M25 RTC with 17 hurt - BASICS SIMCAS on scene
17 people were injured, 3 seriously after a minibus rolled over after it collided with a car on the anti-clockwise M25 near Dartford, Kent in the early evening of Thursday 24 May 2012. The collision forced the car, containing three young people into the nearside crash barrier causing serious damage and the minibus turned over and came to rest further along the motorway, between Junction 1 and 2.
Emergency services were called shortly after 6pm. One of the first responders on scene was Tony Kemp, a nurse with the emergency medical charity SIMCAS. Tony helped provide initial assement and prioritisation of the casualties - most whom did not speak English. Medical care and transport was provided by the SIMCAS, the South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Air Ambulance helicopter who worked together to treat the patients.
Tony said 'the team work was phenomenal with Kent Fire and Rescue staff providing first aid and assisting in the inital immobilisation of many of the casualties. The attendance of HEMS and the overall scene management of the first critical care paramedic (Dave Hawkins) were both major contributors to the rapid assessment and care delivered to everyone. Yesterdays welcome hot weather brought additional challenges as emergency staff rapidly overheated and one needed treatment at the scene for heat exhaustion, the water supplied by the Fire and Rescue service was a most welcome relief to those working at the scene.'
Three seriously injured victims and several with minor injuries and shock were transported by land ambulance to Darenth Valley Hospital (Dartford) and the Princess Royal University Hospital (Farnborough, Kent). The minibus was carrying a group of Punjabi speakers from Gravesend, Kent.
Notes to Editors
- Tony Kemp is a nurse and lectures in Medical Simulation at the University of Bedfordshire as well as teaching pre-hospital care for BASICS Education Ltd and examines for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh for the Diploma in Immediate Medical Care, he s also the vice-chairman of BASICS. In June he is due to receive the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his services.
- The South East Coast Immediate Care Scheme (SIMCAS) has been active for over 20 years. It is an emergency care charity and provides properly equipped, experienced doctors or nurses at the scene of an accident or emergency when requested by the Fire, Police or Ambulance Services. It sends specialists to about 900 incidents per year.
- Many areas around the UK now have their own immediate care scheme. Nationally these are grouped under the BASICS (The British Association for Immediate Care) organisation.
- SIMCAS is fortunate in its close links with South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb). SIMCAS provide the Medical Incident Commander (or MIC) for a major incident anywhere in Kent, Surrey or Sussex.
- SIMCAS volunteers have a wealth of experience in pre-hospital care and include GPs, emergency medicine consultants, anaesthetists and nurses. They have specialist medical training as well as driver training and assist as part of the emergency services response in their own vehicles (which are equipped with lights and sirens).
- We work in our communities, assisting the road and air ambulances to bring life saving care to the victims of major trauma. The majority of SIMCAS volunteers' work involves serious road traffic collisions, penetrating trauma such a stabbings but can involve managing major incidents.
- www.simcas.org.uk. Registered U.K. Charity Number 297590
- For further information contact Dr Neil Iosson (07866 424754 or neil@iosson.net)