Episode 10 First Time on the Front Line

Britain's next generation of Emergency Service recruits,

chosen from a pool of thousands.

Rookies like Laurence, sampling life as a Special

before committing to a full-time police career.

There aren't many jobs where you get to try out the job before you do it.

It came down to just giving it a go before I signed my life away.

Maya's life wish is to be a paramedic - now it's coming true.

It actually means that I might have a future.

I've wanted this for so long.

I finally feel that I've actually achieved something.

And new mountain rescuer Tom is a GP.

He's putting his medical skills to the test

in the toughest of environments.

I've spent a lot of time in the outdoors over the years

and I've always felt it would be nice

to be able to give something back.

They've survived months of intensive training.

Come on - let's move!

Get back! There's a child in the water. Over.

They've been tested to their limits...

Spray, spray!

It's burning.

Stop panicking, don't worry.

..all to realise their dream careers.

That's all I want. I only want to help people.

Join them for their first time on the frontline.

In today's programme...

-I'm having a go because

-BLEEP...

Stop swearing.

..a party...

Sorry - I'm from Yorkshire.

-..a fight...

-Have I got any bruises, because I know I have a bruise here?

..and a guest who's outstayed his welcome.

-I'm going.

-BLEEP

You're under arrest, sunshine.

-What for?

-Drunk and disorderly.

Danger on the hard shoulder.

Maya braves motorway traffic to find the cause of a driver's illness.

That scar there, what's that from? What's that from?

And emergency at altitude.

I can see somebody at 200m.

Tom joins the rescue operation as an elderly walker

is injured on the mountainside.

Ready, brace, lift.

Cheshire Police has more than 400 Specials on its books.

One of the newest recruits - 22-year-old Laurence Towers.

On his first shift, he arrested a man accused of assault.

Now he's preparing for his second.

The night promises to be busy but he has been trained for the task.

Laurence's police adventure began in summer 2013.

The venue - Cheshire Police HQ.

The course - a 20-day programme for new Specials

preparing for active duty.

When you strike, it's in and hold and then draw back.

Specials may be unpaid volunteers

but they have the same powers as regular officers

so they must be taught how to detain suspects who resist arrest.

When we put this top cuff on, it goes on - you feel the struggle,

put your hand on top of the cuff. That can help you lock it in nice and tight.

You step round through the front and do your take-down.

Get down, get down, get down.

And they're on the floor.

There are 20,000 assaults on police officers every year -

that's one every 27 minutes.

They've got to be safe

and also not use too much force on the subject - it's a real

balancing act all the time.

Laurence quickly mastered the skills needed to control violent suspects,

without specialist equipment...

Down, down, down.

..and with it.

Limb restraints were introduced into the package to control

somebody who's kicking off.

Velcro restraints to stop suspects kicking out

are part of standard kit.

You can't put these on too tight. The tighter you put them on, the better.

As are spit hoods to give officers added protection.

They were a bit surprised that people were going to spit at them.

Some people don't realise what potentially is going to happen to them

when they join but that's just one of the things that they're

potentially going to face.

Laurence passed the course

and was assigned to a station in his home town of Crewe.

It's a place with its own problems like anywhere

so I'm sure it might be quite strange

and I hope I don't run into anyone I know but you never know.

Two months later and the new recruit prepares for his first night shift.

An exciting time for Laurence,

a tense time for his mum.

I worry about him, I worry about his ability

to deal with people who are going to be very angry or very violent

and just what any mother would consider, I think, really.

Like all new Specials, Laurence has been assigned a constable tutor.

PC Warren Davidson will monitor him during his 18 months' probation.

Early in the shift, they spot some men acting suspiciously.

One's carrying a lawn mower.

Another, a painting.

How come you're moving all this now?

I found this by the bin.

-You found it by the bin?

-Yeah.

-The reason why we're asking is

because there's been lots of thefts from sheds.

Warren believes there's sufficient grounds for a stop-and-search.

My God.

The rookie checks the police national computer

to see if any of them have criminal records.

Difficult - as their details are in Polish.

-Which part's the name?

-There.

-Thank you very much.

Whereabouts are you living?

-Warrington.

-Warrington. All right, what's your address?

Now they have an address,

the officers know where to go, should the goods be reported stolen.

PNC persons check, please. Received.

The search reveals nothing illegal

and there's no clear evidence the property is stolen.

They can be on their way.

Have a good evening. Catch you in a bit.

Laurence's training didn't cover lawn mowers being pushed down

residential streets late at night.

-You've got to question it.

-He even had a picture in his pocket.

-Yeah?

-A framed picture - I wasn't expecting that to be pulled out

for some strange reason. Well, there you go.

The West Midlands has a population of 5.3 million.

Being recruited to the paramedics team which serves all those people

is no easy task, as one applicant is about to find out.

