Today's action: Being part of the chain

Most entries in my blipfoto journal will be from action I attended in my capacity as journalist for the local emergency news website (www.hv-almere.nl). But today is different. Today I was part of the chain of emergency services.

As a Red Cross first aid volunteer I worked at an inline skating event this evening. A youth contest was in it's final race. All day everything went fine. My collegues didn't have much to do before I took over for the final few hours, apart from the odd bruise. This last race was different though.

The juniors boys were well into their 75 lap final race, when one of the contestants fell, smashed his head on the ground and got severely hurt, when there were only 22 laps left to go. Me and my collegue were with him within seconds and immediately knew we needed to call in for an ambulance, as the boy was unconscious and fitting. Blood came from a wound on his head, despite wearing the prescribed safety helmet.

My 112 emergency call made the dispatch worker to send two ambulances, as well as the helimed Lifeliner trauma helicopter from Amsterdam. From a long, fun and quiet day, the evening suddenly changed into drama and fear. The boy was treated by the paramedics with the help of the Lifeliner's trauma doctor and then rushed to hospital.

Today our local skating club announced on their Facebook page the boy suffered a severe concussion, but under the circumstances was doing pretty well. I really hope he will be back on his feet (and skates, for that matter) soon!

Then the most remarkable part of the story. This boy lives in a place about 45 minutes to an hour away from me. My brother lived in the same town for many years. My brother called me today to ask the boy's name....because he recognised the mother in the pictures on our news website. Turns out they were neighbours and know eachother very well. It's a small world. The chain turns out to be a circle today!


Picture: Mark van Leeuwen/HV-Almere