Sarah and Ian, Emergency Transport Attendants

Sarah and Ian tell of their experience in helping a man who was severely electrocuted in the flood waters in Oxford.

It was late morning on Wednesday 25 July 2007 when emergency help was desperately needed at the junction of Abingdon Road and Weir Lane in Oxford. 

Making waves

As they knew the road was flooded, they took the 4x4 Landrover, flying down the road and literally making waves. When they arrived at the scene there were two men sitting in a doorway and one of them had no shoes on his feet.

Sarah explains: 'We immediately went to their aid and found that one of the men had been electrocuted by a bollard.  He had waded through the water despite only wearing flip flops on his feet and stood on the crossing area in the middle where there was a yellow bollard with the blue arrows on.  When he rested his hand on the bollard it sent an electric shock and intense pain right through his body. 

'It was terrible.  He could not speak, he tried to but his mouth would not form the words.  His eyes rolled back and he crashed backwards into the water as he began to have a seizure.  His friend dragged him out of the water but he also received a shock which fortunately for him was not as bad.

'When we looked at the patient we found that his feet were completely covered in burns and one was bleeding above the ankle - there was no cut or abrasion just seeping weak blood.'

Those present were concerned that the volunteers might be electrocuted too, as they were in the same water, but they were well protected in thick rubber soled boots.

Sarah and Ian successfully attended to his wounds and the South Central Ambulance Service took him to the John Radcliffe Hospital for further observation.