Lifesaving skills

Head tilt- chin lift
The airway starts at the nose and mouth and ends deep in the chest where oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide.

In an unresponsive person, the most common obstructions are the back of the tongue and the epiglottis. By tilting the head back and lifting the chin-- the head tilt- chin lift maneuver-- most airways can be opened.

Jaw thrust
If a spine injury is suspected, use the jaw thrust maneuver, a maneuver that does not endanger the spinal cord, to open the airway.