
"RTC, car on roof, patient trapped, injuries unknown"
Uuurrrggghh! We lit the roof up and off we went. As we approached the traffic lights ahead, the fire brigade came swinging round the corner. At this time of the morning, I couldn't deal with them trying to take over so I accelerated somewhat! Luckily for us, about a mile up the road was a width restriction that they had to open a gate for. We however were able to squeeze through the normal restriction so off we went, waving at them as we did. The guys in the back laughed, the driver looked positively livid! Build a bridge.....and get over it!
We were greeted on the road in question by the frantic wave of a man standing IN the road. He continued to wave even as we were slowing down to stop. He then came running to the door, trying to talk to me before I could get out! When I could eventually get out he was more intent on telling me it wasn't his fault than what happened! Over 30 feet from the kerb, deeply embedded in one of the biggest bramble bushes I've ever seen was a car, upside down with the wriggling arms of our patient waving around.
We headed over to the car, our patient was alive, not complaining of any pain, but was well and truly stuck....upside down and seat belted in! By all accounts the car had rolled 2-3 times before settling in the bush! As Gun'n'Roses once said 'Welcome to the jungle, we've got fun and games'. Well quite, although it was more of a rain forest than jungle and getting her out would be no fun at all! It was a 3 seater and her door was jammed. Due to the bramble bush she was in, the passenger side wasn't accessible so the boot was the only option!

Once I had her head, I could do nothing else! My crew mate and the fire brigade came up with a plan and implemented it! It involved a lot of cutting equipment, a lot of noise and the kind of lifting manoeuvre the the Health & Safety executive would break into a sweat over! It took almost an hour of the door and boot to be cut off, the back seats to be removed and enough shrubbery to be cleared to make extraction possible! An hour is a long time to sit in the same uncomfortable position with your arms outstretched!
During the hour though I got to know my patient very well! I learnt about her life, her children, her taste in music and her hobbies! She also learnt about mine! She was referring to my son by name and I hers. An audio recording of our conversation couple have been mistaken for one between friends in a pub despite there being absolutely carnage going on around us! It was one of those moments in my career I will look back on fondly, not because I saved a life or did anything particularly special, but because I had a laugh with someone who was upside down, whilst I was laying on my back, in a bramble bush, in the rain, surrounded by fireman! Wait.....am I dreaming?!

I met her again 4 hours later when she was being discharged! It was nice to there was no injuries and nice to say goodbye properly! It seems weird never seeing someone again that knows you so well!
NB: Trumpton banter aside, the fire service do a bloody good job, for crap money, and were fantastic on this job. I may give the daffodils a hard time but we are all the same team and I couldn't do what they do! (hate sitting around!!) Sorry, couldn't help it!
"whilst I was laying on my back, in a bramble bush, in the rain, surrounded by fireman! Wait.....am I dreaming?!"
ReplyDeleteSounds like something I'd dream about, haha! Glad she was okay, well done all :)
Great post....as per! One question - why "daffodils"?
ReplyDeleteI do like a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered how I'd get someone with neck pain out of an upside down car. Now I know!
ReplyDeleteLisa, 'daffodils' refers to their yellow helmets and standing around in bunches looking pretty.