One week after physician Henry Heimlich published findings on what would become the Heimlich Maneuver, a choking victim was saved by this method. Since its 1974 introduction, the Heimlich maneuver has saved hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide documented cases of this maneuver saving the lives of those choking or drowning, thanks to the health care providers, safety professionals and many adults who applied this life-saving technique.
Now, the Heimlich Institute, located at
Deaconess Hospital and supported by the Deaconess Associations Foundation, is teaching this life-saving method in a local classroom, with plans to take the program across the state and, eventually, the nation. Michelle Mellea, a science teacher at Bethany School in Glendale, has incorporated the Heimlich Maneuver into curriculum that meets the objectives of the State of Ohio’s most recent Sixth Grade Academic Content Standards for science, as well as for language arts, math and health. Visuals like posters, teaching and learning materials, diagrams, and graph paper were developed by Paul Neff Design.
On Wednesday, April 18th, the curriculum was introduced in a Bethany School classroom by local EMS professionals, Ms. Mellea, and Dr. Heimlich himself.
Named Heimlich’s Heroes, the program hopes to inspire children with their own power to help others. Children learned the technique, practiced on a specially-designed child-sized doll and interviewed Dr. Heimlich. “The day exceeded our expectations,” says Patrick Ward, executive director of the Deaconess Associations Foundation. “The kids had done research…knew of his inventions and accomplishments, and were so excited to see him.” The foundation plans to continue fine-tuning the curriculum over the year as it is introduced to more schools.
In teaching a life-saving technique in the classroom, the Heimlich Institute and the Deaconess Associations Foundation hope to inspire a new generation of children to understand their own importance in society and their own opportunities to do wonders. Says Ward, “Every one of them has the power to be a superhero because they all have the power to save a life.”
Do Good:
Investigate: bringing this curriculum to your neighborhood school; watch the YouTube video
Visit: the Heimlich Institute to see what this organization is doing across the country and the world to encourage the creativity of the mind in medicine and life.
By Becky Johnson
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