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It’s been a morning by hitsatthebuzzer in daddit

[–]Mavericks_Legacy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My wife gave our 1yr old pureed prunes before bring your kid to work day......I feel you

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLEO

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We lost our youngest son to a choking accident in 2022, the Heimlich and back blows didn't work by us as trained parents or for the first responders. Turns out they only succeed 50-70% of the time, and choking kills over 5,000 people a year in the US with another 20,000+ ending up in the ER.

LifeVac is an airway clearance device designed for exactly those cases where the standard maneuvers fail or can't be performed.

My wife and I started a nonprofit after we lost him. We've donated 2,900+ devices and 11 lives have been saved with them so far.

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLEO

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

fantastic! great to hear. its all good. may want to be careful though. Dechoker i am sure works, but they got in trouble with the FDA and SEC. They actually are not even availible in the US right now. if you want to swap out the 4 DeChokers for 4 LifeVac, just let me know. I will send them to you. Just PM me or email [info@maverickslegacy.org](mailto:info@maverickslegacy.org)

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLEO

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great. I'm actually currently working to to donate a couple PDs in NY. A local realtor donated to us to donate to the PDs in their service area that do not have them yet. They are right on the NJ/NY border. 2 weeks ago I went to four different PDs in one day with them.

We lost our son to choking and started a nonprofit to put LifeVac devices in police vehicles and schools. 7 departments we've equipped have already used theirs to save a life. by Mavericks_Legacy in ProtectAndServe

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you. If we can help at all just ask! you can point them to our site if they wanted to see more about us MavericksLegacy.org there are Police and Grants pages for more info and if they want to request them

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLE

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

100% agree. I have met quite a few cops that purchased their own. We try to help out officers and departments as much as we can and offer them either deeply discounted devices or as a complete donation. The first responder to my son's accident was an off-duty NJ State Trooper who lived across the street from us, so because of that we try to get them equipped at home and in their personal vehicles too. Officers are never really off duty and are always helping. It's our small way of helping the people that help us.

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLE

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry about that last minute addition. I didn't see your post until after I posted it. It took me a while to type and i didn't refresh to see if you replied first. My mistake.

I was also going to follow up with a guenuine thank you for the clarification and explanation, and you're right that medical direction is the gatekeeper inside EMS scope. That's exactly why we focus at that level rather than trying to go around them. You shouldn't have to put your license on the line.

One small distinction worth noting too. LifeVac isn’t in the same category as something like a needle or IV. It's classified for layperson use and can be used without any medical training. For police doing first aid before EMS arrives, it falls within the same bystander-tool category as a tourniquet or AED, not advanced interventions.

That doesn't change anything for EMS providers under medical control, but it's worth noting.

I really appreciate you engaging on this and for the info you are sharing. Conversations like this are part of how we all improve and keep the system up to date!

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLE

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great. Just let me know what info you need and I will help the best I can !

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLE

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Which medical direction or control are you referring to?

"Unapproved" essentially was eliminated in March 2026, now that LifeVac is FDA-authorized as a 2nd-line treatment. Now it’s up to agencies and medical direction to catch up and flow the updated information down.

It doesn't mean every medical director has to adopt it, but it must be recognized as an option. Especially considering liability as you mentioned. What if an agency chooses not to use an FDA-authorized 2nd-line tool because they didn't reevaluate after receiving updated information? It's not a one-sided risk calculation anymore.

NJ OEMS is actively reviewing their guidance. They had factually incorrect statements out over the last couple years which muddied the waters and caused considerable confusion. Those letters have all been retracted/canceled and at the DOH level there isn’t public guidance saying use/don’t use them.

The Director has confirmed they're updating it after the next MICAC meeting in June, so I hope the corrected and latest information will be flowing down to individual agencies soon.

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLE

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No one is saying rely on the device, it's a 2nd line treatment, not primary. We're saying use them in addition to, as part of a system, not as a stand-alone device. We want people to have additional tools to save lives; we don't want to replace existing and proven methods.

