If you witness a person collapse, what should you first check?

When witnessing a person collapse, the first thing you should check is their responsiveness and breathing. This is crucial in determining the immediate course of action. Assessing responsiveness allows you to gauge if the person is conscious or unconscious. If they are unresponsive, it's essential to act quickly as this may indicate a serious medical emergency requiring immediate intervention.

Checking their breathing is equally important. If the person is not breathing or is only gasping, this signals that they may need cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Initiating CPR as soon as possible can significantly increase the chances of survival in cardiac emergencies.

Focusing on responsiveness and breathing ensures that you are addressing life-threatening conditions first, which is core to the principles of Basic Life Support (BLS).