National Heimlich Maneuver Day is a holiday that encourages everyone to learn about the simplest life-saving technique a person could ever learn: the Heimlich Maneuver. This first-aid procedure was first invented by American doctor Henry Heimlich in 1974 and has helped save thousands of lives over the years.

It’s estimated by the American Red Cross that over 3,000 people die from choking every year, so it’s important for everyone to learn the Heimlich Maneuver to help prevent some of these deaths. We encourage everyone to learn the Heimlich Maneuver and to spread the word about this holiday on June 1st.

The History of National Heimlich Maneuver Day

At this moment in time, we are unsure who started this holiday or when it was started. We do know that it was placed on the 1st of June because that’s the day in 1974 that Dr. Heimlich first published his views about the Heimlich maneuver in an article in Emergency Medicine.

Facts About Choking Deaths

Below are some startling facts about choking that we’d like to share with everyone reading about National Heimlich Maneuver Day.

• Children under the age of 5 are at the greatest risk of choking.
• Choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional death for children under the age of 5.
• One child dies from choking on food, on average, every five days in the United States.
• More than 12,000 children go to the emergency room in the U.S. for choking-related injuries every year.

Observing National Heimlich Maneuver Day

As we stated earlier, this holiday is best observed by taking the time to not only learn and practice the Heimlich maneuver but also to spread the word about it to friends, family members, and neighbors.

The more people who know how to perform this maneuver, the safer we all are. One way that people can spread the word about this holiday is to use the hashtag #NationalHeimlichManeuverDay on their social media accounts.