what to do while waiting for an ambulance

how to perform 'mouth-to-mouth' (expired air resuscitation)

Lay the person on their side to keep their airways open (see illustration below).
Remove any saliva or vomit from their mouth.
If the person is snoring, their airway may still be partially blocked - tilt their head back to open their windpipe further.
Listen for breathing and feel their chest to see if it rises and falls.

IF BREATHING IS EXTREMELY SLOW OR SHALLOW,
YOU NEED TO BREATH FOR THE PERSON.

how to perform 'mouth-to-mouth' (expired air resuscitation)

what NOT to do if someone drops
most fatal ODs happen when people use alone

Roll the person gently onto their back.
Tilt their head back, raising the jaw.
Pinch their nose with your finger (as pictured) or block their nose with the side of your cheek.
With their mouth open, place your mouth over theirs.
Gently blow into their mouth (give 5 breaths at first).
Make sure their chest rises and falls, so you know it is working. You should be able to feel the air come back out of their mouth on the side of your cheek.

How fast do I breathe for my friend? - Every time you breathe, give one breath to your friend - about 15 breaths per minute.

When do I check for a pulse? - After the first five or so breaths, it's a good idea to make sure they have a pulse.

Where do I check for a pulse? - The easiest place to feel for a pulse is on the neck, just under the angle of the jaw (carotid pulse). Practise feeling for this pulse.

What if I cannot find a pulse? - Begin Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

If you are not 100% up on overdose response, why not call VIVAIDS or your local Needle & Syringe Program (NSP) / primary health service and find out about VIVAIDS' Overdose Prevention and Management Training workshops for users and their friends? You can call VIVAIDS on 9329 1500 or see the listing of NSPs at the end of Chapter 4, Needle and Syringe Programs.

what NOT to do if someone drops

Don't hit them up with water, salt water, speed or lemon - it won't help. Narcan is the only drug that will help.
Don't put them in a cold shower or bath - you could change their body temperature and send them into shock, or they could drown if their lungs fill up with water.
Don't try and walk them around. It won't bring them round and you are just wasting valuable time.

most fatal ODs happen when people use alone

Try and use with other people around or at least arrange for someone to check on you. If you use in a toilet cubicle, lock the door while you mix up BUT UNLOCK the door before you inject, so if you drop someone can get in to help. You can keep the door shut with your foot. User feedback suggests that some features of modern automatic toilets (Exeloos) make it difficult to use in them, although the auto-release doors should make it easier to get help if you drop.