There are some important facts you need to know before performing CPR on a child.

Danger can strike at any time.

At any given moment, you could witness a car accident, see someone get into trouble on the beach or even be in your own backyard when something happens to your child.

If you were in any of these circumstances, would you know what to do?

Bondi lifeguard Belinda Hartman believes basic CPR is a skill every adult should know. CPR on children is also slightly different, so she’s shared her complete guide on what to do.

Watch: How to perform CPR on kids. Post continues after video.

The first thing to do is memorise the acronym DRS ABCD.

D is for ‘Danger’.

Ensure the area is safe for you/the patient/bystanders.

R is for 'Responsiveness'.

Check if the patient is conscious. Go up to the patient and say 'Can you hear me?' 'What's your name?' 'Open your eyes' and then you ask them to squeeze your hands to let you know they can hear you.

If they're not responding to any of these signals, then they are unconscious.

S is for 'Send for help'.

If they are unconscious, you're going to need medical help.

A is for 'Airway'.

"The key to successful resuscitation is a clear airway so you're going to do that by tilting back the head and opening the mouth by grabbing onto the gym," says Hartman.

"For a child under the age of about eight or nine years old you're just going to tilt the head halfway. And you're going to have a good look in there and check that there's nothing blocking the airway.

"If there is any obstruction, remove it. Get in with your fingers and get rid of it."

B is for 'Breathing'.

There are three ways to test for breathing - look, listen and feel.

Look for the rise and fall of the stomach, get your ear really close and then put our cheek near their mouth so you can hear the breathing. If there's no sign of breathing, go to...

C is for 'Compression'.

"The point of compression is going to be in the lower half of the sternum. The ratio of compressions to rescue breaths is 30:2. So that's 30 compressions to two rescue breaths," explains Hartman.

"For infants, they've got smaller lungs, so you really only want half a breath. The compressions should go to about a third of the depth of the chest. The timing of the compressions is the hard part. It's 120 beats per minute.

"The way you want to remember that is in your head you want to be listening to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance."

D is for 'Defibrillation'.

If you know CPR and can start the compressions early, you are greatly increasing the chance of survival for that person who has stopped breathing.

"This is by no means meant for a substitute for proper first aid training but these basics may come in handy in an emergency," says Hartman.