Need help right now?
If someone needs immediate help with smoke inhalation, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person was in a fire, burning building, or heavy smoke and now has cough, hoarseness, or difficulty breathing.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Fresh air. Call 112. Sit upright. Watch breathing closely.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Hoarse voice, singed nose hairs, soot in mouth or nose.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Persistent cough, wheeze, or trouble breathing after smoke exposure.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Confusion, headache, or dizziness — possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Burns to face or neck increase risk of airway swelling.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Smoke contains toxic gases including carbon monoxide, which replaces oxygen in the blood. Airway swelling may develop gradually.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Person may seem okay at first then worsen — this is called delayed respiratory failure.
Check the scene before you approach.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Move yourself and the person to fresh air — upwind and away from smoke.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112 on speaker.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Sit them upright. Loosen clothing.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Remove outer smoky clothing and wipe soot from face gently — do not scrub burns.
When and how to get professional help.
Anyone with smoke exposure and breathing symptoms needs emergency evaluation — damage can worsen over hours.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Move to safety and monitor. Do not re-enter burning buildings. Hospital can assess airway burns and carbon monoxide.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Say: "Smoke inhalation from fire. Trouble breathing / soot around face / hoarse voice."
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Give fire location and whether others may still be inside.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT re-enter a burning or smoky building for belongings.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT assume they are fine because symptoms seem mild.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT give food or drink if hoarse voice or facial burns — airway may swell.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If you get outside and feel okay, you do not need a hospital
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Airway swelling and carbon monoxide effects can worsen over time. Emergency evaluation is needed.
Other scenarios in the same family.
Asthma attack
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person with asthma is wheezing, coughing, and struggling to breathe. Their usual inhaler is not enough.
Epiglottitis
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Sudden severe sore throat with fever, drooling, muffled voice, and difficulty swallowing — often in older children or adults.
Hard to breathe
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person is breathing fast, shallow, or with great effort. They may feel they cannot get enough air.
Strangulation
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person was choked by hand, rope, cord, or fabric around the neck. They may be unconscious or have voice changes and bruising.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Watch breathing continuously. If they stop responding, start CPR.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — All significant smoke inhalation needs hospital monitoring — airway can close hours later.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Carbon monoxide poisoning may cause headache and confusion without visible burns — mention smoke exposure to medics.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Person dies at home from delayed airway closure after seeming recovered.