CPR Coach
If an adult suddenly collapses and is not breathing normally, call for help, then push hard and fast in the centre of the chest. This keeps the beat for you.
Put the phone on speaker and follow the dispatcher. Send someone to find an AED (defibrillator). Numbers for other countries are below.
Compression beat
Hands-only CPR for adults and teens
- Make sure it is safe for you to approach.
- Check for a response. Tap their shoulders and shout. If they do not respond and are not breathing normally, start CPR. Occasional gasps are not normal breathing.
- Call emergency services and put the phone on speaker. Ask someone to bring an AED.
- Hand position: heel of one hand on the centre of the chest, on the lower half of the breastbone, other hand on top. Arms straight, shoulders over your hands.
- Push hard and fast: at least 5 cm (2 in) deep but not more than 6 cm (2.4 in), 100 to 120 times a minute. Follow the beat.
- Let the chest come all the way up after each push, and keep pauses as short as possible.
- Use the AED as soon as it arrives: switch it on and follow its spoken instructions. Otherwise keep going until help takes over or the person starts breathing normally. If someone else can help, swap about every 2 minutes.
Babies, children, drowning and overdose
Hands-only CPR is for teens and adults who suddenly collapse. For babies and children, and for anyone who collapsed after drowning, a drug overdose or a breathing problem, CPR with rescue breaths is recommended if you are trained. If you are not, call emergency services: the dispatcher can talk you through what to do. Doing something is better than doing nothing.
This page is a coaching aid, not training. A CPR class takes a few hours and teaches the feel of the right depth. The Red Cross, the American Heart Association, St John Ambulance and many local services run them.
Emergency numbers
| Where | Number |
|---|---|
| United States, Canada, Mexico, Philippines | 911 |
| European Union | 112 |
| United Kingdom | 999 or 112 |
| India | 112 |
| Australia | 000 |
| New Zealand | 111 |
| Japan, South Korea (ambulance) | 119 |
| China (ambulance) | 120 |
| Brazil (ambulance) | 192 |
| South Africa (ambulance) | 10177 |
Why 110 a minute
Both the American Heart Association and the European Resuscitation Council recommend chest compressions at 100 to 120 per minute for adults, about 5 to 6 cm deep, letting the chest rise fully between compressions and keeping interruptions short. The coach beats at 110, in the middle of that range, so small drifts in your timing stay inside it.
The click is scheduled on your device's audio clock rather than a page timer, so it stays steady even if the page is busy. The screen wake lock keeps the display on where the browser supports it.
Compression depth cannot be measured by a phone. Push hard: most people do not push deep enough at first.