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Steve C. Lee (photo from his online bio)

From a letter I sent yesterday -- click here to download a copy:

Steve C. Lee
Acting Director
N.J. Division of Consumer Affairs
New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 45025
Newark, NJ 07101

Dear Mr. Lee:

Based on media reports, at least four New Jersey water parks appear to be putting the public at risk by training their lifeguards to perform an unapproved, experimental, thoroughly-discredited drowning rescue treatment.

This is to request that your agency review the following information, interview the water park employees responsible for overseeing their companies' lifeguard training, and provide me with a determination of your findings.

From an investigative report that aired last night on FOX-TV's New Jersey affiliate, WWOR:

BRENDA FLANAGAN: Swamped by complaints, Dr. Heimlich's own institute told us last week: 


Here's the complete must-see report, focusing on the National Aquatic Safety Company (NASCO), a Houston-area lifeguard training company that teaches lifeguards to perform the Heimlich (a/k/a abdominal thrusts) on drowning victims at four Jersey Shore water parks: Breakwater Beach (Seaside Heights); Thundering Surf (Beach Haven); Gillian's Island (Ocean City); and Splash Zone (Wildwood).




I'm on-camera at around timestamp 1:15, calling the Heimlich for drowning "a poison idea."


Click here for links to more published reports about NASCO and the Heimlich maneuver including a May 2012 editorial in Aquatics International magazine that includes:

(There) are times when science must be paramount, particularly when going with our gut means using people as guinea pigs. That is essentially what (NASCO) has decided to do in its use of the Heimlich maneuver for drowning rescues.

Here are the current members of the board of the Heimlich Institute:


This item has been updated.