SAF medics help man, stabilise his spine in Mandai accident

Last Monday started like any other day for Medical Officer Captain (Dr) Vikram Manian, 26, and medic Third Sergeant Ni Xu Gang Metta, 20, at Mandai Hill Medical Centre.

But at about 8.50am, a senior commander told them he had seen an injured man outside the camp while driving in.

They grabbed medical supplies, including an automated external defibrillator (AED) and a spinal board, and rushed to help the victim.

Capt (Dr) Vikram and 3SG Metta were among six Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) medical personnel who rushed to aid the 46-year-old injured victim who had been hit by a minibus.

Last Thursday, Capt (Dr) Vikram and 3SG Metta recounted the incident to The New Paper in an interview.

3SG Metta, a golden bayonet awardee during his medic specialist course, said: "I was in the treatment room (before receiving the news), serving patients, doing ECG (electrocardiogram) and drawing blood."

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Capt (Dr) Vikram said: "He (the senior commander) informed one of the medics, Corporal Aravind (Krishna) who subsequently informed me that there had been a road traffic accident just outside camp premises."

The medical officer and medics then grabbed medical equipment and rushed out.

Capt (Dr) Vikram said when they reached the scene, they noticed a man was injured and lying on the road with a head injury.

The medical officer said his immediate concern was to ensure the victim was not in the path of danger.

He said: "Fortunately, nearby bystanders had already taken the initiative to block off the lane and redirect traffic."

CONSCIOUS

He said the injured man was conscious and they treated his injuries.

They stabilised his spine, and dressed his head wound.

Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after and rushed the victim to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

This is not the first time SAF medical personnel have stepped forward to help civilians.

On July 6, 2018, medical vocational instructor Military Expert 1 Lam Guo Wei, 27, provided medical assistance to a male passenger who had fainted on board a Singapore Airlines flight to Japan.

And on April 25, 2018, a group of SAF medics and medic trainees on their way to an outfield exercise stopped along Mandai Avenue to help four students and a school van driver.

Their vehicle had just crashed into a lamppost.

And on Feb 14, 2016 , off-duty SAF medics at Yishun MRT station helped an elderly woman after she slipped and fell, suffering lacerations on her forehead.