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Demolition collapse survivor attributes survival to air ambulance

A builder who survived a structural collapse has praised the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance service for saving his life. He lost a leg the through injuries sustained. 

The incident is to be recreated on the BBC show Real Rescues. Filming starts next month and the incident screened later in 2010.

The air ambulance landed twice on a school playing field with paramedics, doctors and anaesthetists in April 2009.

James O’Connor, was trapped for two hours with debris pushing him into the teeth of his stationery excavator. 

Mr O’Connor said:

“I’m very slowly getting there. My partner and I have been to hell and back. It took a year for the wound to heal, and now I’m learning to walk again. That’s the main thing at the moment.”

Comment

The scale and competence of emergency service first response has increased significantly over the last 10 years.

The current record all time low in construction fatalities is in some part a consequence of those improvements. 

This article was posted on 16th August 2010 in ALL LATEST NEWS, FIRST AID, STRUCTURAL SAFETY.
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