\u201cBrittany was riding her gravel bike<\/a> to get some extra miles in while I drove the car behind her with our dogs,\u201d says Cody, a full-time paramedic and Ironman Chattanooga<\/a> finisher. \u201cShe reached a mild downhill section, and the front tire went sideways. It might have caught a rock or a little pothole, but either way, it catapulted her headfirst over the handlebars.\u201d.<\/p>\n He watched as Brittany crashed to the ground and rolled a few times before coming to a stop. \u201cBrittany landed face down on the ground. Her body was limp, and I could tell she wasn\u2019t breathing.\u201d<\/p>\n Applying his skills as a paramedic, Cody hopped out of the car, did a quick spinal assessment, and immediately rolled Brittany over. Her jaw was dislocated and her mouth was filled with gravel, so Cody swept out her mouth, realigned her jaw, and started giving her basic mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths.<\/p>\n \u201cI also noticed some decerebrate posturing, a body position caused by severe brain damage where the arms and legs go really stiff,\u201d Cody says. \u201cThen she had a full-blown seizure. It lasted no more than 30 seconds but it felt like forever in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n He got a couple more breaths in before Brittany had another seizure. \u201cShe was starting to breathe again on her own, but I knew we couldn\u2019t stay there.\u201d<\/p>\n Cody attempted to call 911, but there was no cell service. Fortunately, he had pre-downloaded the areas where they would be and was able to retrieve the coordinates from Google Maps and text 911. He then reclined the passenger seat, belted Brittany in, laid her on her right side to prevent her from choking should she vomit, and began heading toward the nearest town, hoping that the text message would send while he drove. After 30 minutes, he reached the town of Ardenvoir and went into Cooper\u2019s General Store to call 911 from their phone.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew my text went through because when they answered, they asked, \u2018Is this Cody?\u2019 They had my coordinates and had already sent people my way. I only had to wait five minutes before I heard the sirens, and two volunteer firefighters arrived in a pick-up truck,\u201d says Cody.<\/p>\n By the time they got Brittany\u2019s vital signs and put a cervical collar on to stabilize her neck, the EMTs and paramedics pulled up in their ambulances. The paramedics assumed care over Brittany, who was starting to gain consciousness and demonstrate typical head injury symptoms, including confusion over what happened. Although all of her vital signs had stabilized, she was in a great deal of pain and ER-bound.<\/p>\n \u201cThe nearest hospital was 45 minutes away, so the dogs and I followed the ambulance almost all the way there,\u201d Cody says. At the hospital, he learned that while Brittany had no broken bones, a brain scan revealed that she did have some small but concerning brain bleeds. For the next six hours, the doctors monitored Brittany.<\/p>\n Another brain scan showed that the bleed was growing and with it, the likelihood that she would need surgery at a Level 1 trauma center, so Brittany was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle via helicopter while Cody made the three-hour drive there.<\/p>\n Once Cody arrived, the neurologist and the trauma surgeon were waiting for him with good news. Brittany had a concussion, but her bleeds had stopped, and she wouldn\u2019t need surgery. Just 24 hours after her accident, Brittany\u2019s brain was starting to heal on its own, and 28 hours later, she and Cody were miraculously on their way home.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been four months since Brittany\u2019s crash and through rehab and rest, she has recovered to the point of being able to ride again, thanks in large part to Cody\u2019s training, preparation, and rapid response. To help yourself or a training partner in the event of a bike accident, here\u2019s what Cody suggests.<\/p>\n Life-saving education and gear<\/p>\n \u201cStart by taking a basic first aid course, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course, wilderness first responder course, or a Stop the Bleed course,\u201d Cody says. Check with the American Heart Association<\/a>, the American Red Cross<\/a>, or local fire department to see what training they offer. And look for courses that will equip you with lifesaving skills like bleeding control, wound packing, splinting, tourniquet application, and CPR, as well as assessing for concussion, broken bones, internal bleeding, and vertebral trauma.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re tight on time or money, Cody recommends checking out PrepMedic\u2019s videos on YouTube<\/a> to get a basic understanding of evidence-based medical care until you can get certified. PrepMedic\u2019s Skills & Gear to Save Lives<\/a> video is especially helpful. In it, he refers to the Live The Creed Pocket Trauma Kit<\/a>, which includes a bleeding control kit and a micro first aid kit that can easily fit in a bike jersey pocket.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re planning a ride in a remote area, bring extra calories<\/a>, water, and an emergency blanket as well, carrying them in a pocket, bento box, or saddle bag. Consider that cell service may be unreliable at best, which is why Cody suggests investing in a Garmin inReach or a Garmin smartwatch with Assistance Plus<\/a> so you can connect with an emergency monitoring and response center 24\/7.<\/p>\n Pre-download Google Maps or a Strava map. Both allow you to navigate and view your route even when riding in areas with little or no cell service. What\u2019s more, your phone uses less battery searching for a signal, so if there\u2019s a crash and you can move to an area with service, you\u2019ll have a phone with enough battery life to call for help. While you\u2019re at it, set up a Medical ID on your phone, which enables first responders to view your vital health details and emergency contacts.