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Seizure
Keeping someone safe during a convulsive seizure.
In an emergency, call your emergency number first — 112 across the EU. This is general information, not a substitute for hands-on first-aid training or professional medical care. If you are unsure, call for help and follow the dispatcher's instructions.
When to use this
Use when someone collapses and shakes uncontrollably, or becomes rigid and unresponsive.
Step by step
- Stay calm and note the time the seizure starts.
- Clear hard or sharp objects away and cushion the head with something soft.
- Do not restrain them and do not put anything in their mouth.
- Once the shaking stops, gently roll them onto their side into the recovery position and check they are breathing.
- Call 112 if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, repeats, is their first, causes injury, or they do not wake up afterwards.
What not to do
- Do not hold them down.
- Do not put fingers or objects between the teeth.
Emergency numbers
112 reaches emergency services across the European Union and much of the world, often even without a SIM or signal from your own network. Some countries keep additional local numbers.
| Where you are | Emergency number |
|---|---|
| European Union & EEA (incl. Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania) | 112 |
| United Kingdom | 999 (112 also works) |
| United States & Canada | 911 |
| Australia | 000 |
| New Zealand | 111 |
Other first-aid guides
Adult CPR
What to do when an adult is unresponsive and not breathing normally.
Choking (adult)
Clearing a blocked airway in a responsive adult.
Severe bleeding
Controlling heavy bleeding while help is on the way.
Burns and scalds
First aid for heat burns and scalds.
Heat stroke
A life-threatening overheating emergency.
Hypothermia
Warming someone who has become dangerously cold.
Source: Steps paraphrase widely-accepted guidance from bodies such as the European Resuscitation Council and national Red Cross societies. General information, not a substitute for training. · checked 2026-09-04
Frequently asked questions
When should I use this?
Use when someone collapses and shakes uncontrollably, or becomes rigid and unresponsive.
When must I call emergency services?
As early as you safely can. Across the EU that is 112. For anyone unresponsive and not breathing normally, call first (or have someone call) and start CPR straight away.
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