Off-Duty Firefighter Comes to Rescue & Provides Crucial First Aid

Posted 28th August 2019
 
 
4 minutes read
 
Icon indicating article type.

An off-duty firefighter who only passed out in April gave crucial first aid to a man who was in collision with a car in Liverpool city centre.

Dan Turnbull, 20, assessed the casualty, administered first aid and stayed at the scene to help paramedics treat the man, who suffered fractures to both legs.

Dan, who joined Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service in 2019 and is stationed at Kirkdale, was driving home along The Strand when he saw the incident.

The incident occurred on 30th June just after midnight.

Dan, who lives in Pensby, Wirral, said: “A man was in collision with a car on The Strand outside the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the city centre.

“I pulled up and immediately began to assess the casualty and administer first aid. He had an open fracture on his lower left leg and a closed fracture below his knee on his right leg.”

Dan used a belt to improvise a tourniquet which he applied above the casualty’s knee on the left leg in order to stem the blood loss from the open fracture.

He added: “While waiting for paramedics, I took control of his left leg and foot in order to prevent him from moving too much, potentially making it worse.

“Other people stopped to help and I asked them to carry out checks on the casualty’s upper body and head.”

When the police and paramedics arrived, they asked Dan if he would be willing to help them due to the first aid training he has received during firefighter training.  

“I assisted paramedics by applying absorbing bandages to the open wound to soak up and stop blood loss; I helped put a pelvic binder on the casualty and helped put both of his legs into splints and secure him to the stretcher with a spider harness.”

Dan, who was at the scene for around an hour, said he was glad to be able to put his skills to good use in a real-life situation.

So far, Dan has been “loving” his first weeks as a firefighter-in-development and the biggest challenge at work to date has been firefighting at a large woodyard fire.

Chief Fire Officer at MFRS Phil Garrigan said: “Dan should be incredibly proud of himself for undertaking these actions. The skills he has utilised will have limited the impact of the significant trauma on a member of the public. He was there to comfort the casualty at a time of crisis, reassuring him that help was on its way.

“Being a firefighter gives someone confidence to step forward when others move away – this is a real example of that.

“Well done, we are all very proud.”

MFRS Station Manager Franny Hill said: “The application of skills learned on his recruit course have been invaluable in the medical assistance provided by Dan to the member of the public.”