Last year, I also had an accident on the quad bike on our family farm. I popped out to move some sheep one evening, and my wife warned me not to be late for supper as it was nearly ready, to which I answered, ‘Don’t worry, I won’t be long’.
I was driving the quad through thick bracken (the joys of organic farming), and as I was unsure of my position on the field, and also keeping one eye on the sheep, the quad suddenly fell into a five-foot ditch. I found myself lying in the stream at the bottom of the ditch with excruciating pain in my left arm with the quad wedged above me. I looked at my arm and nearly passed out as it was pointing the wrong way!
"I found myself lying in the stream at the bottom of the ditch with excruciating pain in my left arm with the quad wedged above me."
Aled Griffiths
Calling for help
Fortunately, I had my mobile phone with me and managed to fish it out of my pocket to call the emergency services. I then called my friend and neighbour, Einion, and he and his son immediately came to help. In the meantime, my family also rushed to me, but it was nice to have the support of neighbours too.
In a very short time, the air ambulance arrived along with a conventional ambulance, the police and the fire service. The air ambulance doctor gave me a shot of morphine to numb the pain before attempting to move me from the ditch. The crew carried me on a stretcher across the field into the conventional ambulance as they were reluctant to take me in the helicopter as it was getting dark. Martin and Petra, the paramedics, took me to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor. After waiting all night (a reflection of the system and not of the staff), I had my dislocated elbow reset under sedation.
'Very lucky'
I was very lucky that my injury wasn’t worse, but unfortunately, it’s a different story for many. According to statistics from the Health and Safety Executive, the fatality rate in agriculture is 21 times that of the all-industry average and five times that of construction. Being killed by motor vehicles is one of the top five causes of fatal and serious injury in farming, and over recent years, ATVs have been the main cause of fatality in that bracket. This has been a serious lesson to me to take more care on the quad bike in future.
I would like to sincerely thank the emergency services for coming to my assistance to promptly, neighbours for rushing over to help, and also friends and my team at work for their support.
Thanks also to my family for their patience, because apparently, I’m not the easiest patient!