10.02.2026 11:44
While eating in Osmaniye, emergency medical technician İlyas Yıldır choked on a piece of food, but he saved his own life by performing the Heimlich maneuver on himself. Yıldır emphasized the importance of having first aid knowledge for emergencies.
While eating in Osmaniye, health worker İlyas Yıldır, who had a piece of food stuck in his throat, managed to hold on to life thanks to the Heimlich maneuver he performed on himself. Yıldır, who works as an Emergency Medical Technician at the 112 Emergency Health Center, said, "It is very important to know how to intervene when your airway is completely blocked, especially when you are alone and there is no one around."
The incident occurred while Yıldır was eating in his own office in Alibeyli Neighborhood, where he provides training. Yıldır, who had food stuck in his throat, applied the Heimlich maneuver on himself by pressing his chest against the back of the chair he was sitting in. After about 4-5 maneuvers, Yıldır stated that the piece of food came out of his throat, and he took a deep breath. Those moments were captured by the security camera of the workplace.
'I DIDN'T PANIC AT ALL'
Describing his experience, İlyas Yıldır said, "I had ordered food while sitting in my office. While eating, I became a bit distracted, and a piece of food got stuck in my throat and completely blocked it. Knowing the importance of first aid, I didn't panic at all. Since I am a First Aid Instructor, I knew what to do and calmly intervened immediately. I moved right behind the chair; applying strong pressure to my chest, I managed to expel the object."
'THIS TIME I SAVED MY OWN LIFE'
Expressing that the Heimlich maneuver is generally known to be performed by someone else, Yıldır said, "People see the Heimlich maneuver in the media, videos, or social media. However, it is very important to know how to intervene when your airway is completely blocked, especially when you are alone and there is no one around. Today, we experienced this firsthand. This time I saved my own life; I am happy. In fact, saving a life is a separate joy."
'A TABLE OR A HARD OBJECT CAN BE USED'
Yıldır also explained how to perform the Heimlich maneuver on oneself, saying, "Saving a life is not just about saving someone else's life; with this first aid knowledge, you can also intervene in your own life. If you are alone and there is no chair in the room, a table or any hard object can be used. Place the hard object under the lower part of the ribs, which we call the diaphragm, and apply strong pressure forward. The aim is to use the air in the lungs to expel the object from the throat."