What must you do prior to performing CPR on an unconscious choking victim?

Prepare for the Fire Controlmen A School Safety Test. Study with multiple choice questions, each with helpful hints and comprehensive explanations. Boost your confidence and readiness today!

Clearing the airway of obstruction is the key step before delivering CPR to an unconscious choking victim. If you can see any food particles, a foreign object, or loose dentures in the mouth, remove them safely to open the airway. This matters because rescue breaths won’t be effective if the airway is blocked, and taking the obstruction out allows air to reach the lungs during CPR. The other actions listed don’t address the immediate airway blockage: medical alert tags don’t influence CPR effectiveness, starting chest compressions without first ensuring a clear airway can reduce ventilation effectiveness, and giving breaths only without starting compressions doesn’t provide the full CPR sequence needed for an unresponsive person. After clearing what you can see, tilt the head back to open the airway and proceed with CPR as trained.