Quicksand Rescue Hero Squad

These wannabe heroes are working together to perform daring rescues.

Over the toughest terrain...

..experiencing the highs...

..and the lows.

There's a new emergency crew in town.

I'm Rav Wilding and this is Hero Squad.

Six ordinary school kids, their mission -

to learn how to save lives.

But do they have what it takes to become real-life heroes?

Last time, the cadets had to find a Hero Squad casualty trapped

-underground.

-OK, I'm down.

Arguments almost caused the rescue to fall apart.

-Lily thinks you've gone the wrong way.

-Oh, ignore them.

Lily's listening skills got them back on track

and won her Hero of the Day.

This time, they have just two days to transform

themselves into a bay search and rescue team.

And take on an extraordinary Hero Squad challenge.

A man is trapped up to his waist in quicksand

and he needs the Hero Squad to get out before the tide comes in.

It's something no 12 or 13-year-olds have ever done before.

This week on Hero Squad, our six cadets are heading to the beach

but this is no time for an ice cream or a dip in the sea.

It may look beautiful

but this is one of the most treacherous places in Britain.

Twice a day, the sea drains in and out leaving

areas of quicksand which can quickly suck you in.

The cadets have arrived at the seaside town

of Morecambe Bay in Cumbria.

With Morecambe Bay's 120 square miles of sandy beaches, it's a

hotspot for holidaymakers.

Along the coastline, the sand mixes with clay in fast-changing

tides turning this hard beach into thick gooey quicksand.

What makes quicksand so dangerous is that it's very hard to spot.

Who thinks they know what you're doing today? Lots of hands going up.

Go on, Kyra, what do you think you're doing?

Mud rescue or coastguard.

-I'll give you a clue. You may have seen one of these before.

-Ohh.

The cadets were given a rucksack packed

full of clues about the types of rescues they'll be performing.

-Let's see who's guessed what they'll be doing this time.

-A timer.

So I'm going to be timed to do something.

-I'm not quite sure about that one.

-A sand timer.

-Correct, Maria.

But no-one's worked out what type of rescue they'll be carrying out.

-What's inside this?

-ALL: Sand.

Sand is in here but what you are surrounded by is not ordinary sand.

This is quicksand.

If you were to go in there, you could get sucked in quicker

than it takes the sand to drain out of this timer.

-Scary thought?

-ALL: YES.

I'll tell you just how scary it is

there's someone I'd like you to meet.

Hi, guys. How are you doing? ALL: Good.

Welcome to Morecambe Bay.

More importantly, welcome to Bay Search and Rescue. Nice to meet you.

I'm Gary, station officer.

Gary Parsons has spent 13 years as part of one of the only

specialist quicksand emergency services in Britain.

They search and rescue.

If you get stuck in quicksand here,

you're at the mercy of the tides which rush in at 9 mph.

Twice the speed of a really quick walk

turning this beach into deadly territory.

Gary and his team of heroic rescue volunteers are on standby

24 hours a day, 365 days a year to rescue people in trouble.

He's got just one day to train up the Hero Squad

and won't be tolerating any messing about.

This is a really dangerous place, OK?

When I ask you to do something, I expect you to do it

so that nobody gets hurt.

I think actions speak louder than words

and I think we've got six willing

volunteers who are about to see how easy it is to get stuck in sand.

As their mentor, Gary will choose one cadet to lead

the others in their Hero Squad rescue tomorrow.

-They each have to try and impress him.

-It feels like jelly.

You'll find it gets a little bit softer and a little bit softer.

He's sending them onto the beach so they know what it

feels like to walk and get stuck in this treacherous sand.

It feels like jelly.

Kyra falls.

-I think Gary's starting to regret this.

-Stop moving.

The cadets might find it funny but getting stuck in quicksand

is a serious matter.

The more you try to move around, the faster you sink

until the sand around your legs sets like concrete.

It was really scary and I didn't want to go in at first

because I don't like mud or anything dirty and sticky.

When I got stuck in the sand, my feet got taken under.

I couldn't get my feet out and I got really stuck.

It was weird because it was like a jelly.

Every time you pull something out, you left your other foot still

and it sunk in.

The cadets won't set foot on the sand again

until they know what they're doing.

After a clean up, it's time to start training.

To transform themselves into a bay search and rescue team,

the cadets will have to dig our Hero Squad casualty out of the sand

using some monster power tools.

This is a concrete poker.

What this does is right at the end,

inside, it's got this piece of metal that spins round really fast.

-Feel it.

-At almost 24kg,

this one piece of kit weighs the same as a heavy suitcase.

You're going to stick it in there and move it around. Go.

