Stay safe and plan ahead for Olympic Torch relay

06 July 2012

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) is urging people to stay safe and look after themselves when the Olympic Torch arrives in the region.

The Torch briefly visits SECAmb’s region when it passes through Egham on July 10 before it travels widely throughout Sussex, Kent and Surrey between Monday 16 July and Friday 20 July.

SECAmb is asking members of the public celebrating the Torch’s arrival at any point to plan their journey ahead of the day and follow some simple tips to stay safe and well.

If the weather is hot then drink plenty of water, use sun cream and cover up and be aware of any pre-existing medical conditions you or friends and family have which can be exacerbated in higher temperatures.

Given the recent heavy rainfall for this time of year, SECAmb is also reminding people to pack appropriate clothing for wetter weather. If people are looking to gain a good early viewing position and may be at the roadside for some time, then it’s important they keep warm and dry.

With evening events taking place in Brighton, Hastings, Dover, Maidstone and Guildford, these town and city centres are expected to be busier than usual. As always, SECAmb plans ahead for periods of anticipated increase in demand but is asking the public for its help by reminding them when to call 999.

SECAmb Contingency Planning and Resilience Manager Jon Amos said: “The Torch Relay coming to our region is of course a real reason for celebration. People can ensure they enjoy the occasion by planning their day well and wearing appropriate clothing and sun protection depending on the weather. While the evening celebrations are ticketed events, we are anticipating an increase in the number of people visiting these towns and cities on those days. We have robust plans in place to manage the potential increase in demand but we would ask that everyone is sensible and remembers that 999 should only be used in an emergency.”

When to call 999 for an ambulance

If you think a patient is suffering from one of the following you must dial 999 for an ambulance:

heart attack (e.g. chest pain for more than 15 minutes)
sudden unexplained shortness of breath
heavy bleeding
unconsciousness (even if the patient has regained consciousness)
traumatic back/spinal/neck pain

You should also call for an ambulance if:

you think the patient's illness or injury is life-threatening
you think the illness or injury may become worse, or even life-threatening on the way to the hospital
moving the patient/s without skilled people could cause further injury
the patient needs the skills or equipment of the ambulance service and its personnel
traffic conditions could cause a delay in getting the person to hospital and time could be critical