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 do not get a response, gently shake the person, for example by the shoulder.

→ Response

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 person's mouth. To do this, open their mouth and look inside. If there is any liquid in the mouth, turn their head to the side and clear out the mouth. Tip: Use your thumb to press the person's cheek between their teeth so that you are not accidentally bitten if they wake up.
If the person is still unconscious, check their breathing. 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 position their head as though they were trying to look upwards and behind them. Now lean over the patient's mouth and nose with your ear and cheek, looking towards their chest. This allows you to feel and hear whether they are breathing, and you may also see their chest move as they breathe. Observe this for about ten seconds. As the person's breathing may be slow, it is important not to check only briefly.

Breathing present

You have established during the check that the person is breathing but unconscious. In this case, place the person in the recovery position. Remember to tilt their head back! Then call the emergency number 112 if another helper has not already done so. Check their breathing regularly!

Remember to tilt their head back! Then call the emergency number 112 if another helper has not already done so.

No breathing present

You have established while checking the person's breathing that they are not breathing. Call the emergency number 112 if another helper has not already done so.

Then begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

Place the person on their back on a firm surface. A bed or sofa is not suitable - place the patient on the floor. Expose their upper body and make sure their head is tilted back.

Kneel beside the person's upper body. Place your hands on top of each other in the centre of the patient's chest and press down about 5 to 6 cm with your arms straight. Do this about 100 times per minute. To help maintain the rhythm, think of the beat of the Bee Gees song “Stayin' Alive”. Do not be afraid of injuring the person. A rib that may be broken during CPR will heal, but cardiac arrest is immediately life-threatening!

According to the latest guidelines, if you are not medically trained, please perform chest compressions only. Perform them continuously (without interruption) until the emergency medical service clearly tells you to stop or takes over the resuscitation. When the emergency medical service arrives, continue CPR until they instruct you otherwise. If another helper is present, take turns performing compressions about every two minutes, as this is strenuous. When changing over, try to avoid any pause in compressions. This is the only way to keep the person's circulation going during this time. Every pause in resuscitation means that their circulation stops during that time.

If a defibrillator (AED) is available, ask someone to fetch it. Do not go yourself - resuscitation is the top priority. It must not be interrupted! Another helper should fetch the device and attach it to the patient according to the device instructions. The device will guide you with spoken instructions while you use it. Most importantly, do not be afraid of this device! It is designed to be used by people without medical training and will guide you through the process. Simply follow the instructions. Apps such as the Red Cross Defi App or the Defikataster app can tell you where to find the nearest AED. You can also make an emergency call using these apps. However, an AED is not a substitute for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is an aid and an additional measure. You must nevertheless continue chest compressions and rescue breaths when the AED instructs you to do so.

Once again, remember: Do not stop resuscitation until the emergency medical service tells you to do so or takes over.

Sources:

This article is from Tensana – the leading app since 2011, helping hundreds of thousands of people 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 outpatient care, and has headed the specialist editorial team at Tensana since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as an emergency medical technician, first responder, and in various areas of therapy and emergency care, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.

First Aid in an Emergency

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

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