interesting night last night

[CrimsonSoul]

Me and the wife had the night to ourselves and went to a movie. Our friend, the assistant manager wanted to know if he could come over later so we said sure, after our movie let out he let us stay to watch another for free (so we wouldn't have to go home then come back up). After the theater closed we were taking him to his house for a change of clothes, etc (he's legally blind in one eye and doesn't have a dl because of it). Well I turned one street earlier than normal and when coming to a small bridge came up on a motorcycle accident another car arrived seconds before we did. I loudly told my wife to call 911 as she already had her phone out while our friend jumped out of the car to go assess the damage and I put it in park/emergency flashers and the guy in the SUV that arrived right before us left. The lady was conscious and holding a conversation with us and her boyfriend/husband was on the phone at her side... calling their friends to tell them about the accident instead of 911 (we were the first ones to call the operator told my wife this was the first call and has to get all the info about where we were). While tending to her, mainly making sure she didn't try to get up (because she kept trying to) because she didn't have a helmet on and was complaining she couldn't move her arms and going to tend to her motorcycle (turning it off) When I went to turn off the bike my wife was nearby (still on the phone with 911) she heard the lady tell her boyfriend/husband not to let the cops search her purse because there was weed in it and she was going to be in trouble if they tested her because she smoked some earlier. Cops arrived didn't ask us for a statement (because we didn't witness I guess) or id or anything my wife pulled one off to the side and let them know what she said (and the friends that he called also pulled up on their bikes around this time). The cops response time was somewhere about 2 minutes or less or at least it seemed like it because of the adrenaline.

now things I would have done different. We keep an emergency first aid kit in our glove box with road flares and a mouth guard (in case of cpr) and all the good stuff but I forgot to get it out and had CPR been a necessity I would have wasted valuable time running back to my car to get it (and I would have she had blood all over her face). Any other suggestions about any of this or what I should have done differently? all in all we were probably there for 18 minutes or so beginning when we pulled up to when the cops let us leave.

Side note: the lady said she "hit something in the middle of the road" but there wasn't anything there that I saw that she could have hit, and she admitted (albeit it not knowingly in front of my wife) to having been high at the time so I have a doubt on her story.

[C-dub]

About the only thing I can think of is that if you already have an emergency kit in the car that you try and remember to get it out every time if and when you next happen upon an accident first again.

You could have mentioned the possibility of the rider being under the influence to the police, but if they were taken to an ER I bet they figured it out on their own.

Oh, could have been a cat or dog darting across the road.

[ELB]

I expect that you are kicking yourself for not remembering your emergency kit. This is good, it is much more likely you will remember it if and when there is a next time. Overall you did very well.

Some suggestions:

You mentioned flashers -- that's good. You didn't mention specifically checking what first responders/EMTs/cops/etc call "scene safety." IOW, make sure that you are safe, or at least as safe as you can make it. You don't do anybody any good if you become one of the victims. There is always risk stopping along a road, both from a safety aspect (e.g. getting hit by another car) and security (maybe she freaks out because her weed was laced with who-knows-what?) You can't completely reduce all risks, but you can take a deep breath, calm down, look around and make any risks manageable. And if you can't, leave.

Also, stay aware of your surroundings, because things change, and might become riskier over time. If you realize the scene is more dangerous than you thought, or if your patient becomes a danger to you, back off or leave and call 911 again from a safe spot. Same if some of the neighbors or onlookers turn out to be unfriendly or try to take advantage of the situation. This is not likely, but it happens.

Make sure you park your car so as to protect yourself, and use flashers and triangles. Flares are OK, but they tend to set things on fire, like spilled gasoline or roadside grass. Add a reflective safety vest to your emergency kit, maybe two vests for you and your wife, and USE IT. (Just be prepared that people will suddenly look to you for leadership when you wear it). And don't get one of those cheesy cheap ones with a single small strip of tape on it -- you can get what's known as a "Public Safety Vest" for anywhere from $20 on up.

Designate someone to watch for traffic and other hazards, and to direct police/ambulance/firefighters to scene. Amazingly enough, it is not always obvious to responders what happened and where it is.

Designate someone to call 911 like did that with your wife. THAT WAS GOOD. Don't assume people will do anything, a lot of them will stand around wanting to help, not knowing what to do, and will be happy to comply with someone who does know what he is doing. Give orders, but don't go all Lee Ermey on them. "Are you willing to help? Yes? Good, please figure out what the address here is and call 911, tell them motorcycle down with at least one injured female." etc

Look around and see if there are non-obvious problems or victims. Everyone will look at the wreck or body in the road, and completely miss another car or person off in the bushes.

Make sure you are trained for the stuff that is in your emergency kit, and try out them out before you need them. It is embarrassing to have to figure out how to open a package or use something "on scene." Worse, it consumes all your focus, and you lose track of other important things around you. First aid courses are always good to have under your belt.

Make sure your kit or your safety vest has several pairs of nitrile gloves (the ones the medical people wear) and PUT A PAIR ON RIGHT AWAY, before you approach a person. Once you get involved, it is hard to remember or find a chance to put them on. (This will also set you apart from the crowd, so be ready to find yourself as THE LEADER).

Tell the cops the facts, but don't get carried away or make suppositions. They will write that stuff down too. Also, they are likely to write your name and address down, and you could very well become a witness in either a criminal trial or lawsuit months or even years later.

Urging the patient to be still and in the position you found her was very good. There is no reason to move the patient unless there is a danger like fire, on the train tracks with oncoming train, that sort of thing. But urge the patient to restrain herself, don't try to hold down someone who is alert and oriented and is dead set on making a bad decision.


Again, you did very well, you were a good Samaritan, and I am glad you live in our society. Thanks.

[CrimsonSoul]

About the safety vest that's a great idea and I never thought of it and getting gloves on while approaching.
My surronding awareness wasn't that great originally we were protected by my car and the other car that pulled up blocking all oncoming lanes then sometime after the other guy left as I previously stated but I couldn't yell you when he left something I need to think about if there is a next time.

The lady was trying to get up I was gently holding her down not even with a pound of pressure while saying she neede to stay still and not get up and she complied each time this happened probably two or three times or so before she didn't try again.

Thanks for all the suggestions on what I should do different if there is a next time and keep them coming if you have any.

[speedsix]

...a 2-C-cell Maglite available at Home Dippy for around $15 and the orange wand that slips on it might save lives...people follow motion more than respond to flares/flashers...a person waving traffic around or turning them left or right reduces the chance of someone slamming into your shielding cars...and gives you an early shout if someone's about to...use wide, clear arcs...
...I know it's not legal to "direct traffic" in Texas, but I've not seen/heard of anyone acting in an emergency being fussed at, let alone fined...you did real well and played it from the head and the heart...thanks for being involved!!!

[SewTexas]

keeping her down was good, and it sounds like she probably knew that she needed to stay down but wanted to get up, which really was a good sign...
A few weeks ago when my daughter was taking her drivers test an older lady came out of the building and tripped and just didn't stop, she fell right down...I couldn't run fast enough to catch her...problem was she didn't make a move to get up, she didn't go unconcious, she talked to me, she just didn't move to get up, it seemed like that would have been natural, scared me to death...so, I kept my hand on her back until the EMT's came so she didn't get up or roll over...