Road safety message with an edge
As road deaths reach crisis levels, north-east firefighters are more likely to rescue you from the crushed remains of your vehicle than from a fire. Caroline Brodie finds out what these frontline workers face and what is being done to end the devastation blighting hundreds of lives
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THE scene of every serious road traffic collision is horrific but however bad, it is just the beginning of a lifetime of pain and regret for those left behind.
That is the message Grampian Fire and Rescue Service is taking to north-east communities in the hope of saving lives.
So far, more than 8,700 people have seen its hard-hitting presentation which shows the heartache being caused while putting across a strong safety message.
It shows real people who have lost their lives on our roads and tells you why.
Although the usual warnings are there – about driving too fast, drink or drug driving, and not wearing a seatbelt – the presentation has an edge because it shows the real-life consequences.
It is not easy viewing but every image showing a mangled car or broken body has been included for good reason – to urge someone to think twice about not wearing their seatbelt; to implore them not to go too fast; or to make them stop and have a break when they get tired.
Watch manager Myles Murray, who leads the Grampian brigade’s road safety unit, spends much of his working life trying to educate people about the dangers drivers face and what they can do to help stay safe.
He has taken the GFRS presentation to schools, colleges, universities, community groups, businesses and even to oil workers on North Sea platforms.
He said: “It is not really about the fire service telling you what we do and the reasons why we have to carry out these tasks.
“It is about the families, friends and loved ones left behind to deal with the collision and all the sadness and heartache occurring here in the north-east of Scotland.
“Families are being absolutely devastated and that is what we have got to stop.”
People who see the presentation are often visibly shaken and upset but Mr Murray says most leave determined to change.
He added: “We are not putting in these photographs to shock people. There is an individual message behind each picture telling where the injury has occurred and how it could have been avoided.
“A lot of people are really appreciative of the presentation and say it makes them more aware of just how vulnerable they are as drivers and how, in future, they will be more aware of their safety.”
Last year, GFRS attended 480 road traffic collisions, rescuing 153 people, 37 of whom died. From the 1,017 fires they attended during the same period, they rescued 83 people, five of whom lost their lives.
Mr Murray said dealing with any serious road accident was difficult but dealing with those involving young people was particularly hard.
That is why GFRS is backing the Press and Journal’s Young Driver of the Year campaign, which aims to cut the roads death toll by promoting advanced driving skills.
Mr Murray said: “It is difficult because it is just the start of their lives and they should have so much ahead of them.
“The most important aspect is for young drivers and passengers to realise how vulnerable they are and that they don’t have the experience of driving a car like an older person.”
Mr Murray said people should remember their cars are not solid metal cages – but made of extremely soft metal, which, on impact, has nowhere to go but into the space occupied by the driver and passengers.
He likened the effect to crushing an empty juice tin.
“When you crush it from the side, all the metal goes into the centre,” he said. “It is exactly the same with a car irrespective of whether you hit the front, back or sides. All the components are pushed into the passenger cell.”
This means people become trapped and it is the firefighters’ role to cut them free using hydraulic cutting equipment. This can be both complicated and time-consuming depending on the victims’ injuries and the wreckage.
On average, it takes 44 minutes to cut someone free and patients often still face a long journey to hospital from remote areas after that. Even with the help of a rescue helicopter, it can take several hours before casualties reach the operating theatre.
Fire crews start working to piece together a picture of what has happened as soon as an emergency call comes through as this helps them work faster at the scene.
Their journey will be spent designating tasks to each team member– someone to stabilise the vehicles, someone to administer trauma care if they are first to arrive – while bracing themselves for what they might find there.
Most serious accidents occur on rural roads and the majority of victims die within 10 miles of their homes, so it is not unusual for retained firefighters, who live and work in communities nearby, to be first on scene and to find someone they know among the victims.
Vehicles are often so badly smashed it takes time for crews to confirm how many people are actually in them before rescues can begin.
If there is a fire, it must be put out before they can even look.
Sometimes people are so badly trapped, it is difficult or impossible to assess their injuries, administer pain relief or clear airways – blocked airways are the most common killer in road accidents.
All the while, the firefighters are working in an extremely hazardous environment, surrounded by sharp broken metal, petrol and heavy equipment where there is often a risk of fire or personal injury.
Inevitably, the crews also sometimes arrive to find one or more of the victims already dead or they lose someone in the midst of a rescue.
Mr Murray said this was a hard part of the job and everyone dealt with it in their own way – some throwing themselves into work, others taking a silent moment to come to terms with it.
“We go out wanting to save a life but when that goes wrong half way through and someone dies right next to you it is very hard to deal with it,” Mr Murray said.
“It is very traumatic for all emergency workers.”
But Mr Murray is acutely aware that the heartache does not end with these dreadful deaths.
He added: “It is not all about people dying – 155 people were seriously injured on our roads last year. Some of those may recover, but some will be taking medication for the rest of their lives, some will be in wheelchairs, and some will need 24-hour care.
“The incident doesn’t end when emergency services leave the scene. That is just the start for family and friends who are left to deal with the consequences.”
Anyone interested in having the presentation brought to their school or work place can contact Myles.Murray@grampian frs.org.uk
