TOTOWA, N.J. (WPIX) -
Dr. Ottavio Nepa of Atlas Chiropractic Center remembers when he was a child a friend of his began choking on a dime. He says turned his friend upside down until the coin dislodged from his pal's throat. Ever since then, helping people who are choking was in the back of his mind, leading up to his current mission.
Dr. Nepa is taking time from his practice to go to New Jersey restaurants in Essex and Passaic Counties to show the staff the proper way to help someone who is choking on food, commonly called the Heimlich Maneuver.
"I think everybody kind of knows how to do it, and that is the problem. But when someone is really choking people suddenly realize they really don't know what to do and they can hesitate and that hesitation can cause someone their life," Dr. Nepa told PIX News.
Dr.Nepa asked the owner of the Park West diner in Totowa to assemble the staff of waiters, waitresses, and cooks, and he showed them what to do.
"When a person is coughing don't come and slap them on the back because it could push the food down further." And another tip, "If a person says I'm choking, they're not chocking", he adds. That's because he says a person who is really choking can't talk.
Using one of the waiters for his demonstration, he stands behind the person, places his hand in a fist with the thumb in between the waiter's belly button and the chest bone.
"And you push in and up," he explains.
The staff appreciated his instruction. And so did the people at the diner who listened in during the lunch time lesson.
One diner, Janet Millman remembers seeing the Heimlich maneuver in action and was glad the person knew what to do.
"My husband who was at dinner party and started to choke and the gentleman who was hosting the party was a volunteer fireperson and he just did the Heimlich on him (food) popped out and he really saved his life." she said.
Another diner, Jan McNealy told PIX News what the doctor is doing is lifesaving.
"It's important too because when you're eating out and something happens like this at least you know what to do.
If you want to reach out to Dr. Nepa visit his website: www.endyourpain.net.
Dr. Nepa is taking time from his practice to go to New Jersey restaurants in Essex and Passaic Counties to show the staff the proper way to help someone who is choking on food, commonly called the Heimlich Maneuver.
"I think everybody kind of knows how to do it, and that is the problem. But when someone is really choking people suddenly realize they really don't know what to do and they can hesitate and that hesitation can cause someone their life," Dr. Nepa told PIX News.
Dr.Nepa asked the owner of the Park West diner in Totowa to assemble the staff of waiters, waitresses, and cooks, and he showed them what to do.
"When a person is coughing don't come and slap them on the back because it could push the food down further." And another tip, "If a person says I'm choking, they're not chocking", he adds. That's because he says a person who is really choking can't talk.
Using one of the waiters for his demonstration, he stands behind the person, places his hand in a fist with the thumb in between the waiter's belly button and the chest bone.
"And you push in and up," he explains.
The staff appreciated his instruction. And so did the people at the diner who listened in during the lunch time lesson.
One diner, Janet Millman remembers seeing the Heimlich maneuver in action and was glad the person knew what to do.
"My husband who was at dinner party and started to choke and the gentleman who was hosting the party was a volunteer fireperson and he just did the Heimlich on him (food) popped out and he really saved his life." she said.
Another diner, Jan McNealy told PIX News what the doctor is doing is lifesaving.
"It's important too because when you're eating out and something happens like this at least you know what to do.
If you want to reach out to Dr. Nepa visit his website: www.endyourpain.net.
