Have you ever been first on the scene of an RTC, or similar incident where you did get help the injured etc... if so what did you do ?

Whilst driving through Buckinghamshire, myself, and two of my mates (ex firefighter and EMT) came accross an RTC involving 2 cars, 1 into a ditch and another still on the roadway with a male youth leaning up against the car.

My EMT friend ran to assist the casualties from the car in the ditch and assist with traffic control and I went to deal with the injured casualty in the car on the roadway. I then dialed 999.

With my 7 years training with the fire cadets it helped. I checked him for injuries and he was complaning of neck and back pains, i lay him down, got him comfortable and stableised his neck. Whilst another person took over with the neck stableisation i made all the vehicles secure.

After 20 minutes a fire appliance arrived, followed 5 minutes later by the air ambulance, 2 traffic cars and a land ambulance.

We assisted the paramedics in lifting the casualty onto a spine board and into the ambulance and then into the air ambulance.

This was my first proper '-*test*-('")', ive spent hours on the drill ground practicing similar situations like this, but it is a hell of alot different doing it for real. I belive the lad who I delt with had no serious injuries.

moved to General Discussion

99% of RTC's I've ever been to I was 1st on scene.

Panic is the first thing you do. Anyone says they don't is a liar, training kicks in and it becomes automatic.

Been to loads of RTC's quite a few fatals too, but then that's London/urban areas for you.

Jim

Luckily haven't been to one for a few months now since I've moved into the city. Before that went to 100's. Saw plenty of horrific injuries and saw really bad fatals as well.

Have to agree with fatsy in that usually its a response of "Oh my god, what do I do here" and then suddenly the training kicks in and off you go.

I know some officers seem to be able to just brush off horrific accidents or fatals but for myself it still affects me when I go to an accident and am usually a bit quiet etc afterwards for a day or so. But in the end quickly get over it and move on, waiting for the next one

Yea I could feel my heart beating through my eyeballs. It didnt sink in what i'd done until about an hour later.

If I arrive first I call for traffic, oh wait I am traffic

Been first on scene dozens of times, arrive on scene assess situation get assistance treat casultys if need be wait for fb and ambo, brief traffic or who ever is investigating clean up and leave. Then after all that yup you guessed it paperwork

If we arrive / come across a RTC first then it's:

Controlled panic
Call it in and get the Met, LAS or LFB running
Make scene safe
Attend to victims
Sort out witnesses
Brief Met on their arrival
Offer to stay and help if needed
Quietly exit stage left knowing that the Met will be doing the paperwork!!

sorry, but Fire Cadets? I'm intrigued because I've heard of them before but they're not that common are they. Which brigade did you belong to??

I think i'm right in saying he is from West Midlands.
Unfortunately for me, Avon only offer Fire Cadets to underprivileged teenagers.

lucky them, no one gets cadets in south wales police. I was gutted when i found out there were still a few forces running a programme

I did 2 years in West Midlands and i've done nearly 5 years in Warwickshire, 13 of our 19 stations have them, we have more young firefighters than wholetime firefighters

Alot of the UK brigades now have them. They're for 11-17 year olds, but i've stayed on as a leading firefighter/instructor.

Its a great experience, you learn every aspect of a firefighter job from hoses, ladders, RTC's, chemical incidents, first aid, everything.

Been first person on scene and first emergency service on scene too. Worst position in the job. Everyone looks to you for guidance and all I have is a pair of nitrile gloves and a bandage pack.

Fortunately, for want of a better word, the ones I have been to, the seriously injured were as good as gone, and the surviving patients were manageable.

Luckily, being on a major rural highway most of the time, we get a hell of a lot of nurses travelling from Melbourne to rural centres for training, temp work etc, so we get some quality back up from passers by. Even get the occasional Dr. or paramedic on holiday which is a great relief.

I just love seeing a civi walking to a wreck with a stethascope around thier necks.

have been first on scene to various RTCs over the years, also been not first on scene but offered assistance,

a few of my colleagues in my 'real job' ( Hospital Emergency Department Nurse) and with SJA think it;s overkill to have my full 'first aid' kit ( which is actually across between a technician and paramedic response bag, And full PPE ( helmet , Cl3 Hivis, coveralls) in the car - but having used it in anger a number of times i'd rather have it than not ...

first priorities are always regardless of 'colour' of uniform to secure the scene - if nothign to make it safer for you o stay and work , make sure appropriate help is on the way and think about saving life - once this is done we can think aobut our differign priorities depending who our employer is ...

stopping once things are underway is about what resources are there - if you can see that one or more of the services is underresourced stopping and offering assistance is often appreciated - ( like the RTC myself and mrs zippy (SJA Ambulance crew and trainer) stopped at where there were 2 serious and one time critical casualties and a dubious ETA On the third ambulance - our help was appreciated because it allowed the ambulance service to work as though that third vehicle had arrived