Recently, the director of a local nursing home visited the Yanqing Emergency Sub-Center to present a banner inscribed with: “Rescue the Dying, Race Against Time — Emergency Pioneers Safeguarding Life,” expressing heartfelt gratitude to the ambulance crew.
The emergency occurred on the afternoon of the third day of the Lunar New Year. A sudden, urgent phone call reached the Yanqing Emergency Sub-Center. Dr. Li Shihua, nurse Lu Ying, and driver Xie Zhengzheng received a dispatch command: an elderly resident at a nursing home was experiencing convulsions and required immediate medical attention.
Upon receiving the dispatch, the team set out at once. Dr. Li Shihua immediately contacted the scene to assess the situation. On the phone, someone exclaimed anxiously, “Please hurry! The elderly man choked while eating. We're performing the Heimlich maneuver, but no foreign object has come out. He still has weak breathing and a faint pulse.” While guiding them to continue the Heimlich maneuver, Dr. Li instructed the nurse to prepare a laryngoscope. Driver Xie Zhengzheng swiftly navigated the ambulance to the scene. Equipped with emergency gear, the crew rushed to the patient’s room. The elderly man was lying flat on the floor, his lips purple and stained with blood. Upon examination, he was semi-conscious, had a rapid heartbeat, weak breathing, and dropping oxygen levels. Dr. Li quickly coordinated with the stretcher-bearers and on-site staff to transfer the patient to the ambulance stretcher. Nurse Lu Ying promptly used a suction device to clear blood from the patient's mouth. With the laryngoscope ready, Dr. Li opened the patient’s mouth and spotted a foreign object, similar in color to the throat, lodged deep inside. It moved slightly with the patient’s faint breaths. Seizing the moment as the object shifted upward, Dr. Li swiftly reached in and extracted a large piece—about 7 cm by 4 cm. It turned out to be a rib bone. The team immediately administered oxygen through a mask. Shortly after, the patient regained consciousness, his lips returned to normal color, breathing stabilized, and oxygen levels gradually returned to safe levels. To ensure the patient’s safety and continued recovery, the crew rushed him to the hospital, gaining precious time for further treatment.
Gazing at the banner, the ambulance crew felt deeply honored and proud. They thanked the nursing home for their trust and pledged to continue upholding a high standard of professionalism, responsibility, and the belief that “time is life” in their future work.
A Warm Reminder from Beijing 120: Due to the structural degeneration of the throat, elderly individuals are at higher risk of airway obstruction when eating hard, slippery, or large pieces of food. Those who wear full dentures have compromised chewing and swallowing functions and should always wear their dentures during meals to reduce the risk of accidents. If a choking incident occurs, the Heimlich maneuver should be applied immediately. If the airway is fully blocked and the patient becomes unresponsive, CPR must begin at once. In the event of such emergencies, call 120 promptly to secure vital rescue time for saving lives.