– The splash of blood was pulsating from his foot, says mother Gerd-Anita Johannesdatter Gjerdrum-Berglund. It was last Friday that she and her friend took the four children in total on what was to be their very first camping trip. The choice fell on Låter på Kjerringøy in Bodø, which had been recommended for families with children. The four children are between two and three years old. Here on a trip down to the bathing area at Låter last Friday. Photo: Sunniva Emilie Bolstad Stranda is within walking distance from the road, with some forest, beach, rocky cliffs and the outlet of the Låterelven. A wide and calm river that formed many small puddles between the outlet and the beach. Neither Gerd-Anita nor her friend saw anything that could harm the children, who are between two and three years old. – I wish we had worn shoes on him, but it was a lovely, fine sandy beach, so that was not in my mind, says the mother of the two-year-old. They had had time to bathe and had just started preparing dinner when she heard Kai Henrik howl. – The first camping trip of my life went from idyll to nightmare due to other people’s laziness. This is where the four children of Gerd-Anita and her friend were going on their very first overnight stay in a tent. Everyone under the age of four. Photo: Sunniva Emilie Bolstad His foot was down in the clay, when she lifted him up and saw the blood, she realized it was serious. Gerd-Anita is usually a volunteer with the Red Cross. With the boy in her arms, she ran for the first aid kit in her backpack. – We had the mud washed off him and put a bandage on him. My friend called 1-1-3, while I changed to the next bandage, says Gerd-Anita. They took his bathing suit from him, changed his clothes, while they kept pressure on the wound. The friend thought it looked like a broken wine bottle lying in the mud on the beach. Footprints and blood are visible in the sand where Kai Henrik stepped on the glass. Photo: Sunniva Emilie Bolstad The ambulance was over an hour and a ferry ride away. It ended with Gerd-Anita carrying her son in the car, and started the drive towards the hospital in Bodø. Almost all the tendons in the foot were torn by the Alarm Center asked the ferry to wait for them. On the other side, she had to change another bandage, before half an hour later they were picked up by the ambulance at the ferry berth in Festvåg. At the hospital, they got the bleeding under control, and the following Saturday, the two-year-old was put under anesthesia and operated on. – Almost all the tendons in the foot were torn off, and the one to the big toe had to be fished out, because it was right next to the heel. A nerve and an artery were also severed, so he had cut himself all the way to the bone in his foot, says Gerd-Anita. Children and dogs are injured – I think this was really bad, we often hear about children or dogs cutting themselves on shards of glass, but fortunately not as ugly as this one, says general manager Lise Keilty Gulbransen of Keep Norway Clean. They are a membership organization that works against littering. She says they don’t have any figures on how many people are injured by litter in nature. But Tine keeps statistics on how many cows become seriously ill from rubbish that comes in the feed, such as soda and beer cans. Lise Keilty Gulbransen in Hold Norway Clean encourages people to travel without a trace in nature. Photo: Nils Egil Bygdevoll Last year they recorded that close to 1,300 animals were injured by this. Gulbransen says Keep Norway Clean works to teach people about trackless traffic in nature. It is those who travel in nature who are responsible for ensuring that no one is harmed by their litter – We encourage everyone who travels outside to leave all places as nice as they were before, says Gulbransen. The State owns the Låter area on Kjerringøy, and the Norwegian Environment Agency is responsible for the area. Let the outdoor area be open to everyone. Those who travel here are responsible for cleaning up after themselves. Photo: Sunniva Emilie Bolstad The Norwegian Environment Agency points out that Bodø municipality has operational and supervisory responsibility for the area. The municipality replies in an e-mail that they empty rubbish regularly in the area, but they do not have the resources to clean all beaches. In the event of extensive littering, they go out for an inspection, but they do not take responsibility for cleaning random rubbish or individual bottles lying on the beaches. Nevertheless, Gudrun Hagen in Bodø municipality writes that they will try to get someone locally to stop by to pick up the bottle if they get a description of where it is. They are very understanding that this must have been a terrifying experience. – At the same time, this shows how important it is that everyone who travels in nature picks up and takes home their own waste. Whether it’s glass bottles or other things, writes Gudrun Hagen, who is project manager for sports and outdoor activities in Bodø municipality. The two-year-old is usually an active boy, who is very fond of going for walks and cycling. The whole family is affected by the dramatic event. Now the hope is that the foot will be completely fine again. – They think they have sewn everything back into place, and they think it will go well. We have an inspection in 14 days, so then we will remove the plaster to change it. But we hope it will go well. Now the holiday trip has been cancelled, they will stay at home in Skjerstad. They have obtained a bicycle trailer to get out into the local area. And they will set up the tent in the garden. Kai Henrik is a cheerful two-year-old, but after the accident and the hospital stay, he has become more skeptical of strangers. Here he shows the teddy bear “Hippo” that he got in the hospital when he woke up from the anaesthetic. Photo: Private – Remember first aid equipment She has a clear recommendation for other parents who are going on a trip with children. – If people don’t know first aid, then they have to learn it. Because it was an artery, and it pumps blood. It is important to be able to, and the first aid kit does not take up much space in the bag, says Gerd Anita. This is first aid equipment you should have in your backpack: Individual pack. Compresses. Plaster. Small scissors. Safety pins. Wound wipes. Tupfer. Triangle scarf. Disposable gloves. CPR mask. Support bandages. It’s something CEO Fredrik Andre Aasebø of the Red Cross Aid Corps completely agrees with. Fredrik Aasebø of the Red Cross Aid Corps recommends that parents take first aid equipment with them on trips. Photo: Red Cross – A small and light first aid kit contains the most necessary things and is easy to pack. Someone in the traveling party could fall and injure themselves, writes Aasebø. According to the Red Cross, first aid for bleeding usually involves cleaning and covering and applying pressure to the wound. They remind that it is important to have clean hands, avoid contact with blood and contact a doctor in case of major wounds, inflammation or severe pain. In case of major bleeding, press directly on the wound with your fingers, your hand or a hard object. Then apply a compress, raise the wound and apply pressure bandages. Gerd-Anita with her two children before the accident on Kjerringøy. The holiday plans have been cancelled, they will stay at home in Skjerstad. Photo: Sandra Persson
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Kai Henrik (2) stepped on a broken wine bottle up to his leg on the beach at Kjerringøy – news Nordland