The cadets have never seen anything like this before,

let alone been allowed to handle it.

That's a blender!

-How was that, Lily? Was that heavy?

-Yeah.

Would it be hard to hold that kit out there?

-It was vibrating out of your hands.

-It's quite hard to control.

Lighter, but just as effective for freeing

someone from the quicksand is the water pump.

Is called a handbag pump cos it's the size of a decent handbag.

THEY LAUGH

It pumps 100 litres of water -

that's about a bathtubful - every minute.

The cadets will need to use the water to loosen

the sand around the casualty's legs.

You've all seen the kit but I want to know who's been paying attention.

I'm going to split you down the middle. You three will be one group.

You three will be another group.

When Bay Search and Rescuers arrive on scene,

they must get to grips with their equipment in seconds

so they can complete the rescue as quickly as possible.

Gary is setting the cadets a challenge -

to rescue this miniature casualty from a tub of DIY quicksand.

First up, Sam, Kyra and Maria.

As their mentor, Gary is looking for a squad leader who will

take charge of tomorrow's Hero Squad challenge.

So they need to impress him.

At first, it's chaos.

And mentor Gary is unimpressed.

He needs cadets who can handle dangerous tools under pressure

and is looking for absolute concentration. That's more like it.

-They're shaking around.

-They've been listening.

In no time at all, the rescue is complete.

-Next, it's Josh, Myles and Lily's turn.

-Face it to the bottom.

-Water goes in first, then the poker.

-No, you're going to kill him!

It's taking all Lily's strength but in a real rescue,

a casualty's life could depend on using these tools effectively.

He's alive. He's alive!

The training was really fun especially

when we used that big drill-y thing cos it was vibrating

and it felt like it was going to come out of your hand.

To work with that in real life, in a real-life situation,

I guess it wouldn't be as fun cos you'd have to

think about the danger that the casualty is in.

I think it will be really hard because we are under a lot of

pressure and if we don't get him out quick enough,

he could get really cold.

The rookie cadets are starting to get an idea of what it takes

to be part of this high-speed response team.

In less than 24 hours, the cadets will be

arriving on the scene of a Hero Squad quicksand emergency.

They'll have to rescue a casualty from the sinking

sand before he's engulfed by the rising tide.

This is Bay Search and Rescue's secret to survival

and it's time for our rookie rescuers to really pay attention.

We're going to teach each of you how to drive it

so you're going to be driving

6.5 tonnes of off-road vehicle by yourself.

What you think about that?

THEY LAUGH

6.5 tonnes. That's the same weight as three elephants!

THEY CHEER

Hang on a minute. This lot are five years off being allowed to drive.

It's so exciting.

This is nerve-wracking.

The secret to survival on quicksand is to spread your weight

evenly over the surface and this truck's enormous tracks can

easily travel over the bay without sinking.

Each one holds up to 18 people and last year,

they made nearly 200 rescues.

Next behind the wheel, Kyra.

A little bit of throttle.

Wow. A 12-year-old driving a six tonne vehicle!

Straighten up, Kyra.

-You're doing great.

-Whilst Josh sets off for the boys.

Followed by Myles.

-Use the knob on the steering wheel.

-It's not about speed.

Gary and Paul are looking for the cadet

who can control 136 horse power safely.

That was so fun.

And the cadet who they think can handle

the responsibility of being squad leader.

Last but not least, it's Sam's turn at the wheel.

Speedy Sam is no stranger to taking the controls but he's happier

on water.

'I really like sailing

'because it's just the thrill of being on the water and on your own.

'It's amazing.'

You need quite good technique for when you're tacking the boat

because you've got to put it behind your hand.

You've got to be used to cold and wet.

'You can't be seasick because it might go all wrong.'

Will Sam's sea legs transfer to dry land?

Today's training has really floated his boat.

Driving the vehicle was amazing. I was actually driving it by myself.

-I didn't have any help apart from directions.

-Well done, Sam.

Thank you.

Sam, that was great, mate.

Out of our whole group, I think Lily did the best

because she was really focused.

I was ecstatic.

I was thinking of all the positive things.

There were no negative things on my mind.

I was absolutely buzzing.

Because of their skill

and concentration behind the wheel, Gary's picked out Lily and Sam

to take on the all-important driving roles for his final challenge.

Last year, Bay Search and Rescue teams

rescued 125 vehicles stranded in the sand

so Gary wants to see the cadets working in teams to reverse

the all-terrain trucks and tow a car to safety.

Just like in real rescue team,

Kyra and Josh are on lookout duty and Maria and Myles' job

is to guide the driver towards the car using only hand signals.

-Josh? When I say...

-Some great communication from the boys so far.

