Craig's 30-foot fall resulted in a Devon Air Ambulance flight. Here's his account.
A nasty fall put Builder Craig into a coma, but without the swift response from Deon Air Ambulance, things could have been a lot worse.
Craig shares his story with us
‘To be honest, I’ve got no idea what happened. I think my brain’s blocked that bit out. I was up on a roof fitting flashings at a local farm, but unfortunately, you know, things happen.
‘When mum and dad got to the farm, they found out I’d gone in the helicopter; that I’d fallen through the skylight and had a nasty hit to my head. In the emergency room, they were told that I needed a craniotomy – where they remove part of the skull, allowing the bruising to expand, and that I might not make the night.
‘But, I did! Seven weeks later I woke up from a coma. If Devon Air Ambulance hadn’t come when they did there’s no question I’d be dead. I’d received the best possible care in a short space of time.
It’s taken me months to recover; but I’m getting there. The crew are phenomenal – Devon Air Ambulance saved my life.
When seconds count, count on us
Advanced Paramedic and Research Lead, Nigel Lang, was on call the day of Craig’s fall.
‘When the call came in about a builder who had fallen from a roof, pilot Rob Taylor, Dr Simon Laing and I flew south west within moments. Every minute could mean the difference between life and death.’
‘Craig had fallen onto concrete from about 20-30 feet and looked like he had a significant head and brain injury.
‘Our assessment revealed potential for spinal, chest and pelvic trauma. He needed a general anaesthetic, our most risky intervention. By putting someone ‘off to sleep’, we take control of their breathing. This procedure must be delivered by experienced, senior teams like ours. Once Craig was ‘asleep’, we flew him to the Major Trauma Centre.
‘If you take away just one of those factors – our helicopter, the knowledge of our team, Craig’s perseverance – Craig might not have made it. But I’m over the moon that he has.
I’ve been a paramedic for 20 years; giving people a chance is why I do my job.
‘Thank you for helping to keep us flying. Because of your support, we can be there for more people like Craig this Christmas.’
Our specialised team responds to incidents to treat patients like Craig every day of the year. Your support makes this possible.
