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The attendance at Sturgis this year, 2011, was down a little from last year according to most reports. Still, there were thousands of bikers enjoying the beautiful Black Hills and surrounding areas. Everywhere you rode there was something happening. Unfortunately, some of the things weren't so pleasant. Read the Road Guardians newsletter on some of the Sturgis news and more.
I was riding Vanocker Canyon mid-week during a brief rain storm. I pulled over on Nemo Road after the rain to take off my rain gear. The sun was poking through and the temperature was already climbing rapidly. I was heading north to hook up with Highway 385 on the way to Deadwood. As I came around a sharp curve in the road I saw several bikers directing traffic around a crash scene. It appears a bike missed the curve and went into the ditch. The roads were still wet and slippery from the morning's rain. I was relieved when the biker directing traffic told me two paramedics were with the downed biker. Still, I grabbed my trauma bag and went to assist.
It turns out the paramedics were out riding and came upon the crash just before I arrived. They said they thought the biker's leg was broken. One of them was holding the biker's head to prevent movement while the other was talking to the conscious man. I cut the trouser pant up to his mid-thigh revealing a serious tibula/fibula compound fracture. In fact, it appeared only muscle tissue was holding the leg in tact. It was the worst compound fracture I've seen. We did not notice any blood until I cut his pants. The blood was pooling below the injured leg and it surprised us at the amount of blood he had lost.
Over 15 minutes passed before the first amublance arrived on scene. We assisted in placing a tourniquet just above the knee and then we helped long board the man from Canada in preparation for his flight to the hospital. The helicopter arrived about 10 minutes after the ambulance did.
With the amount of time elapsed it was hopeful they could save his leg. I don't know the outcome but I'm sure we did a good job of keeping him alert yet calm while we stabilized his leg and prepared him for transport. What would have happened if I hadn't arrived on scene with trauma supplies? Well, we wouldn't have known the extent of his injury and extra time on scene would have been used to stabilize him before transport. We gathered useful information that also saved the EMT's time before transport. Even though the two paramedics were at a much higher level of training and experience than me, they were relegated to little more than bystanders because of the lack of trauma supplies.
After the man was transported I shared some waterless handwash with the two paramedics and another biker who helped with the long board. They were very grateful and I think a little embarrased that they were so unprepared. Don't let this happen to you. Get the proper training by taking an Accident Scene Management class and carry the essential supplies you will need in the case of an emergency. I'm hoping that our actions helped to save this man's leg. Without training or supplies, we would have been nothing more than observers until the ambulance arrived 15 minutes after the crash. In trauma, every second counts.
Hupy and Abraham, S.C. is proud to be a financial supporter of ASMI since its inception and provides grants and lawyers for some classes to explain the legal aspects and insurance terminology involved in motorcycle crashes.