Bersih 3.0, a medical field report
HOTM was in the thick of the action
At about 3pm ( I think. Not exactly sure ) all hell broke loose. I am not sure why. From Maybank, Jln Yap Ah Loy, I could see people running towards me from the Dataran Mederka end.. Then I could hear the popping of the teargas gun. I run as far as my artificial left hip could carry me, when into smaller lane and hid in a Sport Toto shop, and the many of us there, convince the clerk to shut the shutters. We could still hear teargas popping outside . The tear gas was very thick.After all was quiet for about 5 mins, I told the clerk that I must get back on duty. When the shutters opened, the air was still thick with teargas.
As I walk towards Jln Tun Perak, tying to regroup, the police chase us and fired more tear gas. While I was running for safety, a Chinese man tapped me and asked for help. His wife was bleeding badly from an open wound in the right temple of her scalp. He said that she had been hit by a tear gas cannister. I asked her to lie down, as I tried to examined the wound. I could see a severe spurter ( ? arterial bleed ). As I was examining, I could hear popping and they were still firing tear gas and there I was with my Medic Vest. It meant nothing to them. I asked the husband to help me half carry her to another small side road behind Kota Raya, lie her on the hawker table and attended to her wound, It was obvious that she needed hospital attention. I radioed for help, but after 10 mins, I could hear almost mayhem over the walkie talkie. I asked my team to help me bandaged her scalp wound with pressure bandage, hail down a passing Honda Accord. The driver was kind enough to agree , and send her to Tung Shin Hospital 5 mins away, with one of my doctors and the husband.
There after, I had to attend to another tear gas cannister scalp injury. This was minor. An obese man developed severe asthma ? exertional running ? tear gas allergy, and my team had to attend to him. Also stailised him and send him by private car to Tung Shin hospital.
This is basically the medical report of Medic 3, Bersih 3.0
Tear gas should not be fired directly at persons. Injury or even death may occur as a result of a direct hit from a tear gas cannister. Isn’t this something the FRU should be aware of?