First Aid Response

And so our first action is to think, to check everything out for safety, and then to conduct what's called a Primary Survey—looking for what's called the ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation).

There are three things we need to know right away about people: if their airway is open, if they're breathing, and if their heart is pumping blood. Most people are awake and talking, so we know these things are happening. But if any of these life-giving things aren't happening, we need to do something about it, and that process is called Basic Life Support.

To start this Primary Survey on an unconscious victim, kneel down and try to wake the person up. If you can't, call 911 when a phone is nearby. Next put your ear close to the person's mouth and nose. Turn your head so you're looking at the person's chest. Look to see if the person's chest is rising and falling. Listen to hear air moving in and out. Feel for the person's breath blowing against your ear. These things will tell you if the Airway is open, and if Breathing is going on.

If we can't detect breathing, we figure the airway is blocked. If the person is lying on one side, you'll have to roll him or her carefully onto his or her back to open the airway. Tip the person's forehead back, and lift the chin a little. This is called the head-tilt/chin-lift method. This moves the tongue and opens the airway. The victim might start breathing, just when you do that.