Quick answer
DRSABCD — sometimes written DRS ABCD — is the first aid action plan used across Australia to respond to a medical emergency. It stands for Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR and Defibrillation. You work through the seven steps in order. This guide explains each step, when to start CPR, and what to check on the casualty — including a medical ID.
Have you heard of DRSABCD? The letters represent the universal first aid steps used in Australia to respond to a medical emergency. Knowing how to work through DRSABCD could one day help you save a life. This beginner's guide walks through each step of the DRSABCD procedure in order, so you can act with confidence and stay calm under pressure.
What does DRSABCD stand for? (DRSABCD meaning)
Each letter in DRSABCD stands for a stage of basic life support: Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR and Defibrillation. The DRSABCD action plan is taught by Australian first aid providers and aligns with the Australian Resuscitation Council (ANZCOR) basic life support sequence. Following the steps in order helps you apply any first aid training correctly.
| Letter | Stands for | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| D | Danger | Check for danger to you, bystanders and the casualty. Make the area safe. |
| R | Response | Check if the casualty responds, using the COWS method. |
| S | Send for help | Call Triple Zero (000). |
| A | Airway | Check the airway is clear and open. |
| B | Breathing | Check for normal breathing. If breathing, use the recovery position. |
| C | CPR | If not breathing, start CPR — 30 compressions to 2 breaths. |
| D | Defibrillation | Apply an AED as soon as one is available and follow its prompts. |
DRABC vs DRSABCD: how the first aid action plan changed
You may have learned an older version of this action plan. DRABC (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation) was the standard first aid sequence in Australia for many years. DRSABCD is the current ANZCOR action plan: it adds S — Send for help after checking response, and a final D — Defibrillation using an AED.
A few variants you may still see:
- DRABC — the older five-letter form, with no separate Send step.
- DRSABC — adds Send for help but stops at Circulation, without the defibrillation step.
- DRABCD — an intermediate form that includes defibrillation but no separate Send step.
The current Australian standard taught by St John Ambulance and set by ANZCOR is the full DRSABCD sequence. If you trained under DRABC or DRSABC, the core actions are the same — DRSABCD simply makes “send for help” and “use a defibrillator” explicit steps rather than assumed ones.
| Acronym | Letters | What it adds vs DRABC | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRABC | D R A B C | — (original sequence) | Superseded |
| DRSABC | D R S A B C | + Send for help | Partial |
| DRABCD | D R A B C D | + Defibrillation | Partial |
| DRSABCD | D R S A B C D | + Send for help + Defibrillation | Current ANZCOR standard |
The DRSABCD action plan: 7 steps that act in the first 60 seconds
The DRSABCD action plan is a seven-step sequence you work through in order:
- Danger – make the area safe before you approach.
- Response – check whether the casualty responds (use COWS).
- Send for help – call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.
- Airway – open and clear the airway.
- Breathing – look, listen and feel for normal breathing.
- CPR – give 30 chest compressions to 2 breaths if they are not breathing normally.
- Defibrillation – attach an AED as soon as one is available and follow the voice prompts.
D — Danger
Check for any threats to yourself, bystanders and the casualty. Never put yourself or anyone else in danger while helping. If the area is unsafe — traffic, fire, electricity or water — make it safe before you approach.
R — Response
Once you reach the casualty, check whether they respond. Are they conscious? Can they speak? Use the COWS method: Can you hear me? Open your eyes. What's your name? Squeeze my hand. If there is no response, move on quickly.
S — Send for help
Call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance. Be ready to give your location and describe the casualty's condition. If someone else is nearby, ask them to call while you stay with the casualty.
A — Airway
Check whether the airway is clear. If the casualty is responsive and breathing without difficulty, attend to any injuries. If they are unresponsive, gently open the mouth and look inside. If it is clear, tilt the head back and check for breathing. If there is an obstruction, roll them onto their side and carefully clear it without pushing it further in, then tilt the head back and check breathing.
