Bike First Aid

Hi Ridders Myself and my wife are both Advance Life Support Paramedics. I have 15 Years experiance in Emergency Medicine (EMS) and she 5 years. We would gladly give any Emergency treatment advice to all ridders looking some. Please feel free to contact us on, Monard 0832322537 or Jeannie 0734453970

Good to know Monard, thanks. We have quite a few first aiders in the club and it's great to know who they are when we are on rides. ''If you can dream it you can do it!''

My God Stockigt, That goes back many years. I remember you when you were at school still on the first aid team and then as an 'observer' at Strand Fire and then later on many calls in the Helderberg basin. Well done for putting yourself through most of the training and living your dream. So you got yourself an 1150GSA. Great bike and please come along to the club meeting next Tuesday 27th Oct. See the forum for details. Watch for rides and come along join us on off-tar and on-tar adventures. We currently have three of us with plenty EMS experience and we take along a BLS kit on most club rides as well as a trauma board. One thing you can never have enough of is EMT training and skills. Join the BMW club if you do intend to go biking along the back roads and come see what you can offer. Andyman Yup that's me. Standing up in the traffic on the 1150GSA.

ICE - some questions

Yesterday, riding on my own between Stanford and Betty’s Bay at dusk, I was painfully aware of how vulnerable we bikers are.

If I had crashed after being blinded by a car passing in the opposite direction, how would anyone trying to help me know who I am assuming I could not tell them?

The only form of ID I carry is my cell phone.  It is very well wrapped up and tucked away (having trashed my last one when I fell in the river at Wuppertal) and it only has my ICE numbers in it. What if it doesn’t work for whatever reason if someone eventually does find it?

I’ve seen fellow club members with various forms of ID stuck onto their helmet, neck brace or somewhere on their bike, but where do people who know what to do at an accident scene look first? And what form should it be – written on paper, identity band or what? What information do they want to see and what is too much? Where should you keep it – in full view on your jacket or helmet, around your wrist, or where else?   

Most para medics, as you would know, will look for dog tags around the neck or on a braclet.

"Medic Alert" sells either when you join. Info on the tag is generally any allergies (eg penicillin) and or other medical info and whether you are a member of a  Medical Aid scheme. They have "Medic Alerts" 24 hour phone number on the tag. Callers will be given further medical info and your family will be contacted. 

"Think Bike" offers a similar product on joining. TB tags have the telehpone numbers and names you nominate to be contacted in an emerency.

Hi Riders ILS medic from Cape Town with several years experience in Remote, hostile and offshore medicine. Same as Stocky feel free to contact me when questions arise, I am generally out of country most of the time so email neilbrownsa@hotmail.com. I can provide suggestions on med supplies and the suppliers in and around Cape Town to purchase it from. Thing on the ID tags. Deon dogtags, you must be troopie, I was Ops Medic in the mag myself, brings back memories. Best advice keep it in pocket on the outside of jacket, we will rummage through your pockets looking for some form of ID. I would suggest a laminated paper with the following details: Full Name Medical conditions (Diabetes, Blood Pressure, etc if any) Chronic medication,the strength of the meds are important to us. Allergies Blood Group if known Medical Aid Number and call center number Short Term Insurance Number (Many short term insurances provide ambulance support in case of accidents, review your policy benefits.) DO NOT'S No ID nr No next of kin contact numbers (If your gear get stolen you don't want that info in the wrong hands, if you have the insurance policies in place, then the companies will have record of your details.) If you don't have insurance policies, then provide a contact number of next of kin, but be aware of possible security breach. Then it is advisable to go do some sort of registered First Aid course every three years to keep current on your skills. Ride safe and enjoy!

Thanks guys and girls, it's good to know that there are qualified people with us to take care of us when we're out on the roads.

Be safe out there