In the basic ground casualty assessment, what step comes immediately after checking responsiveness?

In the basic ground casualty assessment, what step comes immediately after checking responsiveness?

• A. Check scene safety
• B. Call for help
• C. Check breathing
• D. Provide care as needed

Answer: (C)

Assessing breathing right after determining responsiveness is about quickly deciding the next move based on whether air is moving. This quick check tells you whether to start CPR or to keep the casualty safe and monitored. If there’s normal breathing, you don’t perform CPR—you place the person on their side in the recovery position and monitor them until help arrives. If there’s no normal breathing (or only gasping), you start CPR immediately and call for emergency help. The scene safety check and calling for help are important steps, but they’re done in the broader setup or once you’ve assessed the person’s breathing status. Providing care as needed is the ongoing action that follows the breathing assessment, not the immediate next step after responsiveness.

Assessing breathing right after determining responsiveness is about quickly deciding the next move based on whether air is moving. This quick check tells you whether to start CPR or to keep the casualty safe and monitored. If there’s normal breathing, you don’t perform CPR—you place the person on their side in the recovery position and monitor them until help arrives. If there’s no normal breathing (or only gasping), you start CPR immediately and call for emergency help. The scene safety check and calling for help are important steps, but they’re done in the broader setup or once you’ve assessed the person’s breathing status. Providing care as needed is the ongoing action that follows the breathing assessment, not the immediate next step after responsiveness.