Dr. Arthur Heimlich had given the world the abdominal thrust technique, but there was still no way to actually practise it on a real person. First aid trainers were limited to theory, videos, and instruction none of which built the physical muscle memory needed to respond confidently in a real choking emergency. In 2006, the founding team identified this critical gap and began developing a solution.

After two years of development, testing, and refinement, the Act+Fast Anti-Choking Trainer was launched. It was the world's first training vest specifically designed to simulate the choking response — allowing a first aider to practise abdominal thrusts and back slaps on a real person, with realistic physical feedback. The patent was filed and the product was officially brought to market. Nothing like it had ever existed before.

A critical milestone for professional credibility: the Act+Fast Trainer was validated as fully compliant with the choking response protocols of the American Red Cross (ARC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) — the two most widely referenced first aid standards globally. This endorsement opened doors to healthcare systems, hospital training departments, and accredited first aid providers who required protocol-aligned equipment.

Responding to demand from schools, childcare providers, and paediatric healthcare teams, Act Fast Medical developed and launched the Children's Yellow Trainer — a scaled version of the original adult vest, proportioned for children aged 5 to 11. The child choking response protocol differs significantly from the adult technique, and the Children's Trainer enabled proper, realistic practice for those working with younger age groups. This expanded the Act+Fast product range to cover the full spectrum of choking response training.

A landmark moment in the company's history: Act+Fast Trainers were now in use across more than 50 countries, with an authorised distributor network spanning every inhabited continent. From hospital systems in North America to community first aid programmes in Asia, the original anti-choking training vest had become the global standard for choking response education. The 100+ distributor milestone was within sight.

Act Fast Medical reaffirmed its long-term partnership with SafetyTec (Act Fast Ireland) as the exclusive distribution partner for the European market. With growing demand from training organisations, healthcare systems, and schools across Europe, the partnership was strategically important for servicing the region with genuine, CE-marked trainers and responsive customer support. European enquiries from new distributors and customers began to be directed centrally to Act Fast Ireland.

Act+Fast reached another major milestone: authorised trainers in use across 70+ countries, supported by a network of 138 authorised global distributors. From Ireland to Japan, from Brazil to Australia, the Act+Fast Trainer had become the definitive standard for anti-choking simulation training. The combination of product quality, protocol compliance, and a trusted distributor network had made the brand genuinely global.

From a single insight in 2006 to a globally recognised training standard, the Act+Fast story is one of sustained innovation, rigorous quality, and a genuine commitment to reducing choking fatalities worldwide. With over 19 years of real-world use, protocol validation by the ARC and AHA, CE marking for the European market, and a distributor network spanning 70+ countries, Act+Fast remains what it has always been: the original, the most trusted, and the most effective anti-choking training vest ever created.