(Image: St John Ambulance)
Nearly four in 10 people in the North East are unaware choking can become life-threatening within minutes, it has been revealed.
The findings come as St John Ambulance launches a campaign aiming to teach 500,000 people potentially life-saving first aid skills.
The survey is part of the charity’s Save a Life September campaign, which hopes to improve first aid knowledge across the UK through free in-person demonstrations and online resources.
According to research by St John Ambulance, 38 per cent of people in the North East did not realise how quickly choking can lead to death without immediate intervention.
Jordan Davison, community education partner at St John Ambulance, said: "Choking is often dismissed as a minor incident, but the consequences can be devastating.
"Tragically, too many people die because those around them do not have the knowledge or confidence to intervene.
"This September, we’re urging people to take a few minutes to learn these essential first aid skills.
"Through St John Ambulance’s videos and public demonstrations, people can learn simple, life-saving skills that could help them save a loved one, friend, colleague, or even a stranger.
"Our volunteers will be out in communities across the country, putting the power of first aid into more people’s hands."
Less than half of people in the region said they knew how to use back blows to help a choking person, and only 42 per cent said they were familiar with performing an abdominal thrust, previously known as the Heimlich manoeuvre.
The survey also revealed that 24 per cent of respondents wrongly believed that using fingers to remove a blockage was appropriate, and 15 per cent said they would tell someone to drink water if they were choking.
One in four adults in the North East have never received any first aid training, and 16 per cent said they would panic if faced with a medical emergency.
Despite these gaps in knowledge, 39 per cent agreed that communities would be safer if more people were trained in first aid.
St John Ambulance has already taught more than 800,000 people essential first aid since relaunching the Save a Life September campaign in 2024.
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During this year’s campaign, volunteers will demonstrate how to respond to choking, cardiac arrest, and severe bleeding, including how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator.
Members of the public can find their nearest free demonstration by visiting sja.org.uk/save-a-life-september.
He said: "Through St John Ambulance’s videos and public demonstrations, people can learn simple, life-saving skills that could help them save a loved one, friend, colleague, or even a stranger."