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Mark Hinchliffe·
Tips/trainingRiding/safety tips
··4 Comments·2 min read

First-aid training pays off for injured riders

First Aid for Motorcyclists patch training injuries
THe crash scene

Riders who have taken the First Aid For Motorcyclists course have helped themselves and other injured riders with their newfound knowledge and training.

And with Easter approaching, all riders who have done the course have been urged to brush up on their notes and skills.

First Aid For Motorcyclists instructors Roger Fance and Tracy Hughes sold their Sydney house in June 2015 and are taking the $78 course around Australia to reach as many riders as possible. So far they have trained more than 1000 riders in these essential emergency skills.

First Aid for Motorcyclists organisers Roger Fance Tracy Hughes training
Roger and Tracy

Among those was an injured 24-year-old rider who was able to talk the paramedics through the correct procedure to safely remove his own helmet, says Tracy.

“His mother rang and told us her son couldn’t attend the course with her, but when they got home she and her husband showed him what they’d learnt and how to remove a helmet,” she says.

“So when he was later involved in an accident he was able to talk the paramedics through the correct procedure.”

In another case, Tracy says a female rider hit a dog, crashed and was badly injured but another FAFM-trained rider was able to tend the scene, receiving high praise from the paramedics.

A Gold Coast rider who did the FAFM course was also able to successfully remove a helmet from an injured rider when the paramedics were unsure of the procedure. He sent this video to Tracy and Roger to use in their training.

https://youtu.be/RMl2cXbJDCk

“I was able to assist the ambulance personnel at the scene of a motorcycle accident in October and your instruction on the removal of helmets was very handy,” the rider says.

“The injured rider has given permission to forward the video to you for possible training purposes.  His significant injury was to three vertebra.

First Aid for Motorcyclists patch training
THe crash scene

“It is worth noting in the audio that he had a microphone attached to the lower section of the helmet which interfered with the removal of the helmet.  The blood on his nose was the result of a cut from his glasses.”

Tracy says it is great to see in the video that the paramedics allowed Graham to manage the helmet removal and gave support with the rider’s neck.

First Aid for Motorcyclists course
Ambos arrive on the scene of another motorcycle crash

“I am often surprised at the number of emergency services staff who are not familiar with helmet removal technique,” she says.

“The video is powerful stuff and a great testimonial to the importance of the right training to give you the skills and confidence in these situations.”

Riders who have completed the specialised motorcycle accident management training course have been urged to look over their course notes before Easter which usually has a spike in motorcycle accidents.

Course graduates can also now buy a 75mm stitched patch for $10 as a way to identify themselves at an accident scene as a rider who knows how to manage road trauma injuries.

It shows that the rider has the skills to handle the accident scene until emergency services arrive.

If you’ve completed the course, order your patch here.

Tracy and Roger have arrived in Western Australia for more course dates.

Click here to see when they will be in a town near you.

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4 Comments

  1. I am wondering why his helmet was removed when he did not appear to have a blocked airway or in any respiratory distress. You would have absolutely NO idea on the roadside if there were any neck or spinal injuries. There could be harm done that was unnecessary just because you want your helmet off. Makes NO sense!!! Personally I would NOT want anyone to remove my helmet unless my life was at risk. If I could talk to them then the helmet could stay on until I had proper medical attention. I am not going to end up in a wheel chair for a bit of discomfort.

  2. Watching this helmet removal, I was thinking – this is a good example of how NOT to remove a helmet! I hope the person who was injured is doing well. If this is the technique being taught as “Textbook”, I would dearly like to see that textbook. 1. the only reason to remove a helmet is if it interferes with a person’s airway. This person was conscious and did not appear to be having an airway issue. #2, There was far too much movement of the neck as there was poor stabilization of the neck. The person removing the helmet did not pull out on the straps and did not fill the space under the head that was left when the helmet was removed. HIs technique was nothing I have ever seen. I hope Motorbike will consider removing this video as an example of how to remove a helmet since it could do more harm. You should consult the leading trauma training organization in Australia: ASMA for proper removal. I would recommend people complete “A Crash Course for the Motorcyclist” taught by Accident Scene Management Australia.for proper techniques.

  3. Some observations on the video..
    1) Bystander is not using any gloves, etc to protect from bloodborne pathogens.
    2) Airway not compromised, no need to remove helmet (a cut on the nose from glasses does not qualify as life or limb)
    3) Poor control of the neck/head. Excessive movement.
    4) Liability to Medics and bystander due to bystander performing a unneeded procedure when trained responders are on scene. Once again, not a life/limb situation requiring helmet removal.
    5) Failure to make sure helmet was ready to remove (left microphone in the helmet, resulting in up/down/up of helmet while attempting to remove).
    6) Once removed, no spinal stabilization provided for patient. Any existing neck injury would have been further aggravated (possibly the 3 vertebra referenced in the article?)
    Also interesting to note is that the in the description with the actual video on youtube, they make reference to it being a “textbook” removal.
    As a trained Emergency Services responder and Instructor with my local department, I can tell you the only thing “textbook” about that removal is we would use it in class as a demonstration of an improper helmet removal and to go over things NOT to do during a helmet removal.

  4. There are obvious issues. As stated above, the responder did not glove up, and the helmet should not have been removed unless to open an airway. The injured was breathing. In any trauma related event, C-Spine injury is the first and foremost concern. One should not risk further spinal injury. Furthermore, before the helmet was tampered with, the head and C-Spine should have been stabilized by one responder. While the strap was being undone, no one was stabilizing the head and neck.
    Please consider that you are incorrectly guiding lay-responders, by misleading them to divert from important, life-threatening steps. If the injured had the C2/C3 vertebral injury, any motion could prove fatal.
    A helmet should only be removed if there are no signs of breathing, and the helmet interferes with the airway which must be opened to save a life.
    When blood is present (or anytime one attempts assistance), the first thing is to protect yourself by wearing proper body substance isolation.
    You are inviting your trainees to join the injured, then leading them to further injure the downed rider.

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