The boys are going straight for it but the girls are having trouble.

Lily's got to reposition before she can head back.

A little bit more!

Myles hooks on the towbar

and the boys are heading for the finish line.

That's it. Stop, stop.

-Yes!

-Well done, Josh. Well done, Sam.

Thanks to Maria's quick work with the tow rope,

the girls are underway again.

Good concentration from netball-loving Lily.

Netball captain Lily is in no doubt about what it takes to become

a real life hero.

To work in emergency services, I think

you have to be quite determined, you've got to be strong,

mentally, and probably physically,

and you've just got to be brave.

I think bravery is probably the best thing.

I think I need work on how brave I am,

cos sometimes I can be quite scared, especially in extreme situations.

CHEERING

'And that was a very brave effort by Lily and all of the cadets...'

Give her a bit of encouragement.

Come on! Well done!

'..who are the first kids of their age ever to do this.'

'No wonder Gary's seriously impressed.'

-Well done!

-Thank you!

Well done!

Today, they really have shone.

I'm absolutely thrilled that they've enjoyed it so much,

and they've been so good, you know?

Driving backwards and forwards in a six and a half tonne vehicle,

as if it was natural. It was brilliant.

The cadets have come through some of their toughest training yet.

They've showcased their skills with the power tools.

And taken control of the powerful all-terrain vehicles.

So fun!

Their transformation from cadets to Bay Search and Rescuers

is almost complete.

Fancy taking part in a daring rescue at the touch of a button?

Head to the CBBC website and play the Hero Squad game.

Gary, somehow, we've got to choose a squad leader from six

very good and competent cadets. Anyone really stand out for you?

They've all shone at different things.

Lily, obviously, brilliant driving.

Josh, excellent with the equipment.

Someone who I think has grown over today's training is Maria.

Towards this way.

She was darting from one side to the other.

She was very good. Thumbs up.

'Tomorrow's quicksand rescue is going to be a major test,

'so which cadet has impressed the most?'

The person we think should be given the chance

to excel tomorrow and be the squad leader is...

..Maria.

Great work from Maria to impress Gary today.

I do think that I do deserve the role of squad leader.

During the rescue, I think it will be really important to

communicate with everyone in the team, so everyone knows what to do.

It's eight o'clock in the morning.

The tide's out and Morecambe Bay's beaches look inviting to

holidaymakers keen to venture out onto the sand.

The cadets are also in holiday mood.

They have nothing to do this morning, except have fun

at a local pitch and putt course.

Maria, this is going to be for you.

You are responsible for that mobile phone now.

If that goes off, you may have to respond accordingly. Off you go.

As squad leader, Maria's carrying a mobile phone

like real Bay Search and Rescue volunteers and, just like them,

she must be ready to respond at a moment's notice.

But, in the meantime, it's all a bit hit and miss.

Time for me to show them how it's done.

Oh! There it goes!

Woo!

Less than a mile away, Richard and his daughter Maddy have

decided to take a scenic drive across the bay.

They're enjoying the adventure of being off road,

but have no idea where the quicksand is or how dangerous it can be.

The car gets stuck.

He gets out to assess the situation, when suddenly...

..disaster!

The more he tries to get out, the more he sinks.

Luckily, his daughter has stayed in the car, and raises the alarm.

The call's in and the cadets scramble.

'First stop, Bay Search and Rescue Base to get kitted up.'

Quickly!

We've got a guy in a vehicle stuck out in the sand. Get your gear on.

Just like a real rescue crew,

the cadets are wearing waterproof boots and life jackets.

Clock's ticking.

Throughout today's challenge, Gary will be choosing Hero of the Day -

the cadet who performs best under pressure.

The cadets now know the rough location of the casualty,

and it's a race against the tide to complete the rescue.

Maria has put Lily and Sam behind the wheel

of the all terrain vehicles.

And Josh and Kyra are straight into their roles as spotters

on the lookout for a vehicle stuck in the sand.

You're nice on your right and you're nice and your left. Keep it steady.

12 and 13-year-olds have never been able to do this.

Amazing!

Time to step up a gear.

Over there!

Travelling flat out at almost 30 miles per hour,

the cadets are moments away from reaching the casualty.

Great work from drivers Lily and Sam.

Now it's down to squad leader Maria to assess the situation.

There's a vehicle stuck and my daughter's in the vehicle, as well.

There's not one, but two casualties to deal with.

To make sure there's no more, the cadets use an inflatable

pathway, so they can work safely without sinking into the quicksand.

-JOSH:

-There's where it wants to be going in.

Well, it's great to see the cadets getting the inflatable pathway up.

