As I was driving to school today, I saw a guy lose control of his motorcycle trying to avoid hitting a car that was being driven by someone who apparently doesn't know what stop signs are for. Unlike the nine or ten other assholes that saw it happen, I decided that helping this guy was more important than getting to my chemistry class on time, so I pulled into a parking lot and ran back to the scene.
As I arrived, I had my phone out and had "9-1" entered, a few others had decided to stop. I completed dialing 911 and described the situation as I was assessing the man's injuries. He was conscious and able to talk and move. His right ankle was broken in the way that bone was exposed, and he had some scrapes and bruises, but he wasn't bleeding too badly. He lost less than a pint overall. Thanks to things I learned as a Boy Scout, I recognized that the blue shade his face had turned, the fact that he had stopped screaming, and that he didn't appear to be in any pain indicated that he was going into shock. I then recalled what to do in that situation and began giving out instructions to others present and to the injured man so as not to make things worse, and reassuring him that his injuries weren't too bad and that he was going to be fine. Luckily the police and paramedics arrived within minutes. Once they got him on the stretcher, he started looking pretty bad. The blue shade had deepened, and he seemed to be losing consciousness. They got there just in time. Of the few people that stopped to help out, I was the only one with a phone. Had I not been there, help wouldn't have arrived as quickly. I probably saved his life.
So, yeah, I mostly started this thread for recognition. However, for the sake of discussion: I left earlier than I usually do this morning, and I also missed my exit on the freeway so I had to double back. The accident occurred in an area that's not along my normal route. Coincidence, or divine intervention?
As I arrived, I had my phone out and had "9-1" entered, a few others had decided to stop. I completed dialing 911 and described the situation as I was assessing the man's injuries. He was conscious and able to talk and move. His right ankle was broken in the way that bone was exposed, and he had some scrapes and bruises, but he wasn't bleeding too badly. He lost less than a pint overall. Thanks to things I learned as a Boy Scout, I recognized that the blue shade his face had turned, the fact that he had stopped screaming, and that he didn't appear to be in any pain indicated that he was going into shock. I then recalled what to do in that situation and began giving out instructions to others present and to the injured man so as not to make things worse, and reassuring him that his injuries weren't too bad and that he was going to be fine. Luckily the police and paramedics arrived within minutes. Once they got him on the stretcher, he started looking pretty bad. The blue shade had deepened, and he seemed to be losing consciousness. They got there just in time. Of the few people that stopped to help out, I was the only one with a phone. Had I not been there, help wouldn't have arrived as quickly. I probably saved his life.
So, yeah, I mostly started this thread for recognition. However, for the sake of discussion: I left earlier than I usually do this morning, and I also missed my exit on the freeway so I had to double back. The accident occurred in an area that's not along my normal route. Coincidence, or divine intervention?
