WHAT IS
DRS ABCD?
DRS ABCD (Danger, Response, Send For Help, Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Defibrillation) is an action guide used by schools, universities, surf life saving clubs, paramedics, and on-site workplaces across Australia to address life-threatening situations – particularly sudden cardiac arrest.
WHAT TO DO
As a First-Responder
If someone collapses and you’re the first person on the scene, knowing DRS ABCD can be vital to help that person – who may be in a life-threatening situation. By administering CPR and using an AED device, you could keep them alive until medical help arrives.
If someone around you falls unconscious or begins suffering severe chest pains, follow the DRS ABCD action plan.
- Observe the surroundings for any danger.
- Search for a response, before attending to any injuries. See if the person is alert or verbally active.
- Send for help by shouting for assistance and asking someone to call 000 (Triple Zero).
- Check the patient’s airways for anything that might be stopping oxygen from getting to the lungs.
- If nothing appears to be blocking the airways, check to see if the patient is breathing.
- If the patient is not breathing, start CPR. Chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing save lives, because they allow for the circulation of blood and oxygen around the body.
- For an unconscious patient who is not breathing, seek out a defibrillator device in your immediate environment.