If you or someone present at the scene is not trained and certified with first aid emergency resuscitation you should not attempt to revive the victim: even if he or she is not breathing. The results of incorrectly performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation can be fatal. Whether or not the victim’s eyes are open does not determine if they are conscious or not. Check them for simple responses: physical and verbal.

 The best thing that you can do while you wait for the paramedics is to keep the victim warm and comfortable. If they are conscious, ask them what they need to ensure their comfort. If they are not conscious, assume that they could be warmer and provide blankets or even your own clothes in order to keep them warm. However, even if you don’t know how to correctly perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, there are a few steps that you can take while you wait for the professionals.

 The three key steps to maintaining a victim is to remember the ABC’s. A is for airway. A clear airway is crucial for proper ventilation to take place. You can check to see if the airway is blocked by swiping the victim’s mouth with a finger. This will ensure that B, breathing, can take place. You can tell if a victim is breathing by movements in the chest and condensation from the mouth. Finally, once you are sure that the victim has a clear airway and is breathing, check for C: circulation. Circulation can be detected through a pulse in either the carotid artery (neck) or the radial artery (wrist).