Live CPR Guide

When to start CPR

Start CPR immediately if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Don't wait — every minute without CPR reduces survival by about 10%. Agonal gasping is not normal breathing.

Adult & child (over 1 year)

1. Lay the person flat on a firm surface and kneel beside their chest.
2. Heel of one hand on the lower half of the sternum (centre of chest). Other hand on top, fingers interlocked.
3. Keep arms straight, shoulders directly above your hands.
4. Push down one third of chest depth (about 5 cm in an adult).
5. Compress at 100–120 per minute — about 2 per second.
6. Give 30 compressions, then 2 rescue breaths.
7. Continue 30:2 until they recover, an ambulance arrives, an AED instructs you to stop, or you can't continue.

Infant (under 1 year)

1. Place the infant on a firm surface.
2. Use two fingers on the lower half of the sternum.
3. Compress one third of chest depth at 100–120 per minute.
4. For breaths, cover both mouth and nose with your mouth and give gentle puffs — just enough to see the chest rise.
5. Continue 30:2.

Compression-only CPR

If you can't or won't give rescue breaths, do continuous chest compressions at 100–120 per minute. Compression-only CPR is much better than no CPR.

When to stop

• The person starts breathing normally — place them in the recovery position.
• A paramedic or doctor takes over.
• An AED tells you to stand clear (resume immediately if prompted).
• You are physically exhausted and no one can take over.

Pair CPR with an AED

As soon as a defibrillator arrives, bare the chest and apply the pads — one upper right, one lower left. Follow the voice prompts and resume compressions immediately when told to.