MOREHELPARRIVES: Paramedics arrive on the scene as Knoxfield resident Serena Stafford (left, centre) continues to assist the 21yearold Belgrave woman (right) whose car rolled onto its roof on Monbulk Road last Thursday.By SHAUN INGUANZO
THE efforts of a Knoxfield resident who administered first aid to a car accident victim before emergency services arrived has earned the praise of local fire fighters.
Belgrave police said a white Holden Barina travelling south along Monbulk Road lost control before mounting an embankment and flipping onto its roof near Belgrave’s Micawber Tavern about 12 noon on Thursday, 4 August.
Knoxfield’s Serena Stafford, 24, was travelling south along Monbulk Road approaching Main Street, Belgrave, when she stopped to assist the 21yearold woman and Belgrave resident who emerged from the wreck clutching her bloodied right arm.
Ms Stafford said she was qualified in first aid, and had assessed the driver to check for signs of injury, particularly to her head.
“Her pupils were quite dilated, which can be a sign of a knock to the head,” she said.
“But I had no gloves so was not prepared to do a full head search.
“She had glass in her elbow and I ran and got water to flush it out.”
Lacking the necessary equipment, Ms Stafford said she improvised by rushing to the nearby Micawber Tavern where she obtained a straw to trickle water onto the bloodied wound.
Once the ambulance arrived, the woman was taken to the Angliss Hospital for a medical inspection, but was discharged later that day.
Ms Stafford said the woman appeared to be in shock.
She said Country Fire Authority volunteers were amazed that the woman escaped head injury after the window frame on the driver’s side was compressed to little more than a 30centimetre gap.
Three passersby, including an Olinda CFA member, also stopped to help direct traffic before police and fire crews arrived on scene.
Belgrave CFA lieutenant Martin Kirby, who attended the scene, said the assistance of passersby “helped dramatically”.
When asked if he considered Ms Stafford and other helpers heroes, he said: “Yes, I would, considering that some were not in the emergency services.”
Mr Kirby said it was common for people, even those untrained in first aid, to want to assist at the scene of an accident.
“We certainly do have a number of crew trained in first aid, but where there is only two of us, if someone is qualified it means we can focus on any threat or fire,” he said.
He said the woman’s injuries appeared to be nonlife threatening and that he felt confident leaving her in the care of Ms Stafford until an ambulance arrived.
Mr Kirby said the CFA washed away leaking petrol from the scene to help contain any threats of fire.
