If you see a person lying on the ground, gently shake their shoulder and ask: ´Can you hear me?´ or ´What´s the matter with you?´. If the casualty is able to answer, they are conscious. Assess the injuries and give first aid. If there is no answer, the casualty might be unconscious, so check the vital signs and be ready to resuscitate. Use the ABC of resuscitation. A stands for airway, B for breathing and C for circulation. If there is pulse and breathing, place the casualty into the recovery position.

A – airway. Open the airway using a chin lift manoeuvre. Lift the jaw and tilt the head. The airway might be blocked by food, blood, pieces of broken teeth or vomit. You need to remove all the obstructions, so the airway is clear.

B – breathing. Listen for the noise of breathing. Look at the casualty´s chest. If it is falling and rising, the patient is breathing. If so, turn the casualty into the recovery position. If there is a pulse but no breathing, which is a rare combination, start with rescue breathing. Pinch the casualty´s nose. Take a deep breath. Breathe out into the casualty´s mouth. If you are not medical staff, you do not have to provide rescue breathing. If you are, you must. In that case, use a face shield to prevent cross infection.

C – circulation. Check the pulse. Place your fingers to the side of the casualty´s neck or on the wrist to feel the pulse. If there is no pulse and no breathing, start to resuscitate. In adults, we always start  with chest compression, as the reason for CPR is a cardiac arrest.

When compressing the chest, place your hands on the casualty´s chest, precisely on the lower sternum. Your arms are straight, fingers of both hands interlocked. Press down five centimetres deep. You can hear bones cracking. Compress the chest 100x per minute. If the casualty starts to breathe and there is a pulse, turn them into the recovery position.

As a first aider providing basic life support you can also use the AED (automated external defibrillator). Follow the instructions on the screen. These are also provided by an audio recording, so even a person not trained in giving first aid can provide defibrillation. However, you must follow some safety measures. Make sure you are not in contact with the casualty. Remove any jewellery from the casualty´s chest to avoid skin burns. Open the clothes, the casualty´s chest must be naked. Apply the pads and set up the charge. Give the charge. If necessary, repeat the procedure. Call the EMS.

Do not forget to check for any signs of external bleeding. If there is some, stop it. (see chapter 4.2 Bleeding).