NationStates Jolt Archive

Just going to share a story of today. About three weeks ago I finally got put onto a two-day comprehensive first aid course for work, which I had been keen to do for months. After it, I decided to sign up to volunteer to go through the training and become a St Johns Paramedic. I've put in the application and should hear from them soon.

Today I was driving towards home, going up to a set of traffic lights when I saw an old man walking on the pavement opposite me fall fowards and smack his head onto the concrete. I slammed my car to a halt, put on the hazard lights and ran across the road to where he was lying. A tradesman pulled up on the same side as the man and I asked him if he had a first aid kit. He got me the kit and I asked him to call the ambulance. Blood was pouring from the man's head and flowing down the pavement. I was able to turn him over and pulled a pad and bandage from the kit and bandaged his head to stop the bleeding. I tried to reassure him and continually check that he remained breathing. The ambulance arrived in about 3 minutes and the ambulance officer asked me what had happened as she checked him over. I helped get the stretcher out and we put the man onto it. A second ambulance officer arrived and we all loaded the man into the back of the ambulance.

After that the ambulance left and I was free to go which left me dazed for about an hour as I got over the shock of it. If you can't do first aid, go and do a course. If I hadn't done the course I wouldn't have had the foggiest of what to do and would have been no help at all. As it was I was able to stop his bleeding, bandage him properly and was prepared for rescue breathing and CPR if he'd needed it. When the ambulance got there all they had to do was get him on the stretcher and to the hospital.

No point, just an amazing story which I thought someone might find interesting.

Wow. Luck, bravery, quick-thinking, all in a package. How was the old man in the end?

Wow. Luck, bravery, quick-thinking, all in a package. How was the old man in the end?

He went out in the ambulance conscious, breathing and bandaged. The ambo officer called a second officer so they could have someone in the back with him. I asked, and they didn't need to take my name or anything. Last thing I know, they drove off. I think I'll email them tommorow and try to find out.

bump

How was the old man in the end?

I talked to the ambulance today, they took him to the emergency department on high priority, after that they don't know.

I'm going to try to talk to them, I'll post if I find out anything else.

Talked to the hospital and they can't give out information about patients, especially when I didn't even know his name.

So I'll never know...

Talked to the hospital and they can't give out information about patients, especially when I didn't even know his name.

So I'll never know...
Aww...
That's too bad, really.
:(

very nice... i do hope he is ok. the planet needs more people with that sorta ability. maybe i oughta take a course.

of course, this was much better then my ordeal with a od'er, but i dont think i'll bore you with the story. i doubt it, but maybe a course like this would have given me some idea as to what to do, i will look into one.

of course, this was much better then my ordeal with a od'er, but i dont think i'll bore you with the story. i doubt it, but maybe a course like this would have given me some idea as to what to do, i will look into one.

I'm going to be with St. John (http://www.stjohn.org.nz), who don't do ambulance in Wellington, only events, so I'm hoping I'l have to deal less with the OD'ers, drunks and car accidents. At least at the start. Why don't you share your story?

Wow, very good. It's nice to know that there are still good people in this world.

very nice... i do hope he is ok. the planet needs more people with that sorta ability. maybe i oughta take a course.

I say it's a great idea for everybody to know at least the basics if they can make a little time for it. I, for one, find the whole topic of medicine fascinating, and I make sure to attend whatever interesting little classes & workshops they hold at the local community college.
Anyway, if you've got the free time and the interest, go for it!
:)

heh.. ah why not, im bored anyway.

im working at mcdonalds, just a normal day, when this lady comes in, obviously not in a proper state of mind. i thought she was just drunk as all hell. she ordered some food and a drink, which she took outside and dropped (i noticed cause i was out in the lobby cleaning) so i figured i'd do the nice thing and bring her a new one. after i get back in, i do some minor cleaning in the back, then we get busy for alittle while. about two hours later i go on break, and i notice her car was still there, turned on and everything. so i go out and check on her and shes "asleep." so i knock on her window. no response. i pound on the hood. no responce. i open the door, and start to kinda shake her and honk her horn.. and shout a bunch. shes still not getting up. obviously im kinda worried at this point, so i tell a coworker to call the police and i begin to shake her like a bad baby, still shes asleep. so i turn off her car (its been on forever with heaters on full blast... carbon monixide posionings a bitch) and prop her in a decent position in her seat. i start to look for i.d. in her purse and all that, and find her credit card. after my friend called the police, the first person to arrive was her husband, who heard the whole thing on a phone she left on under her seat. he quickly began to yell at me because i wasnt being gentle enough. oh, and he happened to find 6 bottles of pills, all mostly empty, of various things like vikidan. second on the scene - a different county's police car, saying they've been looking for her for hours. and of course yelled at me cause i didnt call him first. last but not least, the ambulance came and told us she overdosed beyond belief... and wouldnt you guess, yelled at me cause i didnt call them "as soon as she got in her car" as if i were supposed to check ever single person who gets into their car at a mcdonalds parking lot. either way, i dont think she survived, because of some news report about an anonymous woman who od'ed (not sure if it was the same) and i never heard anything about it sense. i just hoped it wasnt her.

I'm going to be with St. John (http://www.stjohn.org.nz), who don't do ambulance in Wellington, only events, so I'm hoping I'l have to deal less with the OD'ers, drunks and car accidents. At least at the start. Why don't you share your story?

They usually have a few of them around during hockey games so I might see you during the year and you can take away my victims..

Reminds me of how one of my oldest friends missed his first Eagle scout court of honor (award ceremony, for those who didnit know). On his way there, he noticed an older guy collapse while mowing. He stopped the car got out and discovered the guy was having a heart attack. He had a neighbor call the ambulance and went back and started CPR. The guy lived to attend my friends re-scheduled court of honor. :)

-snip-

Ouch, that's rough. More than likely though, it was probably the stress of the moment that made those people have a go at you.

Anyhow, I know basic resuscitation and first aid. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, though.

They usually have a few of them around during hockey games so I might see you during the year and you can take away my victims..

Hehe, cool. I'm hoping to get onto the crew that does trail rides, then I could cruise the trails on their quad bike. :)

Sounds too altruistic.

You did hit him with the car Didn't you!! :D

Sounds too altruistic.

You did hit him with the car Didn't you!! :D

:D Yeah, considering I'm a Libertarian, aren't I supposed to be a greedy, money-hungry, selfish pig?

Ah well *shrug*