Medical
Unconscious person / not breathing: CPR and AED
Doesn't respond and isn't breathing, or is only gasping.
Do this nowTap each step when done
- 1Check the scene. If it isn't safe, don't go in.
- 2Shout, tap their shoulder, shout again. Check whether they're breathing (10 seconds at most).
- 3Call 911 on speaker. Ask someone to bring an AED.
- 4Lay them on their back on the floor, not on a bed.
- 5Push hard and fast in the center of the chest: 2 in (5 cm), 100–120 per minute.
- 6Turn on the AED and follow its voice. Nobody touches them during the shock.
- 7Keep going without stopping until help arrives or they wake up. Take turns every 2 minutes.
Compression rhythm
110 per minute, with sound
110 per minute, with sound
Don't
- Don't confuse gasping with breathing.
- Don't stop for more than 10 seconds.
- Don't lean on the chest: let it come back up.
- Don't put the pad over a pacemaker.
Have ready
- CPR mask and nitrile gloves.
- Location of nearby AEDs (office, gym, pool).
- Nasal naloxone if you suspect an overdose.
- CPR course from the Red Cross or AHA.
Key factRhythm: the song "Stayin' Alive." If you're trained: 30 compressions and 2 breaths.
More detail
Reviewed: Nov 2026 · Sources: Chapter 7 · First Aid
