Choking can become life-threatening within minutes as St John Ambulance aims to teach 500,000 life-saving first aid

Thirty-one per cent of people in the North West do not know choking can become life-threatening in minutes without first aid - according to new research from St John Ambulance.

And less than half of people in the North West, 39 per cent, say they know how to stop someone choking by giving back blows.  

Thirty-nine per cent said they know how to give a choking person an abdominal thrust, formerly called the Heimlich Manoeuvre, while 28 per cent admitted they have choked to the point of panic because they felt they could not breathe. 

The health charity shared the findings as it launches its popular annual Save a Life September campaign, which this year aims to teach half a million people life-saving skills through free demonstrations and online guidance. 

During September, St John volunteers across the country will show people how to respond to choking, which hundreds die from in the UK each year. They will also teach the response to cardiac arrest and severe bleeding, including how to do CPR and use a defibrillator. 

The research also showed the following findings for the North West: 

• 21 per cent wrongly believe you should help a choking person by using fingers to pull the blockage out, and 10 per cent wrongly said you should tell them to drink water 

• 18 per cent have never heard of an abdominal thrust or Heimlich Manoeuvre, as it was formerly known 

• 23 per cent have never been taught first aid 

• 29 per cent would panic if they came across a serious health emergency 

• 46 per cent agreed communities would be safer if more people learned first aid 

Twenty-six per cent have been with someone who choked to the point of panic because they felt they could not breathe. 

Community education partner at St John Ambulance, Jordan Davison, said: “Choking is often dismissed as a minor incident, but the consequences can be devastating. 

“Tragically, too many people die because those around them do not have the knowledge or confidence to intervene. 

“This September, we’re urging people to take a few minutes to learn these essential first aid skills. 

“Through St John Ambulance’s videos and public demonstrations, people can learn simple, life-saving skills that could help them save a loved one, friend, colleague or even a stranger. 

“Our volunteers will be out in communities across the country, putting the power of first aid into more people’s hands.” 

Since re-launching its Save a Life September campaign in 2024, St John Ambulance has taught more than 800,000 people vital first aid.  

For information about first aid and the public awareness sessions, people are urged to visit sja.org.uk/save-a-life-september/