©InfoWhen Steve Dent came across a serious car accident in the early hours, he kept calm and immediately started giving life-saving treatment to the driver – thanks to his first aid training.
Steve happened upon the accident last winter while out driving in the early hours near Guist in Norfolk. He recalled: “It was a very misty morning and I came round a corner to find a car had overturned and rolled up the road. I was the first on the scene and soon became aware that the young woman driving the car was in serious trouble.
Fortunately, thanks to his Red Cross training at work, Steve knew exactly what to do. He said: “My first aid training just cut in – I wasn't panicking at all. I assessed the situation and, with help from other people who had started to turn up, made sure the immediate area was safe. Then I got on with helping the girl.”
Life-saving intervention
It soon became clear that Steve had turned up just in time. He said: “She wasn't responding at all, blood was everywhere and she had serious head injuries. I asked for someone to call for an ambulance and cleared her airway, as the blood had filled her mouth and nostrils and she couldn't breathe.
“Thankfully, she took a gurgling breath and then started breathing very shallow through the blood. After a while, a medic who was on his way home turned up and he took over until the emergency services arrived.”
Fortunately, the emergency services – including a helicopter ambulance, two fire engines and police cars – soon arrived at the scene and the critically-injured casualty was whisked away to hospital.
Making a recovery
It wasn't until Steve was driving to work afterwards that the full enormity of what had happened fully hit him. He recalled: “I was quite emotional and very concerned for the girl’s future. There were child seats in the car and, being a father of a young family myself, I kept thinking of her and her family. Still, I was pleased I’d been able to help.
“I've since been told that she was unconscious for a very long time in hospital, but is out now and making a slow recovery. I hope to hear how she is doing some time soon.”
The experience really brought home to Steve just how crucial it can be to have some basic first aid knowledge. He said: “I don't know how I would have got on without my first aid training – but I would probably have been in a total panic, if I'm honest.”
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