A 51-year-old-man who was cutting down a tree at a Wilberforce property has had his leg amputated when a length of rope wrapped around his leg was caught in a woodchipper.
The arborist suffered from significant blood loss due to the amputation and his colleagues provided first aid.
CareFlight’s Rapid Response Helicopter was tasked by NSW Ambulance shortly before 11:27am and landed in a clearing near the scene of the incident. NSW Police escorted CareFlight’s clinical team to the scene of the incident.
NSW Police officers who were first on scene had already tied a tourniquet around the man’s leg, significantly increasing his chances of survival after the incident.
CareFlight’s specialist doctor and NSW Ambulance critical care paramedic assessed the man’s condition and prepared him for road transport to hospital where they performed a blood and plasma transfusion in the NSW Ambulance vehicle.
On the way to Westmead Hospital, the ambulance stopped by a petrol station to purchase ice to preserve the man’s amputated leg.
The man arrived at Westmead Hospital in a stable condition under ongoing observation from CareFlight’s clinical team.
