Nicola takes training on the road

Nicola Rodger has made a career out of preparing others for an emergency. Last year, Nicola had to put the theory she's been teaching into practice after coming across a vehicle accident.

“I was travelling towards Mataura when I came across a car that had crashed and rolled into a ditch. Bystanders had already pulled over to check on him,” Nicola explains. “I pulled over when I found a safe place to park and left enough space for an ambulance to get to him.”

The driver of the vehicle was trapped in his vehicle but was conscious and talking – Nicola described his response as “just a little bit off”. With limited cellphone reception, she asked one of the bystanders to drive further up the road until they had reception, so they could call emergency services.

“I checked medical history with the man and monitored him, just to make sure if he got unwell while we were waiting for the ambulance, I would be able to intervene,” Nicola said.

Speeding motorists endanger rescuers

Complicating matters were the motorists who were continuing their journeys and, in some cases, not slowing down past an active accident site. Police arrived and Nicola – who put high visibility clothing on when she joined the scene – was able to provide them with an update.

“The police immediately made the scene safer. The ambulance arrived later and during that time, the three cars that had pulled over initially continued on their way,” Nicola said.

With police, ambulance and an additional bystander with medical training now on-site, attention turned to getting the man out of his vehicle safely. Trapped against a culvert, this was easier said than done.

“We couldn’t get him out via the back (of his car), because he had too much stuff,” Nicola explained. “We ended up choosing to lift the car just a little bit at the front, so they could open the door and get him out.”

Knowledge speeds up process

Safely removed from the vehicle, the injured man was able to walk to the ambulance to be checked out. Nicola provided valuable assistance to ambulance officers by being able to provide a thorough medical history – including prescribed medications – to speed up the process. The injured motorist was then transported to Invercargill Hospital.

First Aid instructor turned first aid provider Nicola Rodger

Given privacy restrictions, Nicola has not been able to find out how the man fared in hospital, which she said is “quite often how it is”.

Her advice to anyone coming across an accident is to keep an open mind, even if you saw the accident occur.

“People may think someone has been drinking but they might have a medical event happening,” she said.

As for her training, Nicola said her motivation comes from wanting people to respond the same way she does, if they came across an accident involving someone she knew.

“What if this was your family member – what would you want someone to do? What if it was you – what would you like a member of the public to do?

“In this case, I feel like I didn’t do much, because there wasn’t much to do. But if something had happened, I felt prepared.”

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Header image: Person pulling a first aid kit and bottle of water from the boot of a car.