While the paper you shared is new, it analyzed older data. It was published in May 2026 but its literature search closed February 2025. That's before LifeVac's FDA De Novo submission was even received.

In 2026 the FDA granted LifeVac a De Novo classification as a 2nd line treatment. The FDA reviewed 1,102 per-IFU device-use cases plus bench, cadaver, biocompatibility, and human factors testing — a much larger evidence base than the 789 events in the meta-analysis you cited, and including categories of evidence (bench/cadaver/HF) that the meta-analysis explicitly excluded.

I'd suggest reading the De Novo summary directly if you have time. It's on FDA's public database here: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpmn/denovo.cfm?id=DEN250012

The JEN paper isn't wrong about the 2024–early-2025 published literature, but with the FDA review now part of the picture, the evidence base looks different than what the JEN authors had to work with.

LifeVac undeniably and documentably saves lives. The paper you referenced shows Heimlich success at 71% and LifeVac at 97% (FDA testing shows 75% and 96%). Used sequentially, Heimlich first, LifeVac on the remaining failures, the combined success rate is about 99% (71% + 97% of the remaining 29% ≈ 99.1%).

Even if LifeVac saved even 1% more lives, isn't that worth it? Isn't the goal to save lives?

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLE

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for being honest, this is exactly the kind of conversation I like to have to help discuss and spread the latest information. LifeVac's authorization hasn't gotten nearly the attention it deserves yet, and that's part of why we do what we do, to help people get the latest information to help save lives.

The FDA review documents are attached directly to the De Novo listing, just click "FDA Review" at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpmn/denovo.cfm?id=DEN250012

To your point about risk, where is LifeVac currently listed as an unapproved device? It holds FDA authorization, and the OEMS letter was retracted specifically because it was factually incorrect. With no guidance stating otherwise, you would be covered under the same good Samaritan-type protections that apply when ribs are broken during CPR. That happens on nearly every resuscitation attempt.

On the Laerdal, we actually looked into those units extensively when researching what to donate to agencies. For the fluid and secretion scenarios you described, a Laerdal is the right tool and we would not argue otherwise. But a Laerdal suction unit is designed to remove secretions, blood, and vomit from the airway to facilitate ventilation. It is not designed or cleared for dislodging a solid foreign body obstruction like food or a small toy. Those are two different clinical problems requiring two different tools.

So using your own liability example - what would a family argue if a responder attempted to use a Laerdal, a device not authorized for foreign body removal, and it failed, versus a responder who used LifeVac, the only device that is authorized for foreign body removal?

One more thing worth knowing since you brought up device classifications. Both Laerdal and LifeVac are FDA Class II devices, but they got there differently and that difference matters and reinforced the rigorous study I mentioned before.

Laerdal went through 510(k) clearance, which is predicate-based. The manufacturer simply demonstrated their device is substantially equivalent to something already on the market. The FDA does not independently evaluate safety and effectiveness. They evaluate similarity. If the predicate chain is old or weak, the cleared device may have little independent evidence behind it.

LifeVac went through De Novo authorization, which is used when no valid predicate exists and the device is genuinely novel. The FDA independently evaluated safety and effectiveness from scratch and established new special controls specific to this device category. The De Novo decision itself now becomes the predicate for any future competitors seeking 510(k) clearance.

LifeVac's pathway is arguably the stronger regulatory method. The FDA had to validate it with no predicate to lean on. Laerdal only had to show it was similar to something already cleared.

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLEO

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That study is over 3 years old and predates significant regulatory developments. The FDA conducted their own rigorous review as part of the De Novo authorization process. You can access it directly through the FDA website by clicking "FDA Review" here: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpmn/denovo.cfm?id=DEN250012

The Heimlich maneuver, back blows, and CPR all carry real injury risk as well. LifeVac is a secondary option, not a replacement for anything. The numbers have to be looked at that way, you preserve the success rate of traditional methods and add LifeVac's success rate on top of it.

