Virgin Trains better for unconscious passengers

I was on the late Virgin Trains server between Preston and London on Monday night, it was quiet and the train manager had some time, so I asked him about what Virgin trains policy is for their staff to do in relation to an unconscious passenger for whatever reason.

• Check breathing
• Ring though a 1st class ticket from Cornwall to Inverness return on the unconscious casualties credit card [ Would it really surprise you if an office bound Virgin trains revenue director wanted to include that? ]
• Seek any passengers who are suitably equipped to deal with said emergency. He said if a doctor or nurse does not come forward, they would ask for a 1st aid trained person.
• Phone ambulance
• Put passenger in recovery position

What was interesting and different from my Arriva experience last week was that he was very clear that he could move a casualty if the situation warranted it.

Are a train operators 1st aid procedures are high on the list of decision criteria for most potentially unconscious rail travelers? I think not.

The Druid's Revenge

I find this blog by Paul Williams, Welsh Conservative Assembly candidate for Ynys Môn fascinating. OK, it probably has some cognitive bias, but the comments don't make it appear that the bias is that far from the mark. A quick Sunday afternoon summary of the last few months (and I am missing much out) is along the lines of

• Ynys Mon/Anglesey county council councillers have been fighting so much between then selves that the big children in the Assembly government have got tired of telling them to stop fighting and get on with the job of delivering services to the people of the Island.
• Big bad A.M. Carl Sergeant spent a lot for time thinking about what to do, ignored some advice by some people who had looking into the problems in some detail and then decided to appoint his friends (some of which has done a bit of infighting in their time) to do what the naughty councilors of Ynys Mon should have done in the 1st place
• All the new commissioners are retired public servants of some sort and it is unlikely that they will all still be standing by the time Council elections come round again given their advanced age.
• Ieuan Wyn Jones does not do or say much for the area he represents, but with a majority of over 4,000 I would be surprised if his seat is in much real danger, though Paul would like his job very much.

While a couple of Ceredigion council members appear out of their depth, a few are on the make (rather than take I want to be clear or at least as far as I know) and one cabinet member is drowning in a sea of his own incompetence, all the Ceredigion councilers do at least put their political differences aside. They may have variable quality support from a subset of council employees, but I would describe Ceredigion as a sub-optimal council rather than dysfunctional.

It is well worth reading this blog, it is a warning to all County Council politicians and those who elect them.