What do I do if someone isn’t breathing?

How to do chest compressions

Place the person on their back on a firm surface. Put the heel of one hand in the center of the chest and your other hand on top. Keep your arms straight and push straight down, letting the chest come all the way back up after each push. Gasping is not normal breathing — start CPR.

See the full hands-only CPR and AED guide.

Babies, children, and drowning

For babies, children, and people who drowned or overdosed, CPR with rescue breaths works best if you are trained: 30 compressions, then 2 breaths. If you aren’t trained, chest compressions alone are much better than doing nothing.

• Babies under 1: Place both thumbs side by side in the center of the chest, just below the nipple line, with your hands circling the chest (or use the heel of one hand). Push about 1½ inches deep.
• Children: Use one or two hands and push about 2 inches deep.
• If you’re alone with a baby or child, call 911 on speakerphone and start CPR right away. If you can’t call and do CPR at the same time, give about 2 minutes of CPR first, then call. If you saw the child suddenly collapse, call 911 and get an AED first.

If it might be an overdose

If you think opioids are involved and you have naloxone (Narcan), give it — then keep doing CPR. See overdose.