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Civilian Emergency Platform
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person is breathing rapidly with tingling hands or lips during panic, stress, or after a fright — but is awake and talking.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — NOT EXPERT REVIEWED — NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Very fast breathing with tingling fingers, lips, or light-headedness during stress.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Red flags: crushing chest pain, blue lips, wheeze, one-sided leg swelling, fainting, or confusion.
Scene hazards: Escalating panic, Missing serious medical cause
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Say: "You are safe. I am here. Let us breathe together slowly."
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Check lips colour and whether they can speak full sentences.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Breathe with them — in 4 seconds, out 6 seconds, repeat.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Reduce stimulation — lower voice, fewer people, open a window for fresh air.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112 if chest pain, blue lips, fainting, or symptoms do not ease in 10 minutes.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Say: "Fast breathing after panic. Chest pain: yes/no. Lips blue: yes/no."
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — First episode with chest pain or age over 40 with risk factors — treat as possible heart emergency.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Repeated panic breathing may need doctor or counsellor follow-up — not shameful.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT tell them to "calm down" or shout — this worsens panic.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT use a paper bag — not recommended and can be dangerous if cause is unknown.
MYTH: DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Breathing into a paper bag always fixes hyperventilation
REALITY: DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Paper bags are no longer recommended. They can hide dangerous causes and cause low oxygen if used wrongly.
DANGER: DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Missing heart attack or asthma while treating as simple panic.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Rapid breathing lowers carbon dioxide and can cause dizziness, tingling, and chest tightness — frightening but often not life-threatening when person is awake and talking.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Same symptoms can occur in heart attack, asthma, or blood clot — watch for red flags.