Page 17 - link magazine

17
DAY IN THE LIFE

WHOOPS! APOCALYPSE!

I am a member of the Casualties mile march along the tracks in After something to eat with
Union, writes David Savin. What the semi-darkness to Old Street the British Rail Police, we left for
is Casualties Union? - we are station. I was taken up to street home. We made our way back to
not a union as you know it, like level to the flashes of press Paddington by tube and I was
the TUC, NUM, etc. IN fact our cameras and thankfully a nice, tempted to lie on the floor. We
motto is 'We are the only union warm ambulance which rushed changed at Kings Cross and saw
that allows its members to be me off to St. Bartholomew's a vivid reminder of what our day
trodden on'. We stage, make-up Hospital, one of several put on in London was all about. We
and act as casualties for major standby to receive casualties travelled up the escalator that
disaster/accident exercises. from the crash. I was admitted caused the fire that killed so
Which brings me to the day trip and after a few minutes I heard many innocent people.
to London that ended in disaster. those magic words, "Stop acting, The early start, the cold floor
At one of our training meetings it's over for you, Dave". of the train and the pain in the
in January, we were asked to act Someone had splinted my legs backside were all worthwhile if it
in a major disaster exercise in together with bandages, so I meant that something was going
London involving an underground untied them and swung my legs to be learnt from the exercise.
train. We were not to know any off the hospital trolley - and Thanks to 'Micky', my first
more details until D-day - the promptly collapsed to the floor! aider and 'Dave', the fireman
7th of Febraury. On the 4th I was My legs had died on me. After from Euston fire station (Blue
informed of my injuries in the Dave Savin prepares a wound for getting the circulation back into Watch) who, although it was an
train. I was to have a fractured examination. my legs, I went off and got a exercise, showed exceptional
ankle and abrasions to my upper seemed a long time before help welcome cuppa from the WRVS. professionalism. The same shown
arm and face. arrived and as I was trapped in My problems were not over. by his colleagues in the Kings
That was the good news!! the aisle and unable to move Apparently, I had scraped my Cross disaster.
The bad news was that we had because of my ankle my first ankle while putting on the make- The first the emergency ser-
to leave Swindon at 4.30 a.m. to aider did all she could to reassure up back at the pub five hours vices knew about the exercise
get into London in time for the me and stop me being trampled before and it had got infected was at 10.00 a.m. when the train
exercise to start at 9.30 a.m. After in the darkness. If it were a real underneath the make-up. So I was supposed to have crashed.
a motorway drive to Reading crash, she would have been a got a 'real' nurse to look at it. Have a nice day when you are
and then a train ride to Padding- heroine. After scaring the living day- next in London!
ton we were relieved to find that It must have been an hour and lights out of the doctor - I still
the place where we were to three quarters before signs of had my arm and face made-up - Clothing Alterations
make-up was a pub in Finsbury professional rescuers (unknown he gave me treatment for it! I left & Repairs Tel: 872096
Park, which meant a taxi ride to us there was a real fire at Barts. with a souvenir - a sore Mrs. White, Freshbrook
across London. Euston station). We could hear backside from a tetanus jab!
We had about 90 minutes to someone in the darkness in
get ourselves made-up. There breathing apparatus assessing
were over 80 made-up casualties the number of casualties. He was
with injuries consistent with a followed by a number of firemen. THE
train crash and a fire, some The one who came to me told the GREAT WESTERN
pretty gross like burns, fractures young lady who had been attend- KITCHEN CO. LTD.
and cuts. At 9.30 all of us marched ing me to make her way off the
out of the pub, through a busy train and get her wrist treated.
London street to Finsbury Park The fireman stayed with me for
tube station and got on the train the next two hours. He explained
that was to be used for the crash. that I would be moved when all
It looked as though a crowd of the uninjured and more seriously
PLANNING, INSTALLATION & DELIVERY AVAILABLE
football supporters had attacked injured passengers had been got VISIT OUR SHOWROOM ATU NIT 2, THE ORBIT CENTRE,
it! I found myself a spot and laid off the train. I was seen during ASHWORTH ROAD, SWINDON
down waiting for the exercise to the next two hours by two doctors
(Turn off Gt. Western Way at Dick Lovett's BMW Centre)
start. We went down the track to and several nurses who had been
Moorgate underground station, called out from the nearby Barts. Telephone: SWINDON 618139
where to our surprise 300 'extras' Hospital to attend the accident.
got onto the train. They were to My injury involved loss of blood
be the percentage of uninjured and part of my act was to go off to
passengers. Now the train had sleep now and again. This cer-
380 passengers and looked really tainly kept my fireman on his (4*)
packed! We then backed down toes - he kept talking to me all
the track and stopped between the time.
Moorgate and Old Street stations. It was, at last, my turn to be
taken off the train. It did post a the right choice...
Exercise 'Gateway' starts
problem as the train was one of WE HAVE THE JOBS! WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE?
The lights went out and the the old type with narrow, BR We have numerous temporary vacancies available to hard
casualties started moaning. The type corridors. Two narrow for working reliable people who wish to earn some money.
guard who was in on the exercise the stretcher to be carried Secretarial, Administrative, Clerical, Warehouse and Technical
announced over the loadspeakers through. These positions would also be suitable for school leavers, mums
for the uninjured passengers to wishing to get back to work, students un-employed, more mature
leave the train and if there were Stop acting now... people, part time or full time.
any doctors or first aiders on the Contact Sue Rawlins for more information
train could they tend the injured. After a tremendous struggle I (our service is absolutely free)
I was lucky - one of our own cas. was taken from the train. The STORM MANAGEMENT SERVICES
union members who had a next hurdle was a quarter of a 27 Commercial Road, Swindon, Wilts. SN3 iNS. Tel: 481301
'broken' wrist came to me. It