You must ensure a casualty’s airway is open. If they are awake and talking to you, this means their airway is open. However, the casualty may still have difficulty breathing. If the casualty is unconscious, you need to inspect the airway for any obvious blockages.

The signs and symptoms of airway obstruction include:

- Severe trauma to the face
- Blood or foreign objects in the airway
- Casualty is indicating that they can’t breathe
- Casualty making snoring or gurgling sounds

If a foreign body is seen in the airway, you can attempt to remove it; but, do not put your fingers in the mouth to try to find or remove any unseen objects that might be causing an obstruction. Do not do a blind finger sweep!