Red Cross, Allentown Bureau of Health Partner to Educate Restaurants, Schools About Choking Emergencies

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News Release: November 16, 2004
Contact: Janice Osborne, Director-Communications and Marketing (610) 865-4400, ext. 262

The Allentown Bureau of Health and the American Red Cross are getting the word out to Allentown city restaurants and schools about the importance of being prepared for choking emergencies by children and patrons.

Larger Allentown city restaurants will receive a letter this week that describes the causes and signs of choking emergencies and offers owners and managers an opportunity to take advantage of a free on-site Red Cross demonstration on abdominal thrusts.

The health bureau and Red Cross are also developing a strategy to educate key personnel in Allentown School District schools.

“If a person's airway is blocked, the lack of oxygen can cause brain damage in as little as four minutes. It is very important that workers in restaurants and schools know what to do in case of a choking incident,” said Jim Carlisle, manager of injury prevention services at the Allentown Bureau of Health, and Joy Zukauskas, director of Red Cross Health and Safety Services.

Each year it is estimated that 3,000 people die as a result from choking. While many of these incidences occur among children, adults are also at risk. There are several different causes of choking:

• Trying to swallow large pieces of poorly chewed food.
• Drinking alcohol before or during meals.
• Wearing dentures. (They make it difficult to sense if food has been fully chewed.)
• Eating while talking or laughing.
• Eating too fast.
• Walking, playing, or running with food or objects in mouth.

The signs that someone may have an obstructed airway are:

• Person can't speak or cry out.
• Person's face turns blue from lack of oxygen.
• Person desperately grabs at throat.
• Person has a weak cough, and labored breathing that produces a high-pitched noise.
• Person does all of the above, then becomes unconscious.

For more information about choking emergencies or Red Cross lifesaving training, call the American Red Cross at (610) 865-4400, ext. 247, or visit www.redcrosslv.org.

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 660,000 residents in Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training and emergency relief services to more than 20,000 Greater Lehigh Valley residents.

For more information about the local Red Cross or volunteer opportunities, visit www.redcrosslv.org.