Are You Ready?

I’ve always felt pretty capable in a crisis. Changing a tire on the side of the road, fixing a rad hose, that sort of thing. I can attribute my confidence to my dad. He had a desire to help others and also a broad skill set, enabling him to handle a variety of situations with calm and creative solutions. It seemed like he was always ready. 

One fond memory I have is when our neighbours’ Hereford bull (Leonard) got stuck in the head gate of a stall that was made for the much narrower chest of a cow. If Leonard were to panic and struggle, he could break a bone, suffer an internal injury, or suffocate. He was also a risk to the farmers of the area who had come to help. If one of them got pinched between Leonard and a stanchion, it could mean serious injury or death. Several people were panicking; others were trying different things in vain, including using a board to try to lift the massive bull using their own strength. 

When Dad got there, he determined that the best action was to enable Leonard to use his own strength to free himself. He ran to his truck where he always had some tools and grabbed two big wood blocks. He placed them near the bull’s feet and Leonard immediately understood and helped himself—stepping up onto the blocks, freeing his chest from the pinch point, and backing out of the stall. 

Dad was always capable in a crisis, partly due to his calm character, but also because he was always ready with the skills, knowledge, and proper tools.

How would I react if I came across something more urgent than a flat tire? I faced that question recently as I was driving home to Fort McMurray from Edmonton. It was a bitter -35° C, and the AMA Road Report showed that the 250 kilometre stretch from Grassland to Fort McMurray was ice covered.

I left Edmonton early enough to ensure that the majority of the five-hour drive would be in daylight. I travelled without incident until 6 p.m.—about 20 minutes south of Fort McMurray—the part of the drive where you let out a subtle sigh of relief because it’s almost over. It was dark, and up ahead I saw three or four vehicles on the side of the road. I slowed down and out of the darkness a moose carcass came into view, obviously recently struck by a vehicle and very dead. 

I pulled over to make sure everything was okay, and found myself at a fresh accident scene. Three cars were involved. The passengers in two of the cars were shaken up but fine. However, the car that had hit the moose first was upside down in the ditch with the driver stuck inside. While standing in that ditch, knee-deep in snow in frigid temperatures, I remember thinking, this could be a life and death situation—do I know what I’m doing? 

By the light of my cellphone, we got the door open and found the driver pinned between his seat and the roof of the car. We could not free him, but were able to adjust him and cover him with a warm blanket. Someone was on the phone with 911 and talked through what needed to be done. The paramedics arrived and got the driver out very quickly, but he was in rough shape. We helped load the ambulance and off it went. 

Back in my vehicle, the last 20 minutes of the drive were surreal. What if the accident had happened one hour farther south and the wait for the ambulance was that much longer? We would have had to get the driver out or the cold would have killed him. Did I have the training or first aid items to attend to injuries, shock, frostbite, and hypothermia? How would I deal with head trauma? The thoughts were endless, and I knew that even though I was willing to help, I could have been more prepared.  

In our modern world it is easy to take our safety for granted. This situation reinforced in me that despite good intentions, it was my dad’s preparedness as much as his personality that allowed him to genuinely help others. Having the proper training can help us be confident and able to remain calm. Being prepared with an emergency bag, first aid kit, and proper protection from the elements can ensure we are able to act appropriately in the situations we come across. 

What would you do if you came across someone stuck in the cold? If a friend or stranger started to choke? If your car broke down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service? Are you prepared enough to be able to carry out your good intentions? It’s probably worth asking yourself, are you ready?