Spot a Stroke · BE-FAST
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FORCE FOR HEALTH · EMERGENCY RECOGNITION

BE-FAST — Spot a Stroke

Start with FAST · add Balance & Eyes · call 911 fast
⚠ DRAFT — clinical content pending physician sign-off
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K
Coach Katie
A stroke is "brain attack" — every minute, brain cells die, so time is brain. The good news: you can spot most strokes in seconds. We start with the classic FAST, then add two letters — B and E — to catch the strokes FAST alone can miss.
Start here — the core

F-A-S-T

FAST is the tool everyone should know cold. Any one sign is enough to act.

F
Face
Ask them to smile. Does one side droop or look uneven?
A
Arms
Ask them to raise both arms. Does one drift down or can't lift?
S
Speech
Ask them to repeat a simple phrase. Is it slurred or strange?
T
Time
If any sign is there — call 911 now, and note the time.
Now add two letters

→ B-E-FAST

Some strokes hit the back of the brain and don't show face, arm, or speech signs. Adding Balance and Eyes in front of FAST catches them.

B
Balance
Sudden loss of balance or coordination, dizziness, or trouble walking.
E
Eyes
Sudden trouble seeing — vision loss in one or both eyes, or double vision.
Put it together: Balance · Eyes · Face · Arms · Speech · Time. FAST is the foundation; BE-FAST is the fuller check that catches back-of-the-brain strokes FAST alone can miss.
What to do — and NOT do

If you see any one sign

📞 Call 911 immediately
Say "I think this is a stroke." EMS can alert a stroke center on the way.

Do

Note the time they were last known well (normal) — it decides which treatments are possible. Stay with them, keep them calm and safe, and if they're drowsy or vomiting, lay them on their side.

Don't

Don't give food, drink, or medicine — including aspirin. (A stroke can be a bleed, and aspirin could make a bleed worse — this is the opposite of a suspected heart attack.) Don't drive them yourself if an ambulance is available; don't "wait to see if it passes."

Even if the signs go away, still call 911. A warning stroke (TIA) that clears in minutes is a red alert that a bigger stroke may be coming.
K
Coach Katie
Two real moments. Look at what's happening and make the call. Remember — any one sign is enough.
K
Coach Katie
Six quick questions. 75% to earn the BE-FAST stamp.
K
Coach Katie
You can spot a stroke — now make it ripple. The knowledge that saves brain is the knowledge you pass on. Pick the promises you'll keep this week.
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Force for Health® · Emergency Recognition
A standalone module — it also lives in the Home & Family Caregiver Track.
DRAFT. For training only — not medical advice. If you suspect a stroke, call 911.