Core: First aid at an accident — recovery position, CPR and AED

In principle you do not move a victim — except in a life-threatening situation such as burning or drowning danger (Book p.171). Emergency services are usually there quickly; your job is the help that cannot wait a second. If the victim IS breathing but unconscious, you place them in the recovery position in four steps: the near arm at a right angle, the far arm across the chest with the back of the hand against the cheek, pulling up the far leg and rolling the victim towards you until the bent elbow touches the ground, and finally setting hip and knee at right angles, gently tilting the head back, calling (or having someone call) 112, and checking breathing every minute (Book p.171-172). If they are not breathing normally, CPR is the right action. A course is recommended to do this safely, because unskilled CPR can cause harm — but the book still gives the complete step plan for the untrained bystander, because waiting costs too much time. First check consciousness, call 112 immediately, check breathing for a maximum of 10 seconds, and then start directly with 30 chest compressions: hands centred on the chest, 5 to 6 centimetres deep, at least 100 (max. 120) times per minute. Then 2 breaths, and as soon as the AED arrives: attach the electrodes and do exactly what the device instructs (Book p.172-174). An AED needs no course: it is a portable device that helps with resuscitation via spoken instructions, even for someone who has never taken a course (Book p.173).