W
L
OFF-DUTY FIREFIGHTER COMES TO
THE RESCUE & PROVIDES CRUCIAL FIRST AID
An off-duty firefighter who only passed out in April gave
crucial first aid to a man who was in collision with a car in
Liverpool city centre. When the police and paramedics arrived, they asked Dan if
he would be willing to help them due to the first aid training
he has received during firefighter training.
Dan Turnbull, 20, assessed the casualty, administered first
aid and stayed at the scene to help paramedics treat the man,
who suffered fractures to both legs. “I assisted paramedics by applying absorbing bandages to
the open wound to soak up and stop blood loss; I helped put
a pelvic binder on the casualty and helped put both of his
legs into splints and secure him to the stretcher with a spider
harness.”
Dan, who joined Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service in 2019
and is stationed at Kirkdale, was driving home along The
Strand when he saw the incident.
The incident occurred on 30th June just after midnight.
Dan, who lives in Pensby, Wirral, said: “A man was in
collision with a car on The Strand outside the Crowne Plaza
Hotel in the city centre.
“I pulled up and immediately began to assess the casualty and
administer first aid. He had an open fracture on his lower left
leg and a closed fracture below his knee on his right leg.”
Dan used a belt to improvise a tourniquet which he applied
above the casualty’s knee on the left leg in order to stem the
blood loss from the open fracture.
He added: “While waiting for paramedics, I took control of
his left leg and foot in order to prevent him from moving too
much, potentially making it worse.
“Other people stopped to help and I asked them to carry out
checks on the casualty’s upper body and head.”
30 wirrallife.com
Dan, who was at the scene for around an hour, said he was
glad to be able to put his skills to good use in a real-life
situation. So far, Dan has been “loving” his first weeks as a
firefighter-in-development and the biggest challenge at work
to date has been firefighting at a large woodyard fire.
Chief Fire Officer at MFRS Phil Garrigan said: “Dan should
be incredibly proud of himself for undertaking these actions.
The skills he has utilised will have limited the impact of the
significant trauma on a member of the public. He was there
to comfort the casualty at a time of crisis, reassuring him that
help was on its way.
“Being a firefighter gives someone confidence to step forward
when others move away – this is a real example of that.
“Well done, we are all very proud.”
MFRS Station Manager Franny Hill said: “The application of
skills learned on his recruit course have been invaluable in
the medical assistance provided by Dan to the member of
the public.”