Final answer:
To give a proper rescue breath, blow in for 1 second to make the chest clearly rise. The focus should be on high-quality chest compressions as a critical component of CPR. Immediate action is crucial when a person's breathing or heartbeat has stopped.
Step-by-step explanation:
When giving a rescue breath, you should blow in for 1 second and make the chest clearly rise. This technique is part of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), which is a life-saving procedure used when someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped. Blowing hard and fast or blowing harder if the chest doesn't rise is not recommended, as it can cause harm. Moreover, a breath that lasts for 12 seconds is excessively long. The goal of a rescue breath is to provide just enough air to make the chest rise, indicating that air has entered the lungs.
It is essential to understand that immediate CPR, which includes chest compressions and rescue breaths, can be crucial for survival in emergency situations, such as unconsciousness due to drowning. While rescue breaths are important, the emphasis is often on performing high-quality chest compressions. When combined with an understanding of the necessity to remove a drowning person from water before administering CPR, these life-saving techniques can increase the victim's chance of survival.