First aid: How to put someone in the recovery position
Dr Philippa recommends DR ABC to remember what level of first aid you need to administer and if you need to call the emergency services. DR ABC stands for Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing and Circulation.
First we assess the danger and look for a response. Do this by getting down and gently shaking them, shouting 'Sorry, can you hear me? Can you hear me? Open your eyes if you can hear me.' And if they do not respond, then you've got no response.
Then you need to check their airway. Put one hand on their forehead, two fingers on their chin and just tilt their airway so that their tongue doesn't fall back and so her airway is nice and clear.
Now we check for breathing, use the side of your cheek and listen and feel for air on your cheek and look for their chest rising for 10 seconds. If that hasn't happened, look to see, is they're bleeding anywhere. If they are bleeding, put pressure on that.
If they're not bleeding and they haven't responded, the first thing that you would do is get them lying on their back. With their hand which is nearest to you, you would put it at a 90 degree angle. The hand which is furthest away, you use the back of their hand on that face and you hold that there whilst you bring the knee up and you use their knee as a lever to turn them over. This is a safe position.
Then call an ambulance and continue reassessing, because if they were to stop breathing at any point, we would want to start CPR.