Meet The Heimlich Guy At Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

[news]

[news]

If any competitors choke on their food at the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Saturday, Eddie Latson will make his move.

Latson, 48, of Brooklyn, New York, is the EMT on hand to apply the Heimlich maneuver if entrants bite off more than they can chew.

In three years of working the Coney Island event, he has never had to administer the life-saving technique, but he has sprung into action when eaters vomit. "I hold the bag," he told The Huffington Post.

Latson chalks up the contestants' choke-free digestion to "professionalism." "They have a technique of eating and swallowing and they know how to let it go at a certain time," he said.

But if something should go wrong, he's ready. Latson said he has lost count of the number of people he has saved from choking. During the competition, he stays out of the eaters' way unless it's time to do otherwise. "I don't let them know I'm watching them," he explained.

As for becoming one of them, that would be tough for him to swallow. "I can eat only two," he said of the hot dogs. "When you watch these guys eat, your stomach turns a different way." -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.











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