THE Town of Bassendean council resolved to prepare a report considering the installation of LifeVac devices after receiving a deputation from a father who lost his son in a choking incident.

At the June 24 meeting, Beldon resident Brian Bwoga advised councillors and shire staff that he was advocating for installation of the LifeVac devices in local council facilities across the state.

Mr Bwoga shared the grief of losing his young son early in 2024 after choking on grapes at Burns Beach.

“Last year my son passed away from an incident which was in my eyes avoidable,” he said.

“He choked from grapes (and) unfortunately, within four minutes he passed away in my arms.

“I did CPR, mouth to mouth and unfortunately, he passed away (while I was) trying to resuscitate him.”

Mr Bwoga said he tried to save his son and, in the moment, also tried using a defibrillator but the tool did not help, and only afterwards did he learn of LifeVac devices and began advocating for their accessibility.

“Last year, I approached my local council Joondalup, and Joondalup was the first council around the world to install this easy device (which is) like a plunger for (the) airway,” he said.

“For safety purposes, I’m going everywhere around WA trying to request people to just think about it.

“I’m not here to make somebody vote for something they don’t wish to vote for but I’m just here as a dad who’s trying to still make sense out of this tragedy.

“I don’t want to hear another parent go through the same thing that I went through.”

Perth Now reported the Town of Bassendean was emailed by Philip Heimlich, whose father Henry Heimlich was the inventor of the Heimlich manoeuvre, warning of the device’s drawbacks.

Mr Heimlich said the Heimlich manoeuvre had a high efficacy rate and that consumers should be aware anti-choking devices generally needed time to set-up and could delay immediate action.

The story also explained the American Red Cross and UK National Health Service only recommended further action if coughing and slaps to the back didn’t unblock the airway, and that children under one year old were not suited to such manoeuvres.

Council unanimously carried the motion to request the chief executive officer to prepare a report outlining costs, benefits and risks of installing the devices in community facilities, such as where public defibrillators are installed.

The motion also called for the report to be provided to council for consideration by August 19, including a recommendation on whether to proceed with the installation of the devices.