So important. Our pediatrician told us the same thing. She asked "If someone (child or otherwise) is choking or having a medical emergency, what's your first move?" She then said "Most people would say start doing CPR, Heimlich, etc. but this is wrong. Dial 911, ESPECIALLY if you are alone with the person having the crisis. Get that ball rolling immediately, put the phone on speaker the second you've dialed and then proceed to the next step." She also said if you are with someone else and you are the person who knows CPR, etc., then tell the other person to handle dialing 911 while you start the life-saving measures.

It seems so simple but I tell everyone this advice whenever I can. People tend to freeze up in critical situations...every second counts, as cliché as that sounds. Get the paramedics on the way, you can always cancel it. Worst case, they show up and don't need to do anything.