Would You Know What To Do? How To Be A Cycling First Responder

It’s every cyclist’s nightmare: someone in your group has crashed and it looks serious. How do you provide urgent, potentially life-saving assistance? Chris Marshall-Bell finds out

- Chris Marshall-Bell

Would you know what to do if you were out riding and a ride mate crashed heavily or suddenly fell ill? It’s a scenario we all hope we’ll never confront, but cycling involves speed, open roads and hazards, and puts strain on the body’s cardiovascular system, so it will never be without danger. Even so, a little preparation can make a big difference.

Danish footballer Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest while playing in the Euro 2020 tournament this summer was a stark reminder of how a first responder’s actions can be the difference between life and death. It’s arguably even more important among us cyclists, as we’re often in remote locations miles away from professional emergency help.

In this feature, we have collated advice from experts across various emergency-medicine fields to give you straightforward tips on how to respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies ranging from nasty-looking road rash, to concussion, to cardiac arrest. The better equipped we all are to deal with these situations, the more chance we all have of happier outcomes.

Making the scene safe

The first thing to do in an emergency situation is to assess the scene and determine if it is a safe place to perform first-response skills. Watch out for any hazards such as traffi, steep drops or water, before assessing the affected person’s signs and symptoms. If possible, gather information on their medical history – do they suffer from asthma or have an allergy or any other underlying conditions?

CARDIAC CRISIS