What is the first step when finding an unresponsive person?

The first step when finding an unresponsive person is to check for responsiveness and call for help. This is crucial because assessing whether the individual is responsive allows you to determine their condition and decide on the appropriate course of action. By calling for help, you ensure that emergency services are alerted, enabling them to arrive on the scene to provide further assistance.

Checking for breathing and placing someone in the recovery position are both important procedures but should come after you've established that the person is unresponsive and have called for help. Starting CPR immediately without assessing responsiveness and breathing could lead to unnecessary interventions if the person is in fact only temporarily unresponsive or if another method of assistance is available. Therefore, the sequence of assessing responsiveness, seeking help, and then proceeding with life-saving techniques is vital in an emergency situation.