Commuting - First on scene!

OK here's the scenario:

Your doing your normal commute and there is an automobile accident. You are first (or among first) on scene. You have nothing on you but your bike tools and a celphone. Obviously 911 is the first thing you do.

Now what?

I "kinda" know. I had this just happen, but I was not commuting. I work near a busy intersection, less than 1/2 a block away. We heard a CRASH, then a squeeling tire (a damaged vehicle skidding away). A coworker ran across the street to the fire station (very handy) and I went straight to the accident. Old guy driving a compact import was OK, but he was bleeding from his forehead and seemed out of it. He would be OK though. The other drive, in a big ford truck, was unaffected, generally speaking of course.

I told the hurt driver NOT to get up, to STAY PUT, DO NOT MOVE. I understand to do that no matter how serious or trivial the injury might be.

What else can a guy do to help out? Is there anything that we as cyclists can do that the average motorist cannot? I don't personally think so but maybe some of you have more experience.

Take care!

The "three C's" of civilian emergency response are, in order, Check, Call, Care.

First, check the scene, make sure there isn't danger of it escalating. For example, make sure any vehicles stopped in traffic lanes have their emergency flashers on and their engines off. Then make the 911 call. You know what details to give. The care part depends on your training. You can take CPR and civilian First Aid classes at the Red Cross and other such agencies.

What can a bicyclist do, specifically, Hmm, well, keep in mind that you probably have a water bottle or hydrator with water in it. It might be useful to wash wounds or revive an unconscious subject. If you wear anything reflective, it could be used as an indicator for approaching traffic, to move around/past the scene.

Hmm... last accident I saw, a guy clipped the back end of a double parked car and veered off right at me... I moved, then a police officer came around the corner with lights blazing.

Didn't look like there was anything I could do, just asked the cop if he needed a statement, when he said no, I continued on to work.

A couple of years ago, my wife (RN) assisted impromptu at an accident. There was blood around.

She later learned that the guy had AIDS.

Had to IMMEDIATELY start a series of painful meds. Awful.

Then we learned that the guy did NOT have aids.

Whew!!

Something to think about. Most of us don't carry rubber gloves for body fluid protection!

<snip>Something to think about. Most of us don't carry rubber gloves for body fluid protection!

Nor do most of us carry a mask for giving mouth-to-mouth either. Friends of mine in the medical field do carry such things with them most of the time.

That was a good point Denver.

A pair of exam gloves will stuff into a 35 mm film canister nicely. Good for blood-borne pathogen protection and dirty repair work.

I have one of those "pocket masks," I don't carry it around with me though. It has been a thought of mine, to carry that sort of stuff along with a mini bike shop, but then I'm caretaking and not riding.
I suppose if I happened to be first on the scene I would kick in to my CPR/1st aid training, and help out any way I can. Do remember about the blood born pathogens. These are dangerous days out there, they always have been but there are new critters we can pick up. Keep the blood off you, with a plastic bag, or some other barrier, keep the victims still, don't try and move them unless it is a life threatening situation, ie: middle of a busy intersection. Of course if there is a risk of hurting them more with moving them then don't. And don't put yourself in harms way, ie: if you come up on someone who has hit a pole and there is a downed cable laying in the way sparking, make a call and tell the folks not to move.

I make a point of having current first aid training. Nearly needed it in a race last year, thankfully one of our country's top paramedics was out for a jog and could assist! But I feel more secure in the fact that I have this training.

I have one of those "pocket masks," I don't carry it around with me though. It has been a thought of mine, to carry that sort of stuff along with a mini bike shop, but then I'm caretaking and not riding.
I suppose if I happened to be first on the scene I would kick in to my CPR/1st aid training, and help out any way I can. Do remember about the blood born pathogens. These are dangerous days out there, they always have been but there are new critters we can pick up. Keep the blood off you, with a plastic bag, or some other barrier, keep the victims still, don't try and move them unless it is a life threatening situation, ie: middle of a busy intersection. Of course if there is a risk of hurting them more with moving them then don't. And don't put yourself in harms way, ie: if you come up on someone who has hit a pole and there is a downed cable laying in the way sparking, make a call and tell the folks not to move.

I don't carry gloves with me either. My hands always have cracks or cuts from the mail, and the area I live in is rife with deadly diseases, such as AIDS. It's a hard decision to make if I ever have the situation where someone needs help.

What else can a guy do to help out? Is there anything that we as cyclists can do that the average motorist cannot? I don't personally think so but maybe some of you have more experience.

After calling for help, we can pick up our vehicle, carry it around the wreckage, and go on our way. Let's see a car driver do that.

Paul