At the latest recruitment day, there are over 100 hopefuls

competing for just 47 paramedic jobs.

Are we allowed to put the pads on and to charge and shock

or should we physically be doing that?

We're testing you on knowledge that you KNOW you have already got.

29-year-old Maya Black has set her heart on getting a precious post.

She's dreamed of being a paramedic since she was 14

when she saw someone collapse in a shop.

I remember that overwhelming feeling that there was nothing I could do to help them

and knowing that there are skills out there that you could employ

if you had the knowledge but I didn't have the knowledge.

That really, really bothered me.

Maya's raised 11-year-old Tyreece on her own, taking on a series

of tough jobs caring for vulnerable adults to make ends meet.

She sees this as a potentially life-changing opportunity.

15 years I've always wanted to get to this stage

and I'm finally here today and literally I can walk in that room

and they can say, "Yes, your dream's come true" or they can say "No"

and then I'm back to square one again.

The assessments are about to begin. Clinical abilities...

What are the pupils presenting as?

..ambulance driving skills..

Continue through and do the right-hand reverse.

-..physical strength...

-Well done.

..and medical knowledge - all put to the test.

-Well done.

-Thank you very much.

The end of the day - the decisions have been made.

Some candidates have been selected for the official training programme. Some have not.

Maya's about to find out her fate.

Take a seat.

Congratulations. You have been successful today.

-You're joking.

-No, absolutely fine. Louise will take you to...

I can't believe it.

-Well done. Congratulations.

-Thank you.

Oh, God. I'm in absolute shock. I can't believe I got through.

All that remains is a six-week course where Maya must prove

she's made of the right stuff to be a paramedic.

It actually means that I might have - as cheesy as it sounds -

I might have a future. I've wanted this for so long and I finally feel

that I've actually achieved something.

Maya passed the course and her paramedic career

is under way. Today she's on duty with

colleague Mark Peplow.

The West Midlands Ambulance Service receives around 3,000 999 calls every day.

And the latest has just come in.

It's a male in his 20s on the motorway

with chest pain and semi-conscious.

That's all we've got so far.

The driver's stopped on the hard shoulder - right next to cars

travelling at 70mph.

Quite a dangerous location,

so control are trying to contact the Highways Agency

to see whether or not they'll be able to manage the scene for us.

Even though Maya is a rookie,

she'll take the clinical lead with this patient.

Mark will assist and observe.

Hello. What's your name?

Sorry, can you come a little bit closer?

Her first task - getting the sick driver

out of the car and away from the fast and dangerous traffic.

Is it quite painful?

The casualty, Sebastian, is Polish.

and doesn't speak English.

Luckily his friend can translate Maya's questions.

What's happened today?

Has he been sick? Been sick? Vomit?

No vomiting, OK.

Sebastian's been suffering severe stomach pains for several days.

Maya needs to investigate the cause and come to a conclusion quickly.

The ambulance is in a precarious position.

Your pain - is it here?

-Or here?

-Here.

Just here, OK.

As well as being in pain, Sebastian has high blood pressure.

Maya might have found the cause.

That scar there - what's that from? What's that from?

His friend thinks Sebastian had gall bladder surgery

the previous year - that could be significant.

It does seem there's a strong possibility that he's passing

a gall stone at the moment.

Passing gall stones can be very painful.

Maya wants to give him morphine.

Sebastian, do you have any allergies that we know of?

Has he got any allergies?

But because of the language barrier, she can't be sure his body

will tolerate it.

I can't give morphine, just because I don't know his history, do I?

An allergic reaction to morphine could be life-threatening,

so instead, Maya's going to give Sebastian paracetamol.

Small scratch.

She opts to administer it by needle.

An intravenous dose works faster than paracetamol

given in tablet form.

Let me know if you can feel it going up your arm, OK?

With pain relief in place, it's off to hospital.

How is your pain now?

A lot better.

Thanks to Maya's treatment, the pain has eased

and Sebastian's blood pressure has come down.

As long as the patients aren't in pain, I'm happy.

Now they've arrived at hospital, the cause of the patient's discomfort

can be investigated thoroughly.

He was in a lot of pain when we got there

-and he wasn't when we got here so we did the right thing.

-Yeah.

-He's happy, he's smiling.

-Yeah, job done.

That job may be done - but Maya's shift has only just started.

In Cheshire, new Police Special Laurence is responding to a call

with his mentor Warren.

Supermarket security is holding the suspect in a side room.

He's 17 years old.

And get your details off you.

What's your name?

Staff claim they caught him stealing a bottle of liqueur

and two cocktail mixer pouches - £25 worth of alcohol.

Did you say your address was in Chester?

You PNC him first, mate, and we'll check out how much history he's got.

The youth is highly apologetic and the store staff don't want him

to go to court, so Warren decides to take a lenient approach.

