A person who responds but is not fully awake should be placed in the recovery position, as long as they are breathing normally and there is no suspected spinal injury.

What is the recovery position?

  • It is a side‑lying position used in first aid for someone who is unconscious or not fully awake but breathing on their own.
  • The goal is to keep the airway open and allow fluids like saliva or vomit to drain so they do not choke.

Why this position is used

  • A semi‑conscious person can easily choke if they vomit or their tongue falls back, blocking the airway.
  • Placing them in the recovery position greatly reduces the risk of airway obstruction until medical help arrives.

Basic steps (high level)

  • Check that the person is breathing and has no obvious spinal or severe traumatic injury.
  • Gently roll them onto their side, with the head tilted slightly back and the mouth angled downward so fluids can drain.

Safety reminders

  • Call emergency services if the cause of their reduced consciousness is unknown, severe, or worrying (e.g., head injury, overdose, seizure, chest pain).
  • Do not use the recovery position if you suspect spinal injury; in that case, keep the head and neck aligned and follow emergency operator instructions.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.