The Collapsed Colleague in the Vehicle Cabin
It is 14:20 on a warm day. You are the driver; your partner has been quiet for the last twenty minutes and now slumps against the door. His face is grey and clammy, his breathing is fast and shallow, and he does not respond when you say his name. You are stopped at a red light on a two-lane road with a cassette on board, bound for a bank. There is a pharmacy on the corner and a bus stop with about a dozen people. Your partner is still wearing his weapon. The vehicle doors are locked.
1. Set out your immediate priorities in order, and explain how you manage the weapon and the load while giving first aid.
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Priority one is the casualty; priority two is safety of the scene; priority three is the load. First, pull over somewhere legal and safe, lock the vehicle, and call the emergency number, giving location, the patient's condition, and that you are a CIT crew with a weapon in the vehicle. Then assess: is he breathing, is there a pulse, is he responsive? Place him in a position that keeps his airway open if he is breathing but unresponsive, loosen tight clothing, and monitor. Do not give food or drink. If he stops breathing, start CPR and use an AED if one is available.
The weapon must be secured before you give close aid: remove it from his person only if you are trained and authorised to do so, otherwise keep it holstered and control access, and tell the responding police and ambulance crew that it is present so they are not surprised. The cassette stays locked in the vehicle; do not leave it unattended or hand it to bystanders. Ask the pharmacy for help but do not let untrained people take control. Notify the control room so a relief crew and a supervisor can secure the load while you accompany your colleague.
2. A bystander at the bus stop offers to help and reaches for the vehicle door. How do you handle the crowd and the offer, and what do you report afterwards?
Read the worked answer
Thank the bystander but keep control. Explain briefly that this is a secure vehicle and that they can help most by keeping people back and directing the ambulance to your exact position. Do not open the door to a stranger while a weapon and cash are inside; if you need help, ask them to stand at a distance and call out. If you must open the door for the paramedics, do so only when they arrive and identify themselves, and tell them about the weapon before they enter. Keep the crowd calm with short, calm instructions rather than shouting, which raises tension.
Afterwards, report to the control room and the supervisor: time, symptoms, what you did, who was notified, the weapon's status, and the load's status. Complete an accident or incident form and a handover note for the relief crew. Ask about your colleague's medical follow-up, and consider whether heat, fatigue, or an underlying condition may have contributed, so the company can review shift planning. Do not discuss his medical details with bystanders or on open radio channels.