“I applied about 2 years ago to be a first aider at the olympics, and found out in Nov/Dec 2011 that I was going! There was an interview process at Queen’s University in the physical education centre and a final selection process with LOCOG and then in I found I had been successful!
We went over to London 2012 on the 27th of July but there were 3 events prior to that for orientation training in Wembly in Dec 2011 in the snow, then there was Hackney community college for role specific training, all the medical team coming together to coordinate procedures in the event of a terrorist attack or stadium colapse, also the kits that we would be using, then our collection of the uniform which was in March 2012.
The uniform made us all feel part of the team and it really brought it home that I was actually going to the olympics.
Hoped on the plane in July arrived in London, stayed in Brixton and stayed with an x Civil Service RFC player Mike Scott, and was based at Londons Excel Arena which was the largest stadium used in Olympic history with 70,000 through the door each day.
There were over 17,000 applicants for 2,000 roles, so i was really delighted to be chosen. Arriving at the Excel each day we would be assigned to different areas such as Judo, weight lifting, boxing amongst many others. The morning shift started at 6am until 3pm and if you were on the late shift it would be from 2pm until 12pm.
I was there for the entire thing 27th through to the final day.
You had the standard medical incidents like cut fingers and general first aid for athletes and spectators, thankfully there were only a few more serious incidents although i was delighted to be able to help. For example a weightlifter dropped a weight on his head and passed out, there was also a dislocated elbow and a suspected gastro intestinal bleed which we evacuated to Local hospital with the London ambulance service. As all Olympics staff wore the same uniform we had to be vigilant in order to be at the scene of an accident quickly whether that be the spectators or competitors. Amongst the crowd for example we came across a Japanese felow not feeling to well and he could not speak English so a bit of thinking on the spot and being vigilant.
It was an unbelievable experience, London really pulled of a great games from the ease of transport to the buzz and i remeber someone coming up to me and saying thanks to everyone for making the games, so in our own way all the staff made a difference.
I run a local Sports Rehabilitation & Prehabilitation centre in Belfast, so after being chosen to work at the Olympics i would be delighted to work with anyone from Ulster Rugby.
At Sports Rehad Ireland we are specialists in sports massage and prehabilitation and rehabilitation of sporting injuries. Some treatments: Injury & Postural Rehab Sports Massage Trigger Point Therapy Myo fascial Release Electrotherapy Sports Training.
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