Check For Breathing

Airway


To open the airway, gently lift the chin with one hand while pushing down on the forehead with your other hand. You want to tilt the head back. Once the airway is open, lean over and put your ear close to the victim's mouth.

• Look at the chest for movement.
• Listen for the sound of breathing.
• Feel for breath on your cheek.

If the victim is breathing, roll the person onto his or her side as a unit (the recovery position—see page 18). If none of these signs is present, the person isn't breathing. If opening the airway doesn't cause the person to spontaneously start breathing, you'll have to provide rescue breathing.

Airway: Open the airway and check for breathing.