1-9 Check for Responsiveness

The first step is to check for responsiveness.

- Gently shake or tap the casualty on the shoulder.
- Watch for a response. If the casualty does not respond, repeat the previous step.
- If the casualty is conscious, ask where he or she feels different than usual or where it hurts. Repeat the step above.
- If the casualty is conscious but is choking and cannot talk, stop the evaluation and begin treatment. (See the task Perform First Aid to Clear an Object Stuck in the Throat of a Conscious Casualty, task number 081-831-1003.)