[Coroner's Court Inquiry for CHOW Tsz Lok Alex] The Cruel and Gentle First Aid Process and Court Inquiry

CHOW, a 22-year university student, passed away on 8 November 2019 from falling from 3/F of a car parking building, after he participated in a protest of the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement running away from police's tear gas attack. In the coroner's court inquiry, it was cruel for CHOW's parents who listened to every detail of the discovery and the rescue of CHOW by the firemen and first aiders who attended the court as a witness.

Senior Fireman LAI Wai Kit and his team member WONG Hong Kit identified CHOW and provided medical aid. When LAI asked CHOW for his name, CHOW was not able to make any response. Since LAI's team was summoned to the scene for a fire report, he and WONG did not bring first aid tools with them.

A while later, other firemen and volunteer first aiders arrived with first aid equipment. TSANG Long Hin, a 17-year secondary student and first aider, was the first reaching the spot helping CHOW. "Where's his blood from? Why did he fall?", TSANG told the court in the witness box. "He (CHOW) was evading tear gas by the police", TSANG recalled someone had replied to him next to CHOW. However, at that moment, TSANG kept eyeing any ambulance had arrived.

It was because, after TSANG's initial check-up on CHOW's body and assessment, he believed CHOW got serious hurt with pneumothorax and high intracranial pressure, as well as internal bleeding. 

The court judge was curious why TSANG, a secondary student, was so professional like an A&E doctor with all the steps taken to conduct a check-up for an urgent patient. TSANG told the court he learned those from the training of St. John (a non-government first aid and ambulance charitable organization in Hong Kong) and gained first-hand experience throughout last year's movement (the police kept shooting people during the movement and many people, especially youngsters were injured).

TSANG added that, under such a situation, nothing more could be done to save CHOW by the firemen and first aiders on the scene. CHOW needed to be sent to a hospital for urgent surgery. "That's why you paid much attention to any ambulance was coming", asked the judge and TSANG affirmed. 

The judge admired TSANG and asked him to consider being a doctor in future. "And, on behalf of CHOW's parents, thank you for taking good care of CHOW when he was in a worsening situation", added the judge.

After the court adjourned, TSANG met CHOW's parents in a meeting room - TSANG told the press they gave consolation and positive words to each other. TSANG left the court with CHOW's father, who tapped on TSANG's shoulder to express his silent but great appreciation to that young hero.

Source: StandNews 26 November 2020

https://www.thestandnews.com/court/周梓樂死因研訊-死因庭筆記-一場急救的殘酷與溫柔/