Comments on: Lanzarote Tourist Killed in Playa Blanca

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:14:11 +0000

Very very sad news about the tragic accident in Playa blanca. But as a state reg Paramedic i feel that an awful lot of Brits would be astonished if thay learned just how far they are from paramedic cover back in the UK

By: Jeanne Hambleton UK

Jeanne Hambleton UK — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:19:58 +0000

It is now one year since this sad accident and I wonder if the folk of Playa Blanca have made any headway to get a paramedic or doctor on call available in your town when an emergency such as this happens again. Who knows if this man’s life might have been saved if treatment had been administered sooner. It is a tragedy that 31 year old Matthew Dunn died in the prime of his life – surely in his memory something tangible should be achieved.

Several years ago I had a bad fall in Playa Blanca at 10.30pm. later learned (when I got home) I had broken my pelvic bone in 3 places. I was in great pain, could not stand and my daughter insisted they called a doctor. But no one was available. She then wanted an ambulance. They came and were very sympathetic but said the hospital was out of their region and they could not take me to Arrecife Hospital.. My daughter went beserk while I cried out in pain. She won the day and I was taken by ambulance to Arrecife. The hospital staff were kind, and the doc spoke English. After x-rays and a consultation when I was told I had bruised bones which were bleeding, I was sent back to my holiday home, one of the Suns, with my x-ray – all under my EU card.

The next 12 days I spent in a wheelchair as we could see no point in going home.We soon found out where the disabled toilets were and the restaurants who had facilities upstairs or downstairs – so I restricted my fluid intake. But your taxi drivers were magnificent. They helped me in and out of taxis if I put out my arm for support. They folded my wheelchair and came back for us. They were fantastic. Hooray for Playa Blanca taxis. It was 5 months before I could walk on my own two feet after a stay in hospital at home and 3 months bed rest.

But that has not kept me away from my holidays in Playa Blanca and I am glad lived to tell the tale. Maybe some Govt.money could be used for a small A&E Accident & Emergency Out-of-ours Clinic for late emergencies or a rota of local doctors subsidised by Govt.money. Everything seems to be private medical treatment in Playa Blanca.

Good luck with this project which could benefit locals as well as tourists. J
Excuse typos – I am a fibromite

By: admin

admin — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:43:53 +0000

Oh bless you Hatti – I’m sure that your efforts were appreciated.

Elle xx

By: Hatti Sonley

Hatti Sonley — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:23:30 +0000

i was out in Lanzarote at the time and we was only up the road from where it had happened.. we seen the sign the monday after the accident and me and my dad was devestated .. we read the note and it kept me thinking about it all day. On Tuesday the note wasnt up anymore but the flowerrs were.. i seen the note down the road so i ran down to get it and tryed putting it back up but it didnt feel very secure. i didnt have anything with my to tie it up with sorry.. all my love to family and friends.

By: Jeanne Hambleton UK

Jeanne Hambleton UK — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:15:41 +0000

So sad to read about this tourist who died in Playa Blanca road accident. We live 7 miles from the main hospital and the ambulance station in Chichester, West Sussex. Like Playa Blanca our village is possibly 20 minutes drive or maybe 15 with an ambulance and blue lights. To help overcome this there are teams of paramedics that live in the outlying areas but we also have a village First Response. This is a red and yellow car manned 24 hours by trained volunteers who are on the scene before the ambulance. It parks in the middle of the village. The villagers fund raise for this fantastic service and get grants to keep them on the road but this does save lives when your town is isolated. I could get more information if anyone in Playa Blanca wanted it. A town raffle running for several months with a holiday at one of the Sun resorts as the prize, should raise quite a lot of money to get you started. Mainland drug companies might help too. Worth thinking about. Jeanne

By: Barbarella

Barbarella — Mon, 31 May 2010 11:36:17 +0000

Oh jeez… that´s is such sad news. And it´s tragic that the long journey to Arrecife might have contributed to his death.

Although I love driving on the nice empty, uncongested roads here in Lanzarote, the amount of dangerous drivers (tailgating in particular, speeding and other dangerous manouevres without indicating) never cease to make me so angry, constantly making me think “how dare they endanger MY life with their actions?!”.

Back to the tailgating again… do drivers not realise that if I only step on the brakes to avoid running over an animal (or whatever other reason!), and they run into the back of me, that THEY are responsible?

*Sigh* I could rant on and on here. But instead, I just send my heart out to the families & friends affected.