Jacksonville, Fla. — Calls to help someone choking are among the most common calls that the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department gets.
Now, it has a new device it can use to prevent choking deaths.
The agency announced Tuesday that it has purchased, distributed and implemented the use of new LifeVac anti-choking devices.
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These devices are designed to help remove airway obstructions.
Every member of JFRD has been trained on how to use them, and each crew will have one available to them.
According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, unintentional choking and suffocation are a leading cause of death for infants under the age of one.
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JFRD says calls to help elderly people choking on food are also very common.
In a news release, JFRD called these new devices another “tool in the toolbox” to help it save lives.
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