Even trained medical staff should do the First Aid for Motorcyclists course because motorcycle accidents are different to other emergency situations.
The course is currently touring Australian capital cities and major regional centres to build awareness around what to do at a motorcycle accident scene through this specialised training for riders.
Instructors Tracy Hughes and partner Roger Fance say their course shouldn’t be seen as a standard first-aid course because the material has been developed for motorcyclists and excludes less relevant information like drowning, choking and poisoning.
“There is so much in a standard first-aid course that is less relevant to motorcycle crashes and also a lot that is missing so we developed this course,” Tracy says.
Tracey and Roger hit the roadMotorcycle-specific information includes when and how to remove a helmet, how to deal with protective clothing, serious road trauma injuries, how to move a casualty or bike to safety, and more.
Even qualified nurses such as Kerrie Smith and other people trained in first aid attended a recent course at the Caboolture Golf Course.
Kerrie, who rides a Harley-Davidson 1200 Sportster, says she and partner Tristan Davies have witnessed a couple of accidents between them and they felt they needed more motorcycle-specific training.
“There are even differences in how to approach and manage the accident scene,” Kerrie says.
Kellie Smith and Tristan DaviesTracy says one example of how a motorcycle scene is different is the vulnerability of the casualty.
“A lot of crashed riders are actually killed by being run over after the crash because no one has managed the scene properly,” she says.
The half-day courses are restricted to under 28 people and the course I attended attracted 26, riders, mostly aged over 35, including eight women and riders on a range of bikes such as sports, adventure, cruisers, tourers and even a trike.
Tracy says they would like to attract more young riders.
“But they think they are bulletproof and it won’t happen to them,” she says.
This testimonial from Wayne Bozza perfectly sums up why riders should do the course:
“To all the people I motorcycle with. TODAY I INVESTED IN YOU. I attended the First Aid for Motorcyclists Accident Scene training course.
- I refreshed my general first aid skills;
- I learnt specific first aid skills relevant to common motorcycle related injuries that aren’t usually covered in regular first-aid courses;
- I learnt how to assess whether to move a rider or not and how to move them properly, when and when not to remove a helmet and how to do it properly;
- I learnt to deal with life-threatening injuries and bleeds and how to assess the conscious, unconscious and semi-conscious;
- I learnt how to assess normal vs abnormal breathing and when to apply CPR;
- I learnt to communicate with emergency services properly to ensure the most efficient and best possible result;
- I learnt how to generally manage a crash scene, when and how to move motorcycles and when not to and how to ensure the crash scene is preserved for compensation proceedings;
- I learnt how to record all the appropriate details regarding the first-aid events to assist the emergency services personnel (paramedics and hospital) manage treatment efficiently and effectively; and
- I learnt how to record all the appropriate details to assist in legal and compensation proceedings that could result 12 or more months down the track so that the injured rider(s) obtain the best possible outcome.
Absolutely this is an investment that I hope I never need to use. It’s an investment I made that won’t serve me in the event that I need such assistance – this was all about all of you.
WILL YOU INVEST IN ME? I want to ride with people that know the things I now know.”
That’s Wayne with his hands in his pockets up the back