With over 6,000 lives saved, LifeVac Europe® calls for its anti-choking devices to become a mandatory item in first aid kits

Ten years after the first recorded UK save, LifeVac Europe®, the Devon based manufacturer of LifeVac® across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, is calling for its Class I medical devices, regulated by the FDA, MHRA, TGA, HPFB, MOH, and SAHPRA, to become a mandatory part of first aid kits.

Created by Arthur Lih in the United States after witnessing a child choking on a grape, LifeVac® is a non-invasive airway clearance device designed to help remove an obstruction when standard Basic Life Support (BLS) has failed or cannot be performed.

That single devastating moment sparked an invention that has saved more than 6,000 lives from the UK to the USA, Canada to Brazil, and Australia to Spain, in homes, restaurants, schools, nurseries, hospitals, care homes, and retail sites.

Eric Banagan, Founder & Managing Director of LifeVac Europe®, said: “Every one of the reported saves represents someone who is here today because a LifeVac® device was used when standard BLS procedures were unsuccessful. Help was available in a critical moment, meaning children still have parents, parents still have children, and grandparents remain around the dinner table sharing memories that otherwise may have been lost.”

“We’d love to live in a world where these devices were never needed, but the reality is that choking emergencies happen silently, quickly, and without warning, so people must be prepared. In the UK, ambulance target response times are eight minutes, yet potential brain damage can occur after just four, meaning every second counts. The evidence shows LifeVac® saves lives, and we believe these devices should become a mandatory part of first aid kits.”

One of the reported saves belongs to Lizzie Arora Harmon, who commented: "I was eating breakfast with my son when a piece of apple became lodged in my windpipe and I couldn’t breathe or move. James stayed calm, got the LifeVac® from the boot of my car, and used it to dislodge the apple. Paramedics later told me that if I had been home alone that day, I would have died and James would have lost his mum. We want everyone to know about LifeVac® so they’re prepared if disaster strikes."

Lewis Steeper, Co-Founder of The Oliver Steeper Foundation, added: “Following the heartbreaking loss of our son, Oliver, in a choking incident, we know that a normal day can turn into an emergency within seconds. No parent, teacher, carer, or colleague ever expects to face this situation, yet it happens daily in homes, schools, nurseries, restaurants, and workplaces. More than 6,000 reported saves is incredible, and we're committed to raising awareness and fundraising to help provide LifeVac® devices to registered childcare settings across the UK, so more families are protected before tragedy strikes.”

Eric concluded: “Our mission is to see LifeVac® become a mandatory part of first aid, rather than simply an optional device used when standard BLS fails or cannot be performed, so more homes and workplaces are equipped to respond to choking emergencies and more lives can be saved.”

For more information, visit LifeVac Europe® and for interviews, images, and kits, contact Natalie Trice on 07825615303 or email natalietrice@natalietrice.co.uk

ENDS

Notes to Editors

LifeVac Europe® is a family owned company dedicated to saving lives in emergency choking situations when standard BLS procedures have not been successful. LifeVac® is manufactured in Devon for the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and is regulated as a Class I medical device by authorities including the FDA, MHRA, HPFB, MOH, AMAR, IMA, SAHPRA, and TGA. It is also UKCA and CE marked.

LifeVac Europe® is ISO 13485 accredited, reflecting its commitment to the highest standards of medical device manufacturing quality and safety. There have been more than 6,000 reported lives saved worldwide. LifeVac® is used across 32 countries, trusted by thousands of organisations globally, including NHS settings, and supported by 15 peer reviewed medical publications.

In 2024, the UK government issued a device safety alert warning that counterfeit and unbranded copies of LifeVac® anti choking devices may fail to work correctly or could worsen choking incidents if used. Full alert: UK Government Device Safety Alert DSI/2024/003

The Oliver Steeper Foundation
Following the devastating loss of their son, Oliver Steeper, in September 2021 after a tragic choking incident at a nursery in Kent, Oliver’s parents established The Oliver Steeper Foundation in his memory to help protect children across the UK. The registered charity was created with a clear mission: to provide childcare and early years settings with access to genuine LifeVac® anti choking devices for use in choking emergencies when first aid has been attempted and failed, or cannot be performed.

Since launching in 2023, the Foundation has worked tirelessly to raise awareness around choking prevention and emergency preparedness, while supporting nurseries and childcare providers through fundraising and the distribution of potentially life saving LifeVac® devices. Each device costs between 70 GBP and 102 GBP, and the charity continues to rely on public support to expand its reach nationwide. Oliver’s legacy now lives on through the Foundation’s work, helping to bring hope, action, and additional layers of protection to families and childcare settings across the country.

For more details, visit The Oliver Steeper Foundation