First Aid in an Emergency
So you've come across someone who clearly needs help. Let's assume the person is lying on the ground. This guidance refers to first aid for an adult.
- Put on your gloves.
- Speak to the person.
- If you don't get an answer, gently shake them for example by the shoulder.
→ They respond
The person responds to your voice or to being shaken.
Ask them if they need help. In some cases the person may not be able to judge this for themselves (for example if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, have an illness, or have hit their head and feel confused). Watch for signs such as slurred speech, weakness of one side of the face, or similar signs that could indicate a stroke. Is the person complaining of pain? Is there an obvious injury?
Warning: Chest pain possibly radiating into the left arm can indicate a heart problem. In these cases call emergency services (112) and stay with the person until the ambulance arrives. Emotional support is also helpful. If there are open wounds, dress them. If the person is in shock, keep them lying down and raise their legs slightly. A shock reaction requires medical treatment!
→ No response
If there is no response, shout "Help" to attract assistance from others. Ideally another bystander will call emergency services (112).
- Check whether there are any foreign objects in the mouth. To do this, open the person's mouth and look inside. If there is fluid in the mouth, turn their head to the side and clear the mouth. Tip: put your thumb between their cheek and their teeth to avoid being bitten if they wake up.
- Check breathing if the person is still unconscious. To do this, tilt the person's head back while they are lying on their back. Place your hands on their chin and forehead and tilt the head back as if the person were looking up. Now lean over with your ear and cheek by the person's mouth and nose facing the chest. This lets you feel and hear whether they are breathing and you may also see chest movements. Observe this for about ten seconds. Because the person's breathing may be slow, it's necessary not to just check briefly.
Breathing present
You have found that the person is breathing but unconscious. In this case place them in the recovery position. Don't forget to keep the head tilted back! Then call emergency services (112) if this has not already been done by another helper. Check breathing regularly!
Don't forget to keep the head tilted back! Then call emergency services (112) if another helper hasn't already done so.
No breathing present
No breathing present
You have found that the person is not breathing. Call emergency services (112) if another helper hasn't already done so.
Then start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Place the person on a firm surface on their back. A bed or sofa is not suitable put the patient on the floor. Expose the chest and make sure the head is tilted back.
Kneel next to the person's chest. Place your hands, one on top of the other, on the center of the chest and push down with straight arms about 5 to 6 cm. About 100 times per minute. To keep the rhythm, you can think of the song "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees. Don't be afraid of injuring the person. A rib that breaks during CPR will heal but cardiac arrest is immediately life-threatening!
According to current guidelines, as a layperson please limit yourself to chest compressions only. Perform these continuously (without interruption) until the emergency service clearly tells you to stop or takes over. When the ambulance arrives, continue the resuscitation until they give you other instructions. If another helper is present, switch with them about every two minutes because it is tiring. When switching, try to avoid pauses in compressions as much as possible. Only continuous compressions keep the person's circulation going. Any pause during resuscitation means loss of circulation during that time.
If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available, have someone fetch it. Do not leave the patient resuscitation has top priority. It must not be interrupted! Another helper should get the device and attach it to the patient according to the device instructions. The device will guide you with voice prompts. Very important: don't be afraid of this device! It is designed for use by laypeople and guides you through the process. Just follow the instructions. For example, the Red Cross Defi app or the Defikataster app can tell you where the nearest AED is. These apps can also place an emergency call. However, the AED is not a substitute for CPR. It is a help and supplement. Compressions and ventilations must still be continued if the AED instructs you to do so.
One more reminder: Stop resuscitation only when the emergency service tells you to stop or when they take over the resuscitation.
Sources:
- https://www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/25455/Reanimation-nur-noch-mit-Herzdruckmassage
- https://www.apotheken-umschau.de/Erste-Hilfe/Wiederbelebung-Was-tun-bei-Herzstillstand-32300.html
- https://www.kvhof.brk.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Ausbildung/Merkblatt_Erste_Hilfe_Maßnahmen_bei_erhöhtem_Infektionsrisiko.pdf
This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 02/2026).
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
