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Learn it in a minute

Six steps, one at a time. At the end you'll know the sequence — which is the whole difference between freezing and helping.

Happening right now? Skip the practice — go to emergency mode →

The six steps

  1. Try to wake them

    Shout their name and shake their shoulders. If nothing, rub your knuckles hard on their breastbone.

    Responds at all? They're very high, not overdosing — stay with them. No response? Treat it as an overdose.

  2. Call 911

    Say someone is unresponsive and not breathing, and give the address. That is the sentence that gets help moving.

    You don't have to mention drugs. Ohio's Good Samaritan law protects people who call for help in good faith.

  3. Give naloxone

    Nasal spray: lay them on their back, put the nozzle in one nostril until your fingers touch the bottom of their nose, and press the plunger all the way in. Injectable: draw up the whole vial and inject it straight into the outer thigh or the muscle of the upper arm.

    Whichever kind your kit has is one full dose. Nothing to measure or calculate either way.

  4. Help them breathe

    Tilt the head back, lift the chin, pinch the nose shut, and give one slow breath every 5 seconds. Not able or willing to do breaths? Do hands-only chest compressions instead.

    Oxygen is what protects the brain while the naloxone catches up. This step matters as much as the dose.

  5. Still nothing after 2–3 minutes? Give another dose

    Use a fresh dose — the other nostril, or a new vial and a new syringe. Keep going every 2–3 minutes for as long as you have doses.

    Fentanyl overdoses often take more than one dose. Running out is common — using too much is not a thing.

  6. Stay with them

    Naloxone wears off in 30–90 minutes and the overdose can come back. Stay until EMS arrives. If you must step away, roll them onto their side so they cannot choke.

    Waking up in withdrawal feels awful — sweating, nausea, agitation. Be calm, say what happened, and keep them from taking more.

Prefer to read it all at once? The full six steps and the safer use guide are always here, and emergency mode is one tap away.