First Aid For Motorcyclists
My helmet was twisted on my head, I couldn't see out of my right eye, it felt gritty. The helmet, at 45 degrees to where it should be, was crushing my nose, restricting my breathing. Instincts kicked in and I fought to remove the helmet but as I was pinned under the fallen bike there was no hope.
The other riders were now with me and I needn't panic, two of the three had done a first aid course, they would assess the situation and make it right. What gave me greater confidence was that they had done one specifically designed for motorcyclists.
Yes, there was panic amongst my fellow riders as they initially assessed the situation, we were in the middle of the Western Australian outback, desert; hot, dry and very remote. As they took stock of the situation the panic subsided and a rescue plan was put in place.
My initial reaction was get my stricken bike and gear from the road. Although remote, and very rarely used, the gear spread across the road could cause problems for other traffic, I'd noticed a roadtrain about 50 kilometres back, and if that came upon us, it wouldn't be able to stop in time. The rider with no first aid experience was put on this task immediately.
The first aiders then set about me. They could see I was struggling with the helmet, and although I desperately wanted it off, they calmed me and explained what they were going to do. They essentially looked for a response and obtained a history of the incident. I knew I had broken my collarbone and was able to convey this to them, they checked for other injuries, especially breathing and then bleeding. Once they were happy with the situation they set about removing my helmet.
In removing someone else helmet there's a knack to it, it is NOT just a matter of pulling it off. Thankfully they were able to extract it in a way that would prevent spinal damage (although, in hindsight, they probably shouldn't have removed my helmet until the emergency services arrived).
While my two helpers, with the help of my training too, were able to put my arm in a position to reduce the pain, my head was also kept immobilised so as to reduce further risk of spinal injury, this was a concern with the numbness being experienced.
A travelling nurse was then on scene and backed up what my fellow riders had done by going over the process again although, with greater detail. I felt much more relaxed.
The outcome of the accident hasn't been great, I've written enough about that however, without the first aid training that three of us had I'm certain it would've be much worse. The training we had undertaken just a few months earlier was motorcycle specific, teaching things that normal first aid courses don't. Assessing the scene, removing hazards, 'diagnosing' the condition of the patient and implementing a plan to secure the scene.
There's no doubt that one of the greatest parts of this course was the removal of the helmet. Should it have been removed in my case? Probably not. It doesn't matter, it was removed safely, minimising any further damage.
Our training, invaluable and which I believe every motorcyclist, especially those that travel and explore remote areas, should undertake to learn, was provided by First Aid For Motorcyclists.
Having undergone many first aid courses over the years, I thought what more can I learn. Putting aside my arrogance, I realised there was more I didn't know than what I did.
The knowledge I gained from the course was enough to enable me to work with the other riders, providing the confidence to ensure the risks were minimised. For this, I can't thank Trace Hughes and Roger Fance enough for what they tought me and my fellow riders.
If you ride or have a loved one that does, I can't recommend a motorcycle specific first aid course enough. And if you're able, do one of the best ones around, the sort provided by First Aid For Motorcyclists.
First Aid For Motorcyclists
Ph +61 0408 956 435
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