1. What to Do If Someone Faints
If a member of your group suddenly collapses, follow this clear, step-by-step process.
Step 1: Check for Responsiveness
Speak to the person loudly. Ask if they are okay. If there is no response, gently but firmly shake their shoulders. No reaction means they are unconscious.
Step 2: Check for Breathing
When a person is lying on their back, the muscles in their throat can relax, causing the tongue to block the airway.
• Kneel beside them.
• Place one hand on their forehead and gently tilt their head back.
• Use two fingers of your other hand to lift their chin. This clears the airway.
• Put your cheek close to their mouth and nose. Listen for breath, feel for air on your skin, and watch to see if their chest rises.
Scenario A: The Person is Breathing
If they are breathing, your main goal is to keep the airway open and prevent choking.
• The Recovery Position: Immediately roll the person onto their side. This prevents the tongue from blocking the throat and allows fluids (like saliva or vomit) to drain out of the mouth instead of into the lungs.
• Check the Pulse: Use your index and middle fingers to find the pulse on the inside of their wrist or on the side of their neck (under the jaw). Count the beats. A normal resting pulse for an adult is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
How to Put Someone in the Recovery Position:
1. Take the arm closest to you and place it at a right angle to their body, palm up.
2. Bring their other arm across their chest and place the back of their hand against their cheek.
3. Grab the far leg just above the knee and pull it up, keeping the foot flat on the ground.
4. Gently pull on the bent knee to roll the person toward you onto their side.
5. Tilt their head back slightly to ensure the airway stays open. The top leg should be bent at the hip and knee to support the body.
Scenario B: The Person is NOT Breathing
If, after tilting the head and lifting the chin, the person is still not breathing, you must start CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) immediately.
• Call for Help: Yell for someone to call the emergency services (or activate the emergency response system) immediately.
Important Exception for Children: If you are alone with a child who is not breathing, perform CPR for 1 minute before stopping to call for help.
2. How to Perform Rescue Breathing and Chest Compressions
When breathing stops, the heart will soon stop pumping blood as well. Your actions will manually pump the heart and breathe for the person, supplying oxygen to their brain.
For Adults
In adults, cardiac arrest is often the primary cause, so CPR should start with chest compressions.
1. Chest Compressions (30 pumps):
- Lay the person flat on their back on a firm surface. Kneel beside them.
- Place the heel of one hand on the center of their chest (on the breastbone).
- Place your other hand on top, interlacing your fingers. Keep your fingers off the ribs.
- Position yourself so your shoulders are directly over your hands, with arms straight.
- Push hard and fast, compressing the chest at least 2 inches (5-6 cm) deep. Let the chest rise completely after each compression without removing your hands.
- Aim for a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute. Perform 30 compressions.
2. Rescue Breathing (2 breaths):
- Open the airway again by tilting the head back and lifting the chin.
- Pinch the person's nose shut with your fingers.
- Take a normal breath, seal your mouth over theirs, and blow into their mouth for about 1 second. Watch for the chest to rise.
- If the chest doesn't rise, reposition the head and try again. Give a second breath.
3. The Cycle: Continue the cycle of 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths until medical help arrives or you are too exhausted to continue. If the person starts breathing on their own, place them in the recovery position and monitor them closely until help arrives.
For Children
In children, respiratory arrest (breathing stopping first) is more common. Therefore, the CPR sequence starts differently.
1. Start with Rescue Breaths: Give 5 initial rescue breaths.
- Gently tilt the child's head back and lift their chin.
- Pinch the nose, seal your mouth over theirs, and blow gently until you see their chest rise. Allow the air to escape. Repeat this 5 times.
2. Chest Compressions:
- Place the heel of one hand on the center of the child's chest (you may only need one hand, or even two fingers for an infant).
- Press down firmly, compressing the chest by about one-third of its depth.
- Perform 30 compressions.
3. The Cycle: Continue with cycles of 30 compressions : 2 breaths if you are a single rescuer. If there are two rescuers, the ratio is often 15:2.
Crucial Reminder: Wilderness first aid is a temporary measure to buy critical time. Evacuation and contacting professional medical services are always the top priorities. If the person's breathing is restored, never leave them alone—stay with them and monitor their condition until help arrives.
Next guide: First Aid for Choking: The Heimlich Maneuver on a Hike Previous guide: First Aid in the Mountains: Skills That Can Save a Life You can view the full list here: Survival Guides for the Mountains
