We all stared at the tiny package lying on the trolley bed. No words were spoken, only intense concentration as if by the very thought it would open and place itself on our patient.
We stared . . . then stared some more.
I scratched my head whilst one of the crew scratched their chin. The other went to suggest something then stopped and furrowed their eyebrows.
It was a triangular bandage . . . arguably the most complicated piece of kit on an Ambulance.
Our patient – a small, old aged and unassuming man – sat on the chair holding a rather obviously distorted wrist up against his chest. As lots of frail old folk do, he’d had a fall in the street and broken an arm.
We continued to stare at the triangular bandage.
None of us daring to be the first to have a go for fear that everyone else would move aside and let them do it – alone.
So, the triangular bandage remained in its package. On the bed. In front of the patient. Who sat patiently. Holding his wrist.
Damn it! Where was the St John’s Ambulance Service when you needed them!
Eventually, one of the crew turned to the patient.
“um, how are things holding your wrist where it is sir? Is the pain bearable?”
“Aye, it’s not so bad thank you”
“Righto. We’ll leave it at that then. Come on then, let’s go.”
And thus it was. They went to Hospital and the triangular bandage, unsurprisingly, remained unused.
Twitter | @Binder999
Got a blog, video or story for our team?
Contact us via our Facebook page (below). We are interested in emergency services related stories and videos from both civilians and serving members of the emergency services, NHS or armed forces. You can contact us anonymously if you prefer.
Our team comprises exclusively of former armed forces and emergency services personnel.
Before you go...
We need your help. As former emergency services & armed forces personnel, we pride ourselves on bringing you important, fast-moving and breaking news stories & videos which are free from the negative bias which is often directed at the emergency services & NHS by some sections of the mainstream media.
One of the reasons we started 'Emergency Services News' back in 2018 was because we became tired of reading badly informed stories about the emergency services & NHS which seemed only ever to highlight negative aspects of the job.
We want to be the unheard voice of the remarkable men and women who serve in the emergency services, NHS and armed forces. And with around 500k page views each month, we are getting there!
As income from ads, the mainstay source of income for most publishers, continues to decline; we need the help of you, our readers.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
When I was a girl guide, we were taught that our ties were to be used as triangular bandages if required! And we had ro practice on each other…