When you come across someone who has collapsed or been injured, the first sixty seconds matter more than almost anything else you will do. The DRABC sequence gives you a simple order to work through so you check the right things first instead of freezing or missing something that could cost a life.
What DRABC Stands For
DRABC is an acronym used across first aid training to structure your initial check of a patient. Each letter is a step, and you move through them in order rather than skipping ahead.
- Danger: check for danger to yourself, to bystanders, and to the patient before you approach.
- Response: check whether the person responds to a talk and touch approach, such as asking loudly if they are okay and gently shaking their shoulder.
- Airway: open and check the airway is clear.
- Breathing: look, listen and feel for normal breathing for no more than ten seconds.
- Circulation: begin CPR if there are no signs of life, or manage bleeding and other injuries if the person is breathing normally.
Danger First, Always
It sounds obvious written down, but under stress it is the step people skip most often. Traffic, live electrical wires, unstable structures, leaking fuel and aggressive bystanders have all turned single casualty incidents into multiple casualty incidents because a would be rescuer walked straight in. Look around before you move in. If you cannot make the scene safe, call for help and wait for people who are equipped to do so.
Checking for a Response
Approach the patient and ask a clear question in a loud voice, such as can you hear me, while gently squeezing their shoulder or hand. You are looking for any response at all: eye opening, speech, or movement. No response means you treat the person as unconscious and move straight to airway management. Some responses are subtle, so give it a genuine few seconds rather than a half second glance before deciding.
Opening and Checking the Airway
An unconscious person lying on their back can have their airway blocked by their own tongue falling backward, by vomit, or by a foreign object. Tilt the head back gently and lift the chin to open the airway, and look inside the mouth for anything obviously blocking it. Only remove an object if you can see it clearly and reach it easily. Blind finger sweeps can push an object further down and are not recommended.
Checking Breathing
With the airway open, put your cheek close to the person’s mouth and nose while watching their chest. You are looking for chest movement, listening for breath sounds, and feeling for air on your cheek. Do this for no more than ten seconds. Occasional gasping breaths, sometimes called agonal breathing, are not normal breathing and should be treated as if the person is not breathing at all.
Circulation and What Happens Next
If the person is not breathing normally, begin CPR immediately and send someone to call emergency services and find an automated external defibrillator if one is available. If they are breathing normally, place them into the recovery position, keep monitoring their breathing, and treat any visible major bleeding while you wait for help to arrive.
Why the Order Matters
Every step in DRABC exists to prevent a second casualty or a missed life threat. Checking danger protects you and anyone else nearby. Checking response and airway before breathing means you never start rescue breaths into a blocked airway. Treating this as a strict sequence rather than a checklist you glance at means you are far less likely to freeze when it actually happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DRABC stand for in first aid?
Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing and Circulation. It is the order used to assess an unresponsive or injured person before starting treatment.
How long should you check for breathing before starting CPR?
No more than ten seconds. If you are not confident the person is breathing normally in that time, begin CPR.
What do you do first if you find someone collapsed?
Check the scene for danger before you approach. Only once it is safe should you check the person’s response.
References and Last Reviewed
- American Heart Association, Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care
- International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), Consensus on Science and Treatment Recommendations
Jurisdiction: General first aid guidance, internationally applicable. Emergency call numbers vary by country, for example 911 in the United States, 999 in the United Kingdom, 000 in Australia and 112 across much of Europe.
Last technically reviewed: September 2026
Reviewed by: EHS Guidelines Editorial Team
This article is educational and does not replace accredited first aid training or professional medical care. In a real emergency, call your local emergency number immediately.
Related Guides
- Expired Air Resuscitation: Mouth to Mouth, Mouth to Nose and Mouth to Mask
- The Secondary Survey: A Head to Toe Patient Examination
- Airway Management: How to Open, Clear and Protect an Airway
- Drowning and Near Drowning: First Aid Management
- First Aid for Wounds: A Wide-ranging Guide
- First Aid: Bleeding Type Treatment and Precaution
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