B — Breathing
Watch the chest for movement, listen at the mouth and nose, and feel for breath. If the casualty is unconscious but breathing normally, place them in the recovery position on their side, keep the head, neck and spine aligned, and keep watching their breathing until paramedics arrive.
C — CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
If the casualty is unconscious and not breathing normally, start CPR straight away. The Triple Zero operator can guide you through each step over the phone.
The ratio to remember: 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths, at a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute. Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest.
Place the casualty flat on their back. Put the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest and your other hand on top. Press down firmly 30 times, then give two breaths: tilt the head back by lifting the chin, pinch the nostrils closed, seal your mouth over theirs and blow firmly twice. Continue 30 compressions and 2 breaths until you can hand over to a paramedic.
Note: it is best to learn CPR for adults, children and infants on a first aid course with a recognised provider such as St John Ambulance Australia.
D — Defibrillation
An automated external defibrillator (AED) can be used on an unconscious adult who is not breathing. It delivers a controlled shock to help restart a normal heart rhythm. AEDs are located in many public places across Australia — shopping centres, sports clubs, train stations and offices — and are designed to be easy to use. Turn it on and follow the spoken prompts; the Triple Zero operator can also talk you through it.
What else to check — including a medical ID
Always check the casualty for a medical ID or wristband. It may alert you to a condition such as asthma, an allergy, epilepsy or diabetes, and it can carry a membership number for an online medical records system such as MedibandPlus.
Check the wrist. A medical ID can tell a responder what they cannot ask an unconscious patient — conditions, medications and who to contact.
With MedibandPlus, that membership number lets first responders access a secure profile that stores the wearer's health conditions, medications and next-of-kin contact. It does not assess or diagnose anything — it simply makes the wearer's own information available when they cannot speak, so the right care reaches them sooner and their family is contacted quickly.
Part of the Mediband family. Trusted in Australia since 2004.
Knowing your DRSABCD gives you the confidence to help in an emergency until healthcare professionals arrive. It supplements any first aid training you have and acts as a clear reminder of what to do, and in what order.
Related reading: seizure first aid, asthma first aid, how to set up your emergency contacts, and why online medical records matter if you have a medical condition.
DRSABCD FAQs
What does DRSABCD stand for?
DRSABCD stands for Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR and Defibrillation. It is the basic life support action plan used in Australian first aid.
What is DRSABCD in first aid?
It is the ordered sequence a first aider follows when responding to a medical emergency — from checking for danger through to using a defibrillator — aligned with the Australian Resuscitation Council basic life support guidelines.
What are the 7 steps of the DRSABCD action plan?
Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, and Defibrillation — worked through in that order.
What is the difference between DRSABCD and DRABC?
DRSABCD is the current Australian action plan. The older DRABC sequence did not separately include "Send for help" or "Defibrillation"; DRSABCD adds the S (send for help) and the final D (defibrillation) to reflect the role of calling 000 early and using an AED.
How often do I repeat the CPR steps?
Continue cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths at 100–120 compressions per minute, without stopping, until the casualty starts breathing normally, a defibrillator is ready to use, or a paramedic takes over.
What does DRABC stand for?
DRABC stands for Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation — the older Australian first aid action plan. It has since been updated to DRSABCD, which adds Send for help (S) and Defibrillation (D).
Sources
- ANZCOR Guideline 4 — Airway and Guideline 5 — Breathing — the Basic Life Support steps DRSABCD is built from, covering how to check for a response, open the airway and confirm normal breathing.
- St John Ambulance Australia — DRSABCD action plan and first aid training.
- healthdirect — First aid — general first aid guidance and when to seek help in Australia.
- Triple Zero (000) — when and how to call Australia’s emergency number, and what the call taker will ask you.
Disclaimer: This article is general first aid information, not medical advice or a substitute for accredited first aid training. Last reviewed 7 August 2026 against the current ANZCOR guidelines. In an emergency, always call Triple Zero (000). MedibandPlus stores and provides access to a member's own medical information; it does not monitor, assess or diagnose any condition.
