10 Nov 2013
4:15 AM - 4:30 AM
A usual Sunday morning for me to get up early and go for long run. A unusual Sunday morning for my friends and colleagues Kishor and Bhaskar who this time enrolled for TCSFit4Life 5 Mile Corporate Run. We decided to go together in Kishor's car and they were supposed to pick me from my home in Kharadi.
5:00 AM
Kishor and Bhaskar came on time for the pickup and we started the long journey of around 35 kilometers towards Hinjewadi Phase 3. We started catching up personal front and the journey was going pretty well.
5:15 AM
We just crossed the Airport Road intersection near IBM and suddenly after going next 400 meters on Golf Course Road we saw a person lying unconscious and bleeding, he was in shorts so we thought he might be a runner going to Hinjewadi as well, 50 meters away we saw his bike and both were in the middle of the road. We immediately took our car on the side and rushed towards him.
I was so scared to see him bleeding and we even thought he might be dead. I hold myself stronger and went to touch his arm to check his pulse. His body was cold and it seems like he was lying there for quite some time and the temperature outside was around 9 degrees.
I took his arm and checked his pulse and it was there! Yes! I shouted he's ALIVE! In the mean while other passerby commuters also stopped and we took him near the pavement. I called the Police(100) and Ambulance(108) and like always it's really hard to tell them your whereabouts. Kishor and Bhaskar went to nearby Police Station to inform and get the help, and came back as they told them that the patrolling officers hare already left to the spot.
Some of us started searching for emergency contact on his wallet and phone but the irony with the smart phones is that they are locked and you cannot access the contacts. We were furiously searching for something so that we can inform his family. In the meanwhile Kishor and Bhaskar came and still no police or ambulance around.
Now and then I was rubbing his hands and checking his pulse.
5:30 AM
Finally two patrolling officers came on a bike, we told them everything about how we found him lying on the middle of the road to taking him to the pavement etc. They asked us about the ambulance and told us to wait for it. Those were the last words to break our patience, we immediately said "this person might die if we keep delaying the initial first aid". We immediately volunteered to put him in our car and take him to the nearby hospital. We put him on the backseat with me and we followed the officers. Ten minutes later we reached a small hospital near Yerwada.
5:40 AM
The officers knocked the door of Emergency Ward and someone came with a torch we told him about the person lying on the backseat. He went back with his torch put the light on his face and said "Head injury hai, CT Scan karna padega"(It's a head injury we have to do CT Scan).
The statement went into our nerves, we angrily told him to at least start the first aid before doing all his analysis and recommendations.
In the mean while we kept searching for an alternate number so that we can inform his family/friends/relatives. Finally we found an id card in his bag with an alternate number. The officer immediately called on the number and someone picked it, it was his wife and he told her about the incident and asked them to come over.
Afterwards the officer "Thanked!" us for helping this guy and taking him to the hospital. He took our name, address and phone numbers and told us that we can leave.
5:55 AM
We were still shaken, we resumed our journey towards Hinjewadi. Only thing we discussed on the way that how we can use this incident as a lesson to prepare ourselves better for these kind of emergency situations.
6:35 AM
We reached Hinjewadi Phase 3, TCS Campus. The race was suppose to start at 6:30 AM but got delayed we took our bibs and rushed towards the assembly area.
6:50 AM
The race started and we ran the 8K with the smile and pride that today we saved a life!
Lessons learned from this incident:
- Take the person directly to the hospital: Don't wait for the police to come, as per the orders of Supreme Court, doctor/hospitals can now admit a person without having police report. We were unaware of it, but later found out.
- Emergency Contact Card : Always write down an alternate number/emergency contact number(s) on a card/post-it and put it in your pocket. Give similar card/post-it to your family members with your contact details on it. Add your blood group, it will help the emergency services person.
- Emergency Contact List : Put up a list of people and their respective numbers on a paper and paste it on the fridge or somewhere which is easily accessible. This will help your family to inform the person in different groups office colleagues/ friends etc.
- Smart phone ICE : Some smart phones provide this facility to add "In Case of Emergency" group which let's you to access your family/friends contact without unlocking the phone.
- Wear a helmet/Seat Belt : Never ignore the protective gear before you hit the road. The person would not have got those injuries on the head if he would have wearing a helmet.
Most importantly, never hesitate to help a person in need, there's no bigger pride than saving a life!
