Useful information but hope never to have to use it.

[Guest]

Picked this up on our local forum GTA Motorcycle. An interesting and informative vid from the UK safety folks. I hope I never have to use it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JWiw0HFpDo

Ride safe folks.

Cheers,
Spyug

[Dogma]

I guess it's up to the experts as to whether that's safer than cutting it off the rider. They didn't mention anything about deciding if the helmet should be removed. I'm guessing you should leave it on unless the rider needs you to have access to his head. Any EMT's care to comment?

[Clone]

You do what works, that is one way of doing it, another is to cut the chin bar with a high speed from the firetruck, scooting the hands in over the ears, lots of ways, but only if the helmet is loose enough to do it. My helmets would require cutting the chin bar as they are SNUG
Of course you always have to remove the cheek pads and chin dam first.

[bwringer]

I didn't watch the video. What's it about?


Anyway, when I had my accident last year, I made sure I removed my helmet before anyone else showed up specifically because I didn't want to wear the damn thing for the next four hours. It was a Friday evening, and I didn't want to see how long it took them to find a neurosurgeon to clear me. My leg was broken, not my neck.

[TurboChris]

You never, ever, ever remove someones helmet unless they require CPR and THEN do it like the video....having been first on scene to a number of accidents....my job in a situation like that is to keep everyone ELSE from trying to remove the helmet or move the victim...keep them still, and calm.....and wait for the pro's

[silverhorse47]

I have dealt with cervical injuries as a primary care practitioner. It appears (to me) in this video that any injury to the spinal cord would have been worsened when the person who lifted the helmet did so.
The individual stabilizing the victims c spine and cranium, in my opinion, did a good job, as the removal of the helmet resulted in very little movement of the c-spine or cranium. However, there is really no way to know in the early stages what injury has occurred. If there are fractures or dislocations of the spine which are impacting the spinal canal, there is no real way of knowing. The neurons are small, and it is likely impossible for the human eye (or a camera) to detect damaging movement.
Therefore I agree that the only time a helmet should be removed is when the wearer can remove it themself, if the wearer is not breathing, or if the wearer needs CPR.
If a person is simply unconcious, is breathing, and has a pulse, I think it would be very wise to leave them alone until trained personel arrive. If one suspects that there is damage to the spinal column I would spend my time monitoring vitals and planning how exactly to prevent further damage should the helmet have to be removed.
This is just an opinion.
S.