Past jobs attended by the scheme
M6 roll-over and impalement
In August 2007, the scheme was activated to attend a road traffic collision on the M6 southbound between junctions 15 and 16.
A single car, with two occupants, had left the motorway at speed, gone up an embankment, through a wooden fence and across a field (as seen below), to end up on its roof. The passenger was able to free themselves, but the driver was trapped by his seatbelt upside down.
Because of the location of the vehicle, the emergency services had to approach the scene via a local farm and then cross over a number of fields to get to the car. On our arrival, we found the car and its driver along with a police officer who had walked from the motorway across the field. The driver was conscious but the police officer seemed to be supporting his abdomen. On questioning, he revealed that he was actually supporting the patient's intestines which had been hanging out from a nasty stomach wound.
With great care, the fire, ambulance and police services worked together to extricate the driver from his car. Once freed he was examined and this revealed that he had actually been impaled by part of the wooden fence that had gone through his windscreen during the crash. When the car came to rest the post came out of his stomach leaving a nasty wound.
The patient was treated for his injuries and in view of the difficulty getting to the car, a helicopter from County Air Ambulance was requested which was used to fly the patient, along with one of the scheme doctors, to the trauma unit at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.
After surgery and a long stay in hospital, the patient made a good recovery.
RTC Gnosall
In March 2008, schem doctors were called to a road traffic collision in Gnosall. A single car had lost control on a residential road hitting a lamp-post.
The driver was trapped and suffered severe head and chest injuries. After a difficult extrication, the patient was freed by the fire and rescue service.
In view of the patient's serious injuries, one of the doctors administered an anaesthetic to allow better control of their breathing. The patient was then taken to the trauma unit at The University Hospital of North Staffordshire.
Coach crash Alton Towers
In August 2008, the scheme was activated to attend a coach crash in Alton village. A 70 seater double decker coach returning from a day trip to Alton lost control, hitting two sationary vehicles and went through a garden wall and down a 20 foot embankment, finally ending up on its side.
Unfortunately one passenger died instantly, whilst 6 others were seriously injuried. A further 24 were taken to hospital for treatment of injuries including breaks and cuts. Nearly 40 passengers were assessed and discharged from the scene.
All three scheme doctors attended, working closely with all the emergency services to treat the injuries passengers. One doctor worked alongside the senior ambulance service officer to manage the incident, one worked amongst the casualties treating at the side of the crashed coach, whilst the third travelled by air with the most seriously injuried patient to the trauma centre at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.
