Paragliding Accidents - What To Do In An Emergency

Posted on April 4, 2008 in Recreation and Sports by admin

Hazards? Ensure safety of rescuer and victim.

Hello? Check responsiveness by talking to victim.

Help! Call for assistance. 112 works from any cellphone worldwide.

Airway: If no neck injury, open airway by tilting head and lifting chin. Assess breathing. If breathing, place victim in recovery position.

Breathing: If not breathing, remove obstructions from the mouth. Administer two resuscitation breaths.

Circulation: Check pulse in throat. If no pulse, send for help (see numbers below) and begin Life Support: 15 chest compressions, followed by 2 resuscitation breaths. Repeat until circulation returns. Then continue with Breathing until breath returns. Then place in recovery position, and monitor both breathing and circulation every minute.

Bleeding: Major bleeding must be stopped, especially if bright red in colour (arterial blood). Put gloves on. Apply direct pressure to the wound, use a dressing, elevate the injured part above the heart level, help victim to find comfortable position if no spinal injury suspected.

Injuries: After the victim is stabilised, you can assess injuries. Expect injuries to the ankles, pelvis, back, neck, skull and internal bleeding. Try not to move the patient unless the history of the accident rules out back injury completely. After your assessment, send for help if you haven’t done so yet. Ask for the helicopter rescue services unless an ambulance can do a better job. Assume that injuries are critical until a doctor in the hospital confirms otherwise.

Fractures: Stabilise the victim’s neck. Find a collar or make one from folded newspaper or a rolled towel. Make a padded splint for any fractures by binding a rigid material as a support, by strapping the arms to the body or binding the legs to each other. Be careful not to cut off circulation by tight bandages. It might be best to wait until the paramedics arrive before trying to move the victim.

Shock: Treat for shock with all accident victims. Elevate feet slightly, keep patient warm, give nothing to eat or drink. If a qualified person is available, put up an intravenous drip and administer oxygen.

Snakes! If bitten, try to identify the snake. Get to hospital immediately. You can use a pressure bandage on some cases but not for the bite of the Puff Adder (fat body, triangular head); don’t waste time on this. Using tourniquets and trying to suck out the poison is foolish. Try to be still – let your friends carry you to the car. Phone Emergency Services to get directed to the nearest hospital, then phone ahead. Drive there—it’ll often be faster than calling for an ambulance. If you’re bitten far away from the car, phone for helicopter rescue.

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Words © Greg Hamerton

Greg has been flying since 1992 and is a paragliding instructor and cross-country pilot from Cape Town, South Africa. His novel Beyond The Invisible explores themes of fear and freedom within flying. His Fresh Air Site Guide is designed for pilots touring South Africa. The Riddler’s Gift (2007) and is an epic fantasy of magic realism.

Stay aloft with my Fresh Air newsletter, and get useful bonus content. To find out more visit Paragliding in South Africa.

Tags: accident, emergency, first aid, injuries, mountain rescue, paragliding

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