sebastian, 13 months, of Dayton, Kentucky, and Dezmen Dean, 9 months, of Clermont County, Ohio, who coincidentally fell in buckets of water in their homes on the same day in August 1998. Unfortunately, both mothers performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, as recommended by 911 operators who were following American Heart Association guidelines. Both children died. If the mothers had used the Heimlich Maneuver to clear water from the lungs, statistics show the children would probably have survived.

Although the American Heart Association has recommended using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for drowning, the practice is dangerous because rescuers cannot blow air into water-blocked lungs. As Henry Heimlich, M.D., president of the Heimlich Institute, explains, "The first step should be the Heimlich Maneuver. In a matter of seconds, it clears the airway of water, enabling the victim to breathe."

While a growing number of lifeguards are being trained to use the Heimlich Maneuver, Dr. Heimlich adds, many Americans still mistakenly believe that CPR is the first step to rescue a drowning victim.

The Heimlich Maneuver consists of pressing the victim's diaphragm upward, which diminishes the volume of the chest cavity and compresses the lungs uniformly. This forces water out of the lungs, in much the same way the Maneuver produces air flow in choking victims, carrying foreign objects away from the lungs and out of the mouth. The Heimlich Maneuver has saved thousands of lives throughout the world. For more information about the Heimlich Maneuver, visit www.heimlichinstitute.org.

To schedule an interview with Dr. Heimlich, please call Vicki Roberts, associate director of the Heimlich Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio, at 513-559-2391.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine promotes preventive medicine and higher standards in medical research, education, and practice. PCRM, which is based in Washington, D.C., is comprised of 5,000 physicians and other health professionals and more than 100,000 laypeople. Dr. Heimlich serves as a member of PCRM's Advisory Board.

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