First aider to the rescue in road accident

8 October 2006

A self-employed candle maker from Hartlepool put his first aid training to good use when a motorcyclist came off his bike in a road accident.

Alan Teather was driving home from an appointment, when he noticed a group of people gathered around a man wearing a yellow high visibility jacket. The man was lying on the floor and Mr Teather pulled over to help when he noticed blood on the road.

Mr Teather explained: “I wondered how I would react if I ever needed to help in an emergency, as I don’t like the sight of blood. It was the first time I have needed to use my training and it was just like going into auto pilot. I put my gloves on and put into action what I had learnt on the course.”

“I ran to get my first aid kit from the car and went through all the main body checks, making sure his neck wasn’t hurt and making him comfortable, I kept him talking while we waited for the ambulance. Once the ambulance crew arrived, I helped them to get the man onto a back board, then we transported him to a stretcher.”

As soon as the man had been safely transferred to the ambulance, Mr Teather drove to break the bad news to the man’s wife.

Mr Teather said: “The man was very concerned about letting his wife know what had happened and so I agreed to drive to her work and explain what had happened. The man had suffered a punctured lung, two broken shoulders and a fractured collarbone. She was very distressed and in no state to drive and so I took her to the hospital and waited with her until her friends arrived.”

“People did ask me why I was still there at the hospital if I wasn’t family. I just think that if that were my wife I would want someone to treat her with the same respect. I would want someone to help her.”

Mr Teather is currently renewing his first aid training certificate and would like to become a St John Ambulance first responder.