João Pessoa Emergency Service Issues Choking Response Guidelines

The Mobile Emergency Service of João Pessoa (Samu‑JP) issued a public alert on how to handle choking emergencies. According to nurse Ricardo Leite, coordinator of the service’s Permanent Education Unit, the first step is to assess severity: if the victim can cough, speak or breathe, the obstruction is partial and the person should be encouraged to keep coughing without offering water or trying to remove the object with fingers. If the victim cannot speak, cough, or breathe, shows signs of distress or purple lips, the obstruction is severe and immediate action is required.

Call 192 at once while beginning first‑aid measures. The American Heart Association’s 2025 guidelines recommend five firm back blows between the shoulder blades, followed by five abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) if the object remains lodged. If the victim loses consciousness, cardiopulmonary resuscitation should start immediately, with continuous phone guidance from the Samu dispatch centre. For infants under one year, a different protocol is advised.

The Samu‑JP team will dispatch an emergency crew to the scene while providing step‑by‑step instructions over the phone, aimed at increasing survival chances until professional help arrives.