Australian quick reference
DRSABCD: the Australian first aid action plan
The simple sequence to follow when someone is injured or suddenly unwell.
The short answer
Check for danger, check the person, send for help, open the airway, check breathing, start CPR if needed and attach an AED as soon as one is available.
Use this decision after Response and Breathing
Which row matches what you see?
If this is happening now, call Triple Zero (000) and follow the call-taker. This table helps you recognise the next branch; it does not replace live emergency instructions.
| What you find | Do next |
|---|---|
| They respond | Make them comfortable. Monitor breathing and response, control severe bleeding and manage the injury while help is arranged. |
| Unresponsive, breathing normally | Place them on their side with the airway open, call 000 and keep checking breathing. If you are alone and must leave briefly to call, position them safely first. |
| Unresponsive, not breathing normally | Call 000, start CPR and ask someone to bring an AED. Use the AED as soon as it arrives and follow every prompt. |
Four things to remember
See the next decision
These visual cues are a memory aid. In a real emergency, call Triple Zero (000) and follow the call-taker's instructions.
Check the area is safe for you, the person and other people nearby.
A person may be injured, suddenly unwell, distressed or unresponsive.
Do not put yourself in danger.
The person is unresponsive, not breathing normally, is severely bleeding, has chest pain, stroke signs, a serious allergic reaction or another life-threatening problem.
Illustrated field notes
See the situation, then choose the next safe action
These original illustrations support recall. They are not a substitute for the written steps, a current first-aid course or the Triple Zero (000) call-taker.
Visual memory cue
See the pattern before you practise
Use this simple visual reminder alongside the written steps. In a real emergency, call Triple Zero (000) and follow the call-taker's instructions.
- DDangerMake it safe
- RResponseCheck the person
- SSendGet help moving
- AAirwayOpen and check
- BBreathingLook, listen, feel
- CCPRStart if needed
- DDefibrillationUse an AED
01
What to do first
- Check the area is safe for you, the person and other people nearby.
- Check the person for a response. Speak loudly and gently tap their shoulders.
- Send someone to call Triple Zero (000) and bring an AED. If alone, call 000 on speaker.
- Open the airway and look, listen and feel for normal breathing.
- If they are not breathing normally, start CPR and follow the 000 call-taker instructions.
- Use an AED as soon as it arrives and follow its voice and picture prompts.
02
What to avoid
- Do not put yourself in danger.
- Do not leave an unresponsive person alone to search for help.
- Do not delay CPR while looking for perfect information.
03
When to call 000
- The person is unresponsive, not breathing normally, is severely bleeding, has chest pain, stroke signs, a serious allergic reaction or another life-threatening problem.
04
What to monitor
- Continue checking breathing and follow the emergency call-taker instructions until help arrives.
Recognition cues
What you may notice
- A person may be injured, suddenly unwell, distressed or unresponsive.
- The scene may contain hazards for you, the person or bystanders, including traffic, fire, electricity, chemicals or unstable surroundings.
- An unresponsive person may have no normal breathing or may make occasional abnormal gasps, which are not normal breathing.
- There may be a time-critical problem such as severe bleeding, chest pain, stroke signs, choking or anaphylaxis.
Avoid these traps
Common mistakes
- Skipping the danger check or entering an unsafe scene.
- Waiting for certainty, a pulse check or an AED before calling 000 or starting the next appropriate action.
- Treating occasional gasps as normal breathing instead of following the CPR pathway.
- Leaving an unresponsive person alone to search for an AED or other equipment when someone else could bring it.
- Giving food, drink or medication to an unresponsive person.
Call 000 and use speakerphone so the call-taker can provide age-appropriate instructions for a baby or child. Child and infant airway, breathing and CPR techniques differ from adult techniques; do not substitute adult assumptions for the call-taker instructions. Use paediatric AED pads or a child setting when available, and follow the AED prompts if paediatric equipment is not available.
When help is on the way
Keep the handover useful
- Tell the ambulance or trained responder what happened, what you found, when the change occurred and which first-aid actions were given.
- If the person is unresponsive but breathing normally, keep the airway open, maintain the recovery position and repeatedly re-check breathing and response.
- If the person responds, keep them comfortable, monitor breathing and follow the 000 call-taker instructions until help takes over.
Practise the pattern
Make it easier to remember
Common questions
Quick answers
What does DRSABCD stand for?
Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR and Defibrillation.
What is the emergency number in Australia?
Triple Zero (000).
What if I am alone?
Call 000 on speakerphone and follow the call-taker instructions. If the person is unresponsive but breathing normally, use the recovery position before leaving briefly to call if that is necessary.
Are occasional gasps normal breathing?
No. Occasional gasps or abnormal breathing should be treated as not breathing normally. Call 000 and start CPR according to the call-taker instructions.
When should I use an AED?
Use an AED as soon as it is available for a person who is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Turn it on, attach the pads as shown and follow its prompts.
What does DRSABCD stand for?
Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR and Defibrillation. It is a prompt for the next action, not a diagnosis.
What if the person responds?
Make them comfortable, monitor breathing and manage obvious life-threatening problems such as severe bleeding. Call 000 if the situation is serious, worsening or uncertain.
Are occasional gasps normal breathing?
No. Occasional gasps or abnormal breathing should be treated as not breathing normally. Call 000 and start CPR according to the call-taker instructions.
What if I am alone?
Call 000 on speakerphone and follow the call-taker. If the person is unresponsive but breathing normally, use the recovery position before leaving briefly to call if that is necessary.
When should I use an AED?
Use an AED as soon as it is available for a person who is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Turn it on, attach the pads as shown and follow the prompts.
Keep it close
Print the reminder
Flagship refinement focused on recognition, sequencing, common errors and handover while preserving the existing DRSABCD route, tools and related guides.