In this guide
When to call 911 and start CPR
Make the rescue safe
Call for a lifeguard. Reach or throw a flotation aid from a safe position; do not enter dangerous water or attempt an in-water rescue beyond your training. Once safely removed, place the person on a firm, flat surface.
Check responsiveness and breathing
Tap and shout; for an infant, tap the bottom of the foot. Check for normal breathing for no more than 10 seconds. If unresponsive and not breathing normally, including only gasping, begin CPR. Lay rescuers should not delay for a pulse check.
Activate emergency help
Send someone to call 911 and get an AED. If alone with a mobile phone, call on speaker and start care while following the dispatcher. If alone with a child or infant and you must leave to reach a phone, give about 2 minutes of CPR before leaving to call.
Include rescue breaths after drowning
Breaths are especially important after drowning. The Red Cross drowning sequence starts with 2 rescue breaths, then cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths for a single rescuer. AHA guidance allows trained rescuers to begin with breaths or compressions; do not delay CPR to debate the sequence. If unable or unwilling to give breaths, start chest compressions and follow the dispatcher.
Give age-appropriate compressions
Compress at 100–120 per minute on the lower half of the breastbone, allowing full recoil and minimizing pauses. For a child from age 1 until puberty, use one or two hands; press at least one third of the chest depth, about 2 inches (5 cm). For an infant under 1 year, use the heel of one hand or two thumbs with hands encircling the chest; press at least one third of its depth, about 1.5 inches (4 cm). The 2025 AHA guidance no longer recommends two-finger infant compressions.
Give breaths and use an AED
For each breath, open the airway with a head tilt and chin lift. Seal over a child’s mouth while pinching the nose; cover an infant’s mouth and nose. Give each breath over about 1 second, only enough for visible chest rise. Continue 30 compressions and 2 breaths. Begin CPR with breaths before applying an AED after drowning. As soon as available, expose and dry the chest, attach pads and follow its prompts; use pediatric pads/attenuation if available. Do not delay CPR to find an AED. Nobody should touch the person during analysis or shock.
Continue and reassess
Continue until normal breathing or other clear signs of life return, trained help takes over, you are too exhausted to continue, or the scene becomes unsafe. Pause when the AED instructs, then promptly resume. If breathing normally but still unresponsive, maintain an open airway and follow the dispatcher; use a side-lying recovery position if appropriate and no suspected spine injury prevents it. Watch breathing continuously and restart CPR if normal breathing stops.
Child CPR: age 1 until puberty
Use the child technique described above until signs of puberty, rather than a fixed age cutoff of 8. After puberty, use adult CPR: two hands, at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep while avoiding more than 2.4 inches (6 cm). The compression rate remains 100–120 per minute. For a single rescuer, use 30 compressions and 2 breaths; two rescuers trained in pediatric CPR use 15:2 according to their training.
Infant CPR: under 1 year
For an infant under 1 year, use the heel of one hand or two thumbs with hands encircling the chest. Compress at least one third of the chest depth, about 1.5 inches (4 cm), at 100–120 per minute. Cover the mouth and nose for breaths, using only enough air to make the chest rise. This is not newborn-at-birth resuscitation guidance.
When normal breathing returns
CPR is for a person who is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Do not give compressions to an alert person who is coughing or breathing normally. Continue to monitor the person and follow emergency instructions. A person who needed CPR or rescue breaths after drowning needs emergency medical care even if they appear to recover.
Mistakes to avoid
Do not try to drain water by hanging someone upside down or using abdominal thrusts. Do not delay CPR for a pulse check, for equipment, or out of fear of doing it imperfectly. Avoid excessive ventilation, leaning on the chest, or compressions faster than the recommended range.
After emergency help arrives
Tell responders what happened, when the person left the water, whether they were unresponsive, and what care you provided. Let medical professionals determine evaluation, observation and treatment; there is no universal home observation period that establishes safety.
Symptoms after a water incident
Persistent or worsening cough, fast or difficult breathing, unusual sleepiness or confusion after a water incident require prompt medical attention. Severe breathing difficulty, blue or gray color, unresponsiveness or difficulty waking mean call 911. “Dry” and “secondary drowning” are not accepted diagnoses; see our guide to symptoms and drowning myths.
Get hands-on CPR and AED training
Take hands-on infant, child and adult CPR/AED training through the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or another qualified provider. In an emergency, call 911 and follow the dispatcher; do not wait for certification to help.
Looking for low-cost classes? See where to find free CPR for kids training and which course names cover infants and children.
Sources and editorial update
AHA 2025 Adult Basic Life Support: adult compression technique and depth.
Updated October 15, 2026 by the WaterWiseKids Editorial Team using the guidance below. This educational reference does not replace CPR training, emergency dispatch instructions, or individual medical care.
