When someone stops breathing it is a life-threatening emergency and you need to call 999 right away. Make sure you listen very carefully and do exactly what the person on the other end of the phone tells you.
Remember: DRS ABC
Danger – make sure you are safe and it is self to help the person.
Response – Shake their shoulders and shout “are you alright?”
Shout for help – ask someone for help and call 999.
Breathing – you can see if someone is breathing by looking at their chest to see if it goes up and down. You should also listen to see if you can hear any strange sounds such as gasps.
Compressions (CPR) – if the person isn’t breathing, you might need to give CPR which means pushing hard and fast in the middle of their chest. If there is someone older or bigger with you, ask them to do this part.
How to do CPR
- Kneel at the side of the patient
- Put the heel of your hand in the centre of the chest with the other hand on top*
- Keep your arms straight and elbows locked
- Push down hard and fast – twice per second
- Let the chest come back up before you press down again
*Use one hand for a child and two fingers for a baby