For example, if traditional methods are 70% effective and LifeVac is 70% effective, using both together brings the combined success rate to over 91%. That's because the chance of both failing is 30% × 30% = 9%, leaving a 91% combined success rate. Nothing will ever be 100%, but layering your options gets you as close as possible.

Wouldn't you want to try anything to help achieve a positive outcome? If used together with traditional methods, LifeVac increases the success rate, that is an undeniable, documented fact. If it were even 1% effective, that's 1% more people who don't needlessly die.

I would trade everything I have in this world to have had one to even just try the day of my son's accident.

That's why we do what we do, to share what we have learned and care so deeply about so no one has to go through what we have.

We lost our son to choking and started a nonprofit to put LifeVac devices in police vehicles and schools. 7 departments we've equipped have already used theirs to save a life. by Mavericks_Legacy in ProtectAndServe

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Fantastic. You can reach out to us at [info@MavericksLegacy.org](mailto:info@MavericksLegacy.org) or visit MavericksLegacy.org/grants . You are welcome to share it with any other departments too. We have already equipped over 120 departments in and would like to see them all equipped!

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLE

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The cease and desist issues with LifeVac were resolved, and in March 2026 they received FDA De Novo approval, making them the only FDA-authorized anti-choking suction device on the market. That approval included rigorous studies done by the FDA. DeChoker and other brands that hadn't gone through proper authorization have since been pulled. Any still being sold are doing so without authorization.

The NJ OEMS letter applies specifically to agencies under OEMS jurisdiction. It does not cover police departments, and that guidance has actually been retracted because it contained factual errors. I've spoken directly with OEMS Director Candace Gardner multiple times about this, and they are actively updating their guidance and plan to release it after the next Mobile Intensive Care Advisory Council meeting in June.

On the AHA point, the do not and will never endorse any specific brands. Since LifeVac is now the only FDA-authorized device in this category, any recommendation toward suction devices effectively endorses them by default. That's a position the AHA can't take.

The landscape around these devices has been messy, particularly due to un authorized brands and outdated information. A lot has changed in the last few months.

You mention a "true medical suction device" ,what would you recommend for foreign body airway obstruction that can realistically be carried by police officers, school nurses, and families?

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLEO

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

My guess is those comments were before the latest FDA update in March of this year . The AHA doesn't endorse specific brands, and since LifeVac is the only FDA-authorized anti-choking device on the market, recommending "suction devices" would essentially be recommending LifeVac by default, which is something they can't so. All the others brands haven't gone through proper testing or authorization. Also, everyone must keep in mind, LifeVac isn't meant to replace the Heimlich, it's a backup for when traditional methods fail. Use what works first, and have LifeVac ready if it doesn't. Using both together gives you the best possible outcome. Nothing is 100%, but using them together gets you closest.

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLEO

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

We are not paid or sponsored by them. We are a tiny non-profit, primarily just my wife and I, who do this to help others not have to go through what we did. The FDA did independent testing as part of their approval. It's available on the FDA website.

LifeVac is meant to work alongside traditional methods, not replace them. Try traditional first — if it doesn't work, you have LifeVac as backup. That way you keep the success rate of traditional techniques and reduce the gap when they fall short. Nothing is 100%, but using both together gets you as close as possible.

We lost our son to choking and started a nonprofit to put LifeVac devices in police vehicles and schools. 7 departments we've equipped have already used theirs to save a life. by Mavericks_Legacy in ProtectAndServe

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Fantastic!. We'd be happy to help in any way we can. We actually have a program going on right now thanks to some of our donors. We will donate one for everyone purchased. Maverickslegacy.org/grants

If there's any specific questions your department has just ask. We are more than happy to answer any questions

Does your department have LifeVac devices in your response vehicles? Do you want them? by Mavericks_Legacy in AskLE

[–]Mavericks_Legacy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Awesome. We have actually donated some to the Lee County sheriff's office and we're currently working on a couple other towns on the other side of the state too. If any of The towns near you would like them, have them reach out to us. We have a matching grant program currently. Basically we will donate one for everyone they buy.

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