You guys, do you want to get someone to go

and make sure the daughter's all right?

Good job Kyra's on the ball.

Whilst Josh and Sam check on Maddy, the tide is getting closer

and the quicksand is putting pressure on the casualty's legs.

He's relying on the Hero Squad to get him out fast.

If you hold one end...

But the tools are heavy.

It's dirty work and the cadets are wasting valuable time arguing.

Stretch out towards the casualty. Give it to Myles if you have to.

Yeah, we need to sort out this leg first.

With everyone shouting orders,

it's difficult for squad leader Maria to decide what to do next.

-I'm going to pass it over, hold the front.

-It ain't stretched out.

Yeah, cos we'd like it to come this way more.

Maria, although squad leader, is very quiet,

but Josh is the one you can hear giving out the words of command.

Maria, do you want me to transport

the casualty onto the people carrier.

There certainly seems to be a little bit of tension.

Maria, if I do it...

Squad leader Maria needs to take control.

Right, pull it!

This is much better, cadets.

Maria is using the water pump to loosen

the sand around the casualty's legs.

She's remembered her training,

but freeing someone from the quicksand takes the same amount of

effort as moving a medium sized car,

so the Hero Squad now really need to work as a team.

Work together! Come on!

You're nearly there!

They've done it!

The casualty is moved to the safety of the all-terrain vehicle,

and Sam reunites him with his daughter.

Makes sure she's warm, too, OK? Thank you, Kyra.

The first stage is complete,

but there's one more difficult task facing them.

They need to get the Hero Squad casualty's car

out of the dangerous quicksand.

They're thinking back to their training yesterday.

Josh is on lookout duty, and Myles

and Maria are guiding with hand signals, just as they were taught.

Stop!

Lily's at the wheel, and everyone's relying on her as she reverses

the truck towards the stranded vehicle.

If Lily's scared now, she's certainly not showing it.

Lily is reversing a six tonne truck!

She's done it!

-Good. You good?

-Yeah.

-Excellent. Well done.

Now they can attach the tow rope

and pull the vehicle out of the quicksand.

OK!

It's moving. Keep going! Follow Myles's direction.

Keep going forward, keep going forward.

They've done it! They've pulled the vehicle out.

The cadets are absolutely exhausted, but they're almost there.

Guys have left a load of gear out on the sands,

and we're going to wait and see

if they realise they've left half of the equipment behind.

Which cadet will remember to pack up all the kit?

Lily is straight over to help.

It's teamwork that gets the kit packed up

quickly before the tide comes in.

-Come on, Lily, you ready to go?

-Yeah.

-OK, come on. Let's go.

I've never been this dirty. It's horrible.

But it's a job well done.

The Hero Squad casualties have been safely

rescued from the quicksand, and, with the help of Gary's team,

the cadets get the car off the beach safely.

But, for Maria, being squad leader was tougher than she expected.

I was disappointed with Josh.

At points, he tried to take lead of all the situations,

which frustrated me cos I was squad leader.

I think it was getting tense between me and Myles,

cos we were both doing the same job and we were doing it differently.

There were some points where he didn't listen to the others.

I've learnt that, if there wasn't as much tension between me and

Myles, we would have worked better as a team and got it done quicker.

They may have not yet got to grips with teamwork,

but the Hero Squad pulled off a an extraordinary rescue.

Their transformation from cadets into Bay Search and Rescuers

is complete.

Without a shadow of a doubt, these kids meet the mark.

I want to sign them up. They're that good. Absolutely brilliant.

Now all that's left is to choose a Hero of the Day.

Lily, we'll start with you. We thought, some brilliant driving.

Lily's been an absolute stormtrooper. Total control all the time.

Really impressed.

-You noticed some good things from Josh, as well.

-Yeah.

Josh has done really well.

You made sure people heard what you were saying. That's good.

Thank you.

You did do well, Josh, but one thing I would say is, just watch it,

and, if you do have a squad leader who is telling you what to do,

you must take that on board.

Maria, squad leader.

You were absolutely brilliant. Outstanding.

You took on board everything that we said.

So, the person we've decided is our Hero of the Day is...

..Lily.

Lily has kept her cool behind the wheel,

showed determination in training,

and got her hands dirty during an exhausting rescue.

It's a great all-round performance.

I was thinking it was going to be Josh or Maria, I never

thought in a million years that it was going to be me.

Lily's reward for being Hero of the Day?

She gets to take charge of the hose!

In the cadets' next challenge,

it's all hands to the pump as they race to a blazing oil rig.

There's a ferocious fire to fight,

and a trapped engineer needs rescuing from a smoke-filled room.

That's next time on Hero Squad.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd