A tracheotomy device has a housing configured to guide the device to an appropriate location in a suprasternal notch of a subject and a hollow penetrator associated with the housing. The penetrator resiliently moves from a retracted restrained position to an extended operational position with sufficient force to penetrate a tracheal wall, where the operational position extends a pre-determined distance from the housing. The pre-determined distance is correlated to a distance required to penetrate an anterior side of the tracheal wall without penetrating a posterior side of the tracheal wall. An actuator associated with the housing and the penetrator for releasing the penetrator is configured for use in one hand. The device is simple and disposable and may be used by unskilled caregivers to successfully and safely perform a tracheotomy on a subject with a blocked airway.