<\/p>\n Pre-ride planning and preparations<\/p>\n Cody knew that he and Brittany probably wouldn\u2019t have service in the forest. He also knew how far away they were from the nearest road.<\/p>\n \u201cI was paying attention to that while I drove. When Brittany crashed, that\u2019s what really helped me decide to drive her to a more populated area,\u201d he says. Fortunately, Cody was present when Brittany crashed and able to resuscitate her, proving that there\u2019s safety in numbers.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t ride alone if you can help it. Train with at least one other person. If you do ride alone, let others know where you\u2019ll be riding and when you expect to be done,\u201d he says, adding that it\u2019s crucial to have conversations with anyone you ride with before a crash happens. \u201cTalk about what would happen if someone crashed and stopped breathing, was bleeding, or broke their leg. How far away is the nearest town or hospital? How long would it take for paramedics or search and rescue to get to you? Have a plan!\u201d<\/p>\n Post-crash first aid checklist<\/p>\n \u201cIf you see me collapse, pause my Garmin,\u201d might be an amusing meme, but it\u2019s the last thing anyone should worry about if there\u2019s been a bicycle crash. Here are eight steps you should actually take if someone you\u2019re riding with crashes:<\/p>\n Stay calm and assess the situation<\/a>. After a traumatic injury, determine if you or anyone else involved in the crash is in immediate danger from oncoming traffic or other hazards. If danger is imminent, block traffic using a visible sign or another cyclist. Emergencies when riding alone<\/p>\n If you have a bike crash while out riding solo, here are four steps you should take:<\/p>\n Move out of the road or off the trail if possible. \u201cWhether you\u2019re riding in the backcountry or you\u2019re in a populated area where you\u2019re dealing with cars, there is inherent risk when riding. But you don\u2019t have to be afraid to enjoy your hobby and go biking,\u201d Cody says. \u201cIf you have some basic training, the right tools, and a smart plan, you can potentially save someone\u2019s life after a bike crash. It might even be your own.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Published September 22, 2026 06:00AM For this article, Triathlete spoke with paramedic and Ironman triathlete Cody Ballard about…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":905319,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[445],"tags":[49,48,635,144934,82,312991,312992,180718,312993,54267],"class_list":["post-905318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-cycling","tag-parent_category-training","tag-sports","tag-tag-cycling-safety","tag-tag-first-aid","tag-tag-safety","tag-tag-triathlon-safety","tag-type-article"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/905318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=905318"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/905318\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/905319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=905318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=905318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=905318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"composite](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/cycling-crash-first-aid_Cody-and-Brittany-Ballard.png\"\/)
Four months after the crash, Brittany Ballard has recovered to the point of being able to ride again, thanks in large part to her husband\u2019s training and rapid response. (Photo: Courtesy Cody Ballard)
\nHow to prepare for emergencies<\/p>\n
\n Check for breathing if the cyclist isn\u2019t responsive. If they aren\u2019t breathing, it\u2019s time to administer hands-only CPR. Push hard and fast in the center of the chest and check out The Lifesaving Skill Every Triathlete Should Know<\/a> to learn more.
\n Avoid moving the cyclist if they\u2019re breathing but are unconscious, unable to move their limbs, or are complaining of back or neck pain. Call emergency services immediately, as they may have a severe injury.
\n Look for symptoms of concussion, including blurred vision, confusion, dizziness, headache, nausea, or repetitive questioning, and contact emergency services if these symptoms are present.
\n Stabilize the injured cyclist if you suspect a neck or spinal injury. Keep their head and neck in the same position and call emergency services. And if they are wearing a helmet, do not remove it.
\n Stop the bleed<\/a> if you or another cyclist is bleeding heavily. Use a clean cloth, bandage, or your hands to apply firm pressure to the wound and elevate the wounded limb above the heart if possible. If you can\u2019t control the bleeding by pressure and you\u2019re prepared to use a tourniquet, do so. And, you guessed it, call emergency services.
\n Assess for fractures and sprains. If they cannot move their limbs or if deformity, intense pain, or swelling are visible, they may have a fracture and need a splint to immobilize the injury. If they can move their limbs with minor pain and there\u2019s bruising or swelling, they may have a sprain, which can be treated temporarily with rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
\n Prevent shock<\/a>. Symptoms of this life-threatening condition can include confusion, pale skin, rapid heartbeat, lethargy, and shallow breathing. If the injured cyclist begins to vomit, take a cue from Cody and roll them onto their side to prevent choking. Contact emergency services and use the emergency blanket that you remembered to carry to keep the person warm.<\/p>\n
\nAssess yourself. If you\u2019re suffering from heavy bleeding, broken bones, or concussion symptoms, call emergency services immediately.
\nStop the bleed by applying even, heavy pressure using your own body weight until help arrives.
\nIf you don\u2019t suspect a severe injury, it\u2019s still important that you check your helmet closely for cracks, impact marks, or structural damage. If the helmet is damaged, it\u2019s a good idea to have a medical professional evaluate you for a mild concussion.<\/p>\n