How to respond to a car crash

BURGERSFORT – Arriving first at an accident scene is usually a shocking experience for anyone. Many of us do not know what we should and should not do.

Steelburger/Lydenburg News spoke to Sabelo Nxumale, an advanced life-support paramedic for Netcare911 based at Modikwa Clinic.

He shared how people should act in an emergency.

“The very first thing to remember is your life comes first. If the situation poses a danger to you, you should think of your own safety. If you are the first to arrive on an accident scene, assess the situation and make informative decisions.

“You need to flag down other motorists and put out a triangle in the lane in which the accident occurred, about 45 metres towards the oncoming traffic.

“If the persons involved in the accident are conscious, ask permission before you touch or help any of the victims. If the person is unconscious, you are allowed to help without consent.”

Nxumale suggested to immediately call emergency services, or ask bystanders (if there are any) to do so.

“When someone is bleeding, wear gloves to prevent the spread of infections. It is important to remember when you work with more than one person to always change your gloves before working on another.

Try to stop the bleeding by putting pressure on the wounds.”

According to him, it is not advised to pull a victim from the car or, if he/she is on the road, to pull them off the road. You can only do it when there is an immediate threat. As a bystander your duty is not to treat, but to protect the person until emergency personnel arrive.

“Never rush or yell at emergency personnel, they are working as diligently and as fast as they can,” explained Nxumale.

Sometimes people get irritated when driving past an accident scene. He advises motorists to drive slow when passing, but never to stop. Stopping causes a traffic backup, which reduces the response time of other emergency services on call.

If there are bystanders, they have to stay behind the barricaded area.

When an ambulance has only its lights on, it indicates that there is a patient on board, but the situation is not life threatening.

When both the lights and sirens are on, people are advised to make way, because it is a life-threatening situation. Sirens are used to warn motorists and the lights are there to catch your attention in your rear-view mirror.

Netcare911 – 082-911

Maponya911 – 081-304-6501

Protoscape EMS – 081-499-5950

1Star EMS – 082-621-1924

Police – 10111.