health:LIFESAVING STEPS

Control panic, both your own and the victim’s. Reassure him and try to
keep him quiet.
Perform a rapid physical exam. Look for the cause of the injury and follow
the ABCs of first aid, starting with the airway and breathing, but be
discerning. A person may die from arterial bleeding more quickly than
from an airway obstruction in some cases.
Open Airway and Maintain
You can open an airway and maintain it by using the following steps.
Step 1. Check if the victim has a partial or complete airway obstruction.
If he can cough or speak, allow him to clear the obstruction naturally.
Stand by, reassure the victim, and be ready to clear his airway and perform
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation should he become unconscious. If
his airway is completely obstructed, administer abdominal thrusts until
the obstruction is cleared.
Step 2. Using a finger, quickly sweep the victim’s mouth clear of any foreign
objects, broken teeth, dentures, sand.
Step 3. Using the jaw thrust method, grasp the angles of the victim’s
lower jaw and lift with both hands, one on each side, moving the jaw
forward. For stability, rest your elbows on the surface on which the
victim is lying. If his lips are closed, gently open the lower lip with your
thumb (Figure 4-1).
Step 4. With the victim’s airway open, pinch his nose closed with your
thumb and forefinger and blow two complete breaths into his lungs.
Allow the lungs to deflate after the second inflation and perform the
following:
Look for his chest to rise and fall.
Listen for escaping air during exhalation.
Feel for flow of air on your cheek.
Step 5. If the forced breaths do not stimulate spontaneous breathing,
maintain the victim’s breathing by performing mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation.