Driver meets rescuers
Accident victim grateful for ambos’ care
A WOMAN who almost went off the road in a horrible crash on the Kuranda Range last month has reunited with the paramedics who rescued her.
Haruka Ueda was driving home from work at Kuranda at 4pm on January 3 when she was in a collision with another car and went over an embankment.
The 21-year-old was trapped in her vehicle and suffered a laceration to her neck and suspected spinal and pelvic injuries.
She remembered the shock and terror on that horrifying afternoon, waiting as the emergency services worked to retrieve the vehicle.
“I’ve never had an accident before in my life,” she said. “It happened so suddenly … I was in pain but I didn’t know what was most painful. I was in shock.
“I was waiting in the car and the paramedic, Lisa, came next to me, she was telling me I’d be all right, that I was doing a good job, and that helped a lot.”
Advanced care paramedic Lisa Smith arrived with the ambulance crew to find Ms Ueda’s car perched precariously over the embankment.
“It had been raining on the day so it was slippery, and Haruka’s little car was being held up by a tree that was probably no thicker than my forearm,” she said. “It made it difficult for us to assess her injuries because we didn’t want to risk putting pressure on the car. When we arrived, she was in a lot of pain and starting to feel sleepy, which made me concerned for any injuries she might have.”
It took 40 minutes for crews to stabilise the car, while Ms Smith stayed outside the car with the patient to provide pain relief and reassurance.
“It’s a huge percentage of what we do – if we’re not reassuring the patient, we’re reassuring family, friends, bystanders. It can be a confronting experience,” she said.
The Rescue 510 helicopter was sent to the scene, however, flight paramedic Lauretta Howarth said the terrain made it a tough job for the aircrews.
“It was a busy afternoon with the traffic on the range, so there were a lot of things to take into account, but at the end of the day, it’s the patient that comes first,” she said. “We don’t often get to see patients after dropping them off at hospital, so it was really nice to see her again, and see that she’s okay and walking around.”
Ms Ueda was winched from the scene into the helicopter and flown to Cairns Hospital.
After leaving hospital, she got in touch with the Queensland Ambulance Service, hoping to meet and thank the brave staff who came to her aid.
“I appreciate their work so much, I don’t know how I can thank them enough,” she said.