Mike's musings

Killed. And saved.

Al Qaeda have killed many people in Algeria today. Including students on a bus, who happened to be passing the UN offices. The UN isn't perfect, and it has a heavy Western bias, but the US don't like it particularly, and it's the best we've got. So why bomb them?

I took the dog for a walk today, and as I was walking along the road, I heard a squealing skid, and a car clearly hitting something quite hard. I turned round, saw a vehicle in the ditch in the dark, and sprinted there, calling 999 on the way. There was a van, upside down, with its lights on, in the ditch. I was first there, and three or so other guys turned up within seconds, pulling their cars up as they saw what had happened. There was a single person in the van, trapped, but only slightly hurt. He was very lucky and would, I suspect, have been dead if he'd not been in a fairly modern vehicle (a 2 year old Berlingo), and wearing a seatbelt. I stayed with him, talking to him and the emergency services on the phone until the police (3 cars), fire service (2 appliances) and ambulance (at least vehicle) arrived. In the end, there was nothing much I needed to do, other than chat with the driver, help the emergency services as best I could (check the driver for injuries, ensure there were no hazardous substances in the van, etc.), but I was really worried that there was going to be someone really badly injured in there, and that the van was going to be so badly damaged that I wouldn't be able to help them much. But I suspect he'll be home inthe next day or so to his family, who live locally (but who he wouldn't let us phone, as he didn't want to worry them!). So, one saved. Let's be thankful for that.

And pray for those who haven't been saved, their families and friends.

Labels: death