You're the only one there
Someone collapses in front of you. They're not breathing normally, and nobody else is around. Help is on the way, but until it arrives, you're the one who keeps their blood moving. Do you know how fast to push?
Tapping a screen is not the same as pushing on a real chest. Take a certified course, for example with the Red Crescent or a hospital in your emirate. You'll practise on a manikin with an instructor. Never practise chest compressions on a person who is breathing.
The five steps, in order
For an adult who has collapsed and isn't breathing normally.
- Make sure it's safeCheck for traffic, electricity, water or anything that could hurt you too.
- Check for a responseGently shake their shoulders and shout. If there's no answer, look for normal breathing for up to 10 seconds. Gasping is not normal breathing.
- Call 998 on speakerCall 998 (ambulance) or 999 and put the phone on speaker beside you. Shout for help.
- Push hard and fastCentre of the chest, 100 to 120 pushes a minute, about 5 to 6 cm deep. Let the chest come back up each time.
- Get an AEDSend anyone nearby to fetch a defibrillator (AED). Switch it on and follow its voice. Keep pushing until help takes over.
How to push
Put the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest, on the lower half of the breastbone. Put your other hand on top and link your fingers.
Lock your elbows and lean over the chest so your body weight does the work, not your arms. It's tiring. That's normal.
Push down about 5 to 6 cm on an adult, then let the chest rise fully before the next push. Don't lean on it between pushes.
Every pause lets the blood flow drop. Keep going until help takes over, the AED tells you to stop, or the person starts breathing normally. If someone else can push, swap about every 2 minutes.
"But I'm not trained…"
If you haven't been trained, just push on the chest. That's what the guidelines advise for bystanders. If you have been trained and are willing, add rescue breaths the way you were taught.
Pushing hard can sometimes crack a rib. But someone whose heart has stopped needs CPR to have a chance. Doing something is far better than doing nothing.
An AED checks the heart's rhythm and gives a shock only if one is needed. It talks you through every step. Look for the green sign with a heart and a lightning bolt in malls, airports, gyms and offices.
With the phone on speaker, the person on the line can tell you what to do and when. You don't have to remember everything alone.
Sources: American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (2020, and the 2025 update): for adults, push 100 to 120 times a minute, at least 5 cm and no more than 6 cm deep, let the chest recoil fully, keep pauses short, use an AED as soon as one is available, and Hands-Only CPR for untrained bystanders. European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021, Basic Life Support: the same rate and depth, hands in the centre of the chest, call the emergency number with the phone on speaker, and gasping is not normal breathing. The AHA's Hands-Only CPR campaign and the British Heart Foundation use songs with a beat of about 100 to 120 per minute, such as "Stayin' Alive", to help people keep time. UAE emergency numbers: 998 (ambulance), 999 (police). This page is a practice aid for rhythm only, not medical training.