Emergency Priority: Call 911 First, Then CPR If Trained

The Golden Rule: Call for Help Immediately

In any medical emergency, the single most critical action is activating emergency medical services (EMS) – call 911 (or local emergency number).

Why Calling First Saves Lives

• EMS brings defibrillator, medications, airway equipment, and transport to definitive care.
• Dispatcher provides pre-arrival instructions (CPR coaching, hemorrhage control, positioning).
• Time to defibrillation is the strongest predictor of survival from ventricular fibrillation – each minute delay ↓ survival 7–10%.

CPR's Role

• If trained and willing: Begin high-quality CPR while waiting for EMS (push hard, fast, center of chest, 100–120/min, allow recoil).
• If untrained/unwilling: Hands-only CPR (compressions only) is better than nothing; dispatcher will guide you.
• Do not delay calling to start CPR. If alone, call first (put on speaker), then start CPR.

Chain of Survival (AHA)

1. Recognition & activation (Call 911)
2. Immediate high-quality CPR
3. Rapid defibrillation
4. Advanced resuscitation (EMS/hospital)
5. Post-cardiac arrest care
6. Recovery

Calling 911 is step 1. Everything else follows.