What would you do as a witness to an accident

Introduction by Chris Elliott…….

Some years ago I was waiting in a bank and when I was called I rushed into a small office and not noticing a small step ended up flying towards a desk like superman and not wishing to damage my undercarriage, I twisted in mid air and landed on my side on the floor hitting my head on a cupboard with a big bang.

Laying there I remember feeling no pain but a strange sensation in my hip and the bank staff called for an ambulance which, when it arrived, the ambulance personnel fitted me with a neck collar and along with customers carried me down the stairs on a spinal board to the ambulance which took me to the state hospital where it was discovered after X-rays that I had a broken hip.

In a situation like this would you know what to do? Today 30.8.2018 we received an email as under from Stephen Collard the Operations Director of CESV (Civil Emergency Services Volunteers charity) which is very thought provoking and perhaps some local readers would like to volunteer for training with the CESV.

“I  received  a phone call at 10.16am on Sunday from Neil one of my friends who was out on a group cycle ride. Coming from the Malpas towards the main road a vehicle cut off the corner. The lead cyclists (male 74  had to brake sharply and in doing so fell off of his bike. He injured his head, neck, legs may have passed out for a short time. 

I got the phone call and attended the scene and arrived at the scene within 3 minutes.  The casualty was not moved from the scene but one of the team had placed a bandage on his head and made him as comfortable as possible.  I applied a second bandage and did a quick assessment. He was in pain but without X-rays could not see any other damage.

There was a man who acted as interpreter to the ambulance crew when the ambulance arrived and the nurse had no idea of dealing with a casualty let alone one with a possible neck injury.  She had no idea of putting on a neck collar and moved him onto the gurney with no neck support.  It was as if the collar was a handbag. 

She attempted to put on a neck collar. Which was very old and not one supplied by us.  No measurement taken she let the neck go slack and had not supported it.  The collar was not tightened  and the patient was driven off in this condition .

Because of what I saw I WILL NOT be authorising any more money to be spent on equipment for  the ambulance service  until we are guaranteed that full training has been given to all personnel on the ambulances. 

Our previous training for this ambulance services appears to take one step forward and three back as in effect it appeared this nurse had no training  with road accidents at all.

I am disgusted with the treatment at the scene as no notes were taken of the man’s details and it was another case of grab and run.

The other people on scene, his fellow cyclist went to see him in the hospital and reported to me  that his head injury was a superficial cut but because he was protected by his cycle helmet this reduced the injury. At the hospital an Xray showed no other  head/neck injuries but he has a broken hip. This injury was not helped by the way in which he was lifted at the scene and his fellow cyclists have also commented on the lack of professionalism by this crew. 

Some of these are regular attendees at our money-raising functions and said that monies raised were a waste of funds if the end-user did not know how to use the equipment. 

I have written to the Ministry of Health and need answers from them as to when we can give further training to ambulance staff as we have been doing for many years and have yet to receive a reply due perhaps to another National Holiday today 30th August 2018″.

To learn more of CESV/112 go to their Facebook page click here