What does the letter 'A' in ABC stand for in first aid?

What does the letter 'A' in ABC stand for in first aid?

• A. Airway
• B. Bleeding
• C. Circulation
• D. Breathing

Answer: (A)

Airway is the first part of the ABCs. In first aid, you must open and keep the airway clear before anything else because air has to reach the lungs for oxygen to get into the bloodstream. If the airway is blocked—even partially—breaths won’t reach the lungs, and the person can deteriorate quickly. You open the airway with the appropriate technique (for example, head-tilt and chin-lift if no spinal injury is suspected, or a jaw-thrust if a neck/spinal injury might be present). If you can safely remove an obstruction, do so. After the airway is open, you move on to assessing breathing and then circulation. The remaining choices reflect the subsequent steps, not the initial action.

Airway is the first part of the ABCs. In first aid, you must open and keep the airway clear before anything else because air has to reach the lungs for oxygen to get into the bloodstream. If the airway is blocked—even partially—breaths won’t reach the lungs, and the person can deteriorate quickly. You open the airway with the appropriate technique (for example, head-tilt and chin-lift if no spinal injury is suspected, or a jaw-thrust if a neck/spinal injury might be present). If you can safely remove an obstruction, do so. After the airway is open, you move on to assessing breathing and then circulation. The remaining choices reflect the subsequent steps, not the initial action.