❤️ Free CPR Quick Reference Guide
Australia’s most complete free CPR reference — following Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) 2025 Guidelines. Printable, shareable, and embeddable. Suitable for workplaces, schools, community groups, and home use across Australia.
This free CPR reference guide is provided by IRFA (RTO 32154) as a public safety resource for all Australians. You are welcome to print this page for your workplace, share it on social media, link to it from your website, or embed it in your organisation’s intranet. Attribution is appreciated but not required.
Important: This guide is a memory aid only. It is not a substitute for hands-on CPR training. A printed guide cannot teach you the physical techniques, correct compression depth, or give you the confidence to act in a real emergency. We strongly encourage every Australian to complete an accredited HLTAID009 CPR course.
The DRSABCD Action Plan — ARC Guidelines
The DRSABCD action plan is the Australian Resuscitation Council’s standardised approach to managing any emergency. Follow these steps in order whenever you respond to a medical emergency:
DANGER — Check for Danger
Before approaching, assess for danger to yourself, bystanders, and the patient. Do not become a second casualty. Look for hazards including traffic, electricity, unstable structures, or aggression. Make the scene safe before proceeding. If it cannot be made safe, call 000 and wait for emergency services.
RESPONSE — Check for Response
Check if the patient is responsive. Squeeze their shoulders firmly, speak loudly: “Can you hear me? Open your eyes!” Check their response to voice and pain. If there is no response, proceed immediately to the next step.
SEND for Help — Call 000
Call 000 immediately (or direct a specific person: “You — call 000 now!”). Provide your exact location, the number of casualties, and what has happened. Request an ambulance. If an AED is nearby, send someone to retrieve it simultaneously. Stay on the line — the dispatcher can guide you through CPR.
AIRWAY — Open the Airway
Place one hand on the patient’s forehead, tilt the head back gently. Place two fingers under the chin and lift it forward (head-tilt, chin-lift). This moves the tongue away from the airway. Look in the mouth — if you see a solid object, remove it. Do not perform blind finger sweeps.
BREATHING — Check for Breathing
With the airway open, look, listen, and feel for normal breathing for no more than 10 seconds. Look for chest rise, listen for breath sounds, feel for air on your cheek. Occasional gasping (agonal breathing) is NOT normal breathing — treat as absent. If not breathing normally, start CPR immediately.
CPR — Start Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Begin CPR immediately if the patient is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Follow the technique guides below based on the patient’s age. Continue CPR without interruption until: the patient starts breathing normally, a defibrillator is ready to use, a trained first aider takes over, or you are physically unable to continue.
DEFIBRILLATION — Use an AED if Available
As soon as an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is available, turn it on and follow the voice instructions. Do not stop CPR until the AED tells you to. Early defibrillation dramatically improves survival rates — for every 1 minute without defibrillation, survival decreases by approximately 10%.
CPR Technique by Patient Age
CPR technique differs significantly based on the patient’s age. Using the wrong technique can be ineffective or cause harm. Always use the appropriate technique:
👨 Adult CPR (8+ years)
- Place patient on firm, flat surface on their back
- Kneel beside the patient at chest level
- Place heel of one hand on centre of chest (lower half of breastbone)
- Place other hand on top, fingers interlaced, fingers raised off chest
- Arms straight, compress straight down
- Compress to 1/3 of chest depth (approx. 5–6 cm)
- Rate: 100–120 compressions per minute
- Allow full chest recoil between compressions
- Minimise interruptions to compressions
🧒 Child CPR (1–8 years)
- Same position — firm flat surface on back
- Use one or two hands depending on child’s size
- Place heel of hand on lower half of breastbone
- Compress to 1/3 of chest depth
- Rate: 100–120 compressions per minute
- Allow full chest recoil
- Start CPR with 5 initial rescue breaths before compressions
- Continue: 30 compressions : 2 breaths
👶 Infant CPR (Under 1 year)
- Place infant on firm surface or support on your forearm
- Use 2 fingers (middle and ring finger) on centre of chest
- OR use 2-thumb encircling technique if 2 rescuers present
- Just below the nipple line on the breastbone
- Compress to 1/3 of chest depth (approx. 4 cm)
- Rate: 100–120 compressions per minute
- Start CPR with 5 initial rescue breaths
- Continue: 30 compressions : 2 breaths
CPR Compression Rate & Depth — At a Glance
⚡ Using an AED (Automated External Defibrillator)
AEDs are designed to be used by anyone — no medical training required. They guide you with voice instructions and will not deliver a shock unless one is genuinely needed. Using an AED alongside CPR dramatically increases survival rates for cardiac arrest.
Turn on the AED — open the case, press the power button. Follow voice and visual prompts throughout.
Expose the chest — remove clothing. Dry the chest if wet. Remove any medication patches. Do not stop CPR until the AED pads are connected.
Apply the pads — follow the diagrams on the pads. One pad on the upper right chest (below collarbone), one on the lower left side (below and to the left of the nipple). For children under 8, use paediatric pads if available, or place one pad on the chest and one on the back.
Plug in the connector (if needed) — connect the pad cables to the AED unit if not pre-connected.
Stand clear — analyse — the AED will analyse the heart rhythm. Make sure nobody is touching the patient. Say clearly: “Stand clear!” Do not touch the patient.
Deliver the shock (if advised) — if the AED advises a shock, press the shock button. Ensure nobody is touching the patient. If no shock is advised, continue CPR immediately.
Resume CPR immediately — after the shock, resume CPR straight away. The AED will prompt you to continue and will re-analyse every 2 minutes.
Find the nearest public access AED in Queensland: defibregistry.org.au
CPR — What To Do and What To Avoid
✅ Do
- Call 000 immediately and put the phone on speaker
- Start CPR without delay — every second counts
- Push hard and fast — effective compressions are the priority
- Allow full chest recoil between compressions
- Minimise interruptions to compressions (<10 seconds)
- Rotate compressor every 2 minutes if possible to maintain quality
- Keep going until professional help arrives
- Use an AED as soon as it’s available
❌ Don’t
- Don’t delay starting CPR waiting to be 100% sure
- Don’t compress too gently — insufficient depth is ineffective
- Don’t lean on the chest between compressions
- Don’t stop CPR to check for breathing frequently
- Don’t remove AED pads once applied
- Don’t give up — even basic CPR dramatically improves survival
- Don’t be afraid of causing injury — a broken rib is survivable; cardiac arrest without CPR may not be
📚 Official Australian Reference Sources
- Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) — resus.org.au — official guidelines for CPR and emergency care in Australia
- Healthdirect Australia — CPR Information
- Queensland Ambulance Service
- Heart Foundation Australia
This guide aligns with ARC Guidelines as of February 2026. Always refer to the ARC for the most current clinical guidelines. This is a reference tool, not a clinical protocol.
❤️ Know How To Use This Guide in a Real Emergency
A reference guide is only helpful if you have the muscle memory to back it up. IRFA’s HLTAID009 CPR course in Brisbane takes just 2 hours and gives you hands-on practice with manikins, AED trainers, and paramedic feedback — so you’ll act confidently, not freeze.
💛 Book CPR Training — $55 📞 1300 766 298