Despite things looking extremely bleak for a traffic accident victim, a first responder continued with resuscitation efforts in hopes of saving his life.<\/p>\n
The accident involving a car and a motorcycle occurred along Seletar West Link<\/a> towards the Central Expressway on Aug 18. The police were alerted at 6.45pm, they told Stomp in response to queries.<\/p>\n Stomper Martin Wong<\/strong>, 53,\u00a0was driving home with his wife when he came across the accident scene.<\/p>\n He immediately stopped his vehicle and rushed over with a first-aid kit and an automated external defibrillator (AED) to render assistance.<\/p>\n \u201cIt looked like a very serious accident, but nobody was doing anything,\u201d he recounted. \u201cThere were other motorists who were directing traffic, but they looked quite helpless, likely because they had no training.\u201d<\/p>\n Fortunately, Martin is trained in first aid and is no stranger to responding to emergencies.<\/p>\n Martin is trained in first aid and is no stranger to emergencies.<\/p>\n PHOTO: STOMP<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n He immediately approached the badly injured motorcyclist, who was lying facedown \u201cin a big pool of blood\u201d.<\/p>\n Based on his experience, Martin instantly knew things were not looking good.<\/p>\n \u201cMost of those at the scene did not understand the seriousness of it and thought the victim would be fine once brought to hospital,\u201d he told Stomp. \u201cBut my wife and I knew.\u201d<\/p>\n Nevertheless, Martin sprang into action and started performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the motorcyclist.<\/p>\n \u201cTraffic was controlled so I had a safe environment,\u201d said Martin.<\/p>\n \u201cThe rest were quite relieved when I took over. I immediately got two other people to flip the victim face up and did a quick assessment, but there was no response or breathing.\u201d<\/p>\n Undeterred, Martin continued compressions for 10 minutes, hoping to start the victim\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cI cannot stop because that would be a clear sign that I give up. First responders cannot give up.\u201d<\/p>\n The 25-year-old motorcyclist was subsequently taken to hospital while unconscious, where he died.<\/p>\n A 57-year-old female car driver was arrested for careless driving causing death and is assisting with police investigations, which are ongoing.<\/p>\n Acknowledging the tragedy, Martin said he navigates such situations knowing he has done his best.<\/p>\n This is despite nasty comments directed at him on social media, he added.<\/p>\n \u201cSome netizens asked if the motorcyclist died because of the accident or because of CPR,\u201d said Martin. \u201cI even read comments saying maybe it\u2019s me who caused the death.\u201d<\/p>\n Martin said he understands such sentiments, as they are likely from people who are not trained or have had no experience with such situations. However, he warns about the dangers of such misconceptions.<\/p>\n \u201cSuch statements can mislead the public, make people think we should not help or touch accident victims, but these are critical minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n Martin has always advocated for everyone, including the Stomp community, to pick up first aid.<\/p>\n There were three Stomp reports of him responding to life and death situations in April alone. They are:<\/p>\n When presented with a Stomp Goody Bag at that time, Martin shared: \u201cIn an emergency, every second matters. Please learn CPR, learn how to use an AED, and never assume someone else will step in.\u201d<\/p>\n He also said: \u201cOne day, someone may need you.\u201d<\/p>\n Have something to say? Join in!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Explore more on these topics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n See something interesting? Contribute<\/a> your story to us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u2018I cannot stop CPR because that would mean giving up\u2019<\/h2>\n
How ignorant comments can be harmful<\/h2>\n
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