What to Do Until Help Arrives
In 12 minutes you'll know what to do with your hands and your words in the minutes after you call 911, before help arrives.
Print this course — or save it as a PDF from the print dialog. Good for a fridge, a glovebox, or a waiting room.
Why this matters
Calling 911 starts the clock, but paramedics still need a few minutes to reach you, and what happens in that window is not out of your hands. The American Red Cross trains bystanders in exactly this gap — keeping a scene safe, keeping an airway open, keeping a badly injured person calm. You do not need medical training to help. You need a short list of the right moves, in the right order.
Know the signs
Make the scene safe first
Before you go to anyone, look around for a second. A downed power line, a busy road, smoke, a violent situation, or a strong gas smell can turn one patient into two.
If the scene is not safe, you cannot fix that by being brave. Get the person to safety only if you can do it without danger to yourself, or wait at a safe distance until help arrives. A bystander who becomes a second patient does not help anyone, and often makes the paramedics' job harder.
Check response and breathing
Tap their shoulder and ask loudly, "Are you okay?" If there is no response, look and listen for breathing for several seconds. Gasping, snoring, or irregular gulps are not normal breathing — they can be a sign the heart has stopped, and they mean start hands-only CPR immediately.
If they respond and are breathing normally, stay with them, keep them still, and move on to the steps below while you wait.
Recovery position for someone unconscious but breathing
If a person is unconscious but breathing normally, roll them onto their side, not their back. Tilt their head back slightly to keep the airway open, and bend their top knee forward to stop them rolling further.
This position keeps the tongue from blocking the airway and lets vomit or fluid drain out instead of being inhaled. Recheck their breathing every minute or two until paramedics arrive, and be ready to start CPR if breathing stops or changes.
When not to move someone
If you suspect a back or neck injury — a fall from height, a diving accident, a bad car crash — do not move the person unless staying put puts them in immediate danger, like fire or a car about to roll. Moving a spine injury can turn a treatable injury into permanent damage.
Give nothing by mouth to someone who is seriously ill or injured — no food, water, or medication — in case they need surgery or their swallowing is unsafe.
Get the space ready for the crew
While you wait, a few small things save real time. Unlock the front door, turn on outside lights, and put dogs in another room so paramedics can walk straight in instead of searching for a way inside.
If you can, gather a list of the person's medications, allergies, and major health conditions, and note what happened and when it started. Paramedics will ask, and a written answer is faster and more accurate than a stressed one from memory.
Stay and talk while you wait
Stay with the person. Talk to them calmly, even if they seem unaware — hearing is often one of the last senses to go, and a calm voice can genuinely help.
Good Samaritan laws exist in all 50 states and generally protect people who help in good faith during an emergency, though the exact protections vary by state. This is general information, not legal advice, but the broad point holds: reasonable help, given in good faith, is what these laws are built to protect.
How it really looks
Someone is on the floor at the party, still breathing
Nia finds her friend slumped against the wall at a crowded party, eyes closed, not responding when she says his name. Nia checks: he is breathing, slow but steady. Someone has already called 911. Instead of propping him up to look less alarming, Nia rolls him onto his side into the recovery position, tilts his head back slightly, and stays crouched next to him, checking his breathing every minute. A friend clears space around him and turns on the porch light for the ambulance. When paramedics arrive a few minutes later, Nia can tell them exactly when he went quiet and that his breathing never changed. He is treated for alcohol poisoning and recovers fully.
A cyclist goes down at the corner
Hector is driving to work when a cyclist ahead hits a pothole and goes down hard, sliding across the pavement. Hector pulls over, puts on his hazards to block the lane from traffic, and calls 911 before he even reaches the rider. The man is awake but says his back hurts and he cannot feel his left foot right. Hector remembers not to move him, kneels beside him instead, and tells him to stay completely still until help comes. He keeps talking to him, asks his name, and watches his breathing until paramedics take over. The careful handling the crew uses on scene is exactly what protects him from further injury.
What to do until help arrives
- Make sure the scene is safe before you approach — for you and for them.
- Check if they respond and if they are breathing normally.
- If they are unconscious but breathing, roll them into the recovery position on their side.
- If you suspect a spine injury, do not move them unless staying put is more dangerous.
- Give nothing by mouth — no food, water, or medication.
- Unlock the door, turn on the lights, and secure any pets.
- Gather their medications, allergies, and what happened, if you can.
- Stay with them and keep talking calmly until paramedics arrive.
Myths & mistakes
People often think you should sit an unconscious person up so they look more comfortable.Actually an unconscious person who is breathing should be rolled onto their side into the recovery position, which protects their airway. Sitting them up can let the tongue or fluid block their breathing.
People often think moving an injured person to a more comfortable spot is always fine while you wait.Actually if a spine injury is possible, moving them can turn a treatable injury into a permanent one. Leave them where they are unless the location itself is dangerous.
People often think helping a stranger in an emergency puts them at legal risk.Actually Good Samaritan laws exist in all 50 states and generally protect people who help in good faith, though the specifics vary by state. Reasonable, good-faith help is exactly what these laws are meant to protect.
What you learned
- Check the scene for danger before you check the person.
- An unconscious but breathing person belongs on their side, in the recovery position.
- Suspected spine injuries should not be moved unless staying put is more dangerous.
- Unlocked doors, lights on, and secured pets save real minutes for the crew.
- Staying and talking calmly helps, even if the person seems unaware.
Sources
- American Red Cross — First aid basics: scene safety, the recovery position, and what to do before help arrives
- Federal Emergency Management Agency — Until Help Arrives bystander training
Spot an error? Tell us — accuracy matters more to us than being fast.
Common questions
I'm not trained in first aid. Can I actually do anything useful before paramedics arrive?
Yes. None of the steps in this course require medical training — checking breathing, rolling someone onto their side, keeping a scene safe, and staying with them are all things anyone can do. Those minutes often matter as much as anything that happens after paramedics arrive.
What if I move someone and it turns out to make things worse?
Follow the guidance here: avoid moving anyone with a possible spine injury unless the location itself is dangerous, like fire or traffic. Reasonable, good-faith help following standard guidance is exactly what Good Samaritan laws in every state are built to protect, even if the outcome isn't perfect.
Should I give someone water if they're conscious and asking for it?
Generally no, if they are seriously ill or injured — they may need surgery, or their ability to swallow safely may be affected. It feels unkind to refuse, but it protects them. Comforting words and a calm presence matter just as much and carry no risk.
Check what you know
Five questions. Four correct to pass. Retake as many times as you like — this is practice, not a test.
Keep going
This course belongs to Foundations. Courses that pair well with it:
From other readers
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