Taxi Driver Online

Local hero in call for other taxi drivers to learn first aid and carry cabbie first aid packs

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/l ... aid-packs/


Image: Evening Telegraph

A taxi driver has proved to not only be competent behind the wheel, but a potential lifesaver.

Jordan Coupland was first on the scene when he saw an elderly man collapse a few hundred yards from his company’s offices.

The 26-year-old, who works for Radio Taxis in Scott Street, Perth, used the medical skills he gained at the Red Cross and as a member of Perth First Responders until paramedics arrived.

He said the man was conscious when he left to let medics continue their work.

It’s not the first time Jordan has come to the rescue – and now he’s called for fellow taxi drivers to be trained in basic first aid and CPR.

He also proposed fitting taxis with first aid kits.

“I’ve attended to a number of distressed people,” said Jordan, from Blaigowrie.

“I don’t know exactly how many but, when I have spotted someone taking ill, I stop the taxi and go to help.

“I carry a first aid box in my taxi so I am prepared to do what I can.

“Some of those I have helped have been folk hurt in road accidents.

“They include a biker who was quite badly hurt and people injured in a crash at the Beech Hedges which sit on the Perth-Blairgowrie road.

“And there was a time I noticed a chap in my taxi wasn’t looking too good.

“I realised he would need hospital treatment so I whisked him off to Perth Royal Infirmary.”

He added: “It would be good to have all taxis kitted out with first aid kits and for every driver to have basic first aid skills.

“You never know when someone in your taxi may need medical aid or when someone in the street may need to be helped.”

Jordan’s heroics won praise from fellow cabbie Chris Elder, taxi branch secretary for Unite in Dundee.

However, he questioned the practicality of training every taxi driver to become a life saver. “I think what the guy has done is brilliant, fair play to him for doing what he did,” Chris said.

“But I don’t think that kind of training or having first aid kits in their car is the way to go about it. What if they tried to carry out CPR but they actually made the situation worse?

“We have our SVQs and our first point of call is to contact the ambulance straight away.”

Well done to the fella, and anyone else who wants to get first aid trained.

But as the saying goes, with knowledge comes responsibility.

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IDFIMH

Are there areas where taxis don't have to carry a first aid kit?

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Grandad,

yes SKDC

but the point is like the fire extinguishers we are not firemen or paramedics and I personally feel such matters should be left to the professionals

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Suspect fire extinguishers near universal. My impression has always been that only a minority require first aid kits, but suspect the reality would be the other way round. But pretty sure significant numbers either way.

It's really the kind of thing PHTM should be doing a survey on

PHTM can't get the league tables right so I suspect they would mess that up as well

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

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IDFIMH

I always carry a first aid kit. (CD) in my taxi.

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Former taxi driver

I pointed out to the council that they would be liable if anyone became ill because the first aid box became coninated
they got scrapped and so did firextinguishers.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!