What should you do first if a victim is unconscious and not breathing?

In an emergency situation where a victim is unconscious and not breathing, the immediate priority is to ensure that emergency medical services (EMS) are alerted. Calling for emergency help is crucial because it brings professional assistance to the scene, which may be necessary to provide advanced care that cannot be administered by bystanders.

Once you have called for help, the next steps typically involve checking for responsiveness, calling for others to assist if necessary, and assessing breathing. If the victim is determined to be unresponsive and not breathing, you would then proceed to perform CPR, starting with chest compressions. However, the critical step is to ensure that emergency services are contacted as quickly as possible, especially in situations where the victim is at risk of serious injury or death due to respiratory failure.

This prioritization is established because time is of the essence in emergencies involving cardiac arrest or respiratory failure, and having professional medical help on the way can greatly improve the victim's chances of survival.