Yeah, received 876.

The lad's given a formal warning and taken to the train station.

Warren radios control to let them know there'll be no arrest.

Mum's requested that he be put on the first train back.

It's Laurence's first experience of restorative justice,

which focuses on the needs of offenders as well as victims

and has been found to reduce repeat offending by 14%.

If he doesn't commit another offence in the next year,

he'll be OK, really.

He's just got to stay out of trouble.

Hopefully he'll think twice before trying to steal again.

Warren rings the lad's mother - he's in for a hot reception

when he gets home.

Hi, it's PC Warren Davidson. I'm quite sure he's not in for an easy night tonight

but I'll leave that one with you.

Away from Britain's towns and cities,

another type of emergency worker gives up free time to help others.

In the country's largest national park, GP Tom Gallagher

is one of those volunteers.

The Cockermouth Mountain Rescue team convenes for a training weekend.

As a doctor, Tom's used to working alone but now he hopes

to become part of a team that gets over 60 callouts every year.

You need lots of clothing for a day like today.

When Tom and his wife Dee recently moved to the Lake District,

it gave him a chance to put his climbing skills to good use.

I've spent a lot of time in the outdoors over the years

and I've always felt it would be nice to be able to give

something back.

After applying to join Mountain Rescue, Tom signed up

for a 12-month assessment programme, along with other potential recruits.

Today's exercise tests their casualty rescue abilities

in a treacherous location.

We're standing up on a rather

precarious wet greasy ledge and we're just attached

to a little piece of string here,

so fingers crossed.

The instructors have asked the rookies to set up a rope system.

It must be strong enough to lower a stretcher

and a team member down a rock face, and then pull him back up.

-Safety ready.

-Safety ready.

-Vector's ready.

-Vector's ready.

RADIO: 'OK, let's start to lower.'

The team member is 80 feet up - his life is in their hands.

Martin, you need to move up.

Need a vector?

Tom has been given a key role - the team leaders want to see how

he copes with problems under pressure.

And very quickly, one develops.

Whoa! Hold on a sec. There's something not right there.

Should that other pulley be over rather than under on the blue?

Yeah.

Tom's spotted a snagged rope and sorts it instantly.

Stop redirect. Lower main safety.

The team can now lower their colleague down the rock face safely

and pull him back up.

A successful exercise for them and impressive work by Tom.

He came back up alive, I think, yeah.

So we're definitely OK to de-rig?

We're OK to de-rig.

Rookies are also closely observed on real-life callouts

and it was on one of these that Tom really proved his value to the team.

A month earlier

and Mountain Rescue received an alert at 6.30 in the evening.

Yeah, en route. Five on board. Scarf Gap. Low leg injury.

An elderly holiday-maker had badly injured her ankle

whilst walking in a valley.

See somebody just 200m, dark top.

Tom was the only medic available to answer this emergency callout.

As I was making my way up the valley,

I had my radio on and I suddenly became aware of the fact that

all the team were referring to Doctor Tom coming up the valley.

It made me initially a bit nervous.

The casualty, 78-year-old Peggy Allen, was in a remote location.

I slipped and my ankle went right round underneath.

-I didn't hear anything break...

-OK.

-..but it went right underneath me.

Peggy was in agony, unable to move, and night was drawing in.

The team gave her gas and air while Tom assessed the injury.

Elderly casualties can seem fine but then quickly deteriorate.

It twisted a little bit and it felt slippy, not a grating,

not a broken bone, but a slippy...

OK. Which way did the foot go?

-It went outwards.

-Outwards.

Tom was convinced the ankle was badly fractured.

Peggy could go into shock at any moment.

OK, I think we'll get this splinted.

He immobilised her leg so she could be carried off the mountain

without risking further injury.

I just felt I could just relax...

OK, we're going to lift on "lift".

..and whatever was going to happen, they would take care of it.

Ready, brace, lift.

And they carried me down this mountain.

Soon, Peggy was delivered to paramedics.

When she reached hospital an X-ray confirmed Tom's suspicions -

she had fractured her ankle.

I was pleased that we managed to get her comfortable

and get her down safely

and I was slightly pleased that I got the diagnosis right.

Tom had proved his worth and was on his way to becoming

a fully-fledged member of mountain rescue.

Back in Birmingham, new paramedic Maya

and her partner Mark are responding to a 999.

For the caller, this one really is urgent.

Hello, Ambulance Service.

Her name is Emily - she's 23 years old.

I've got really severe pain. It's just come on in the past hour.

It's lower abdomen, it's just going into my back

and on my left-hand side and it's really constant.

Emily's pulse is racing.

She has a condition called endometriosis, a problem with

cells around the womb that affects two million women in the UK.

I've been bleeding, it was about 11 o'clock when I went to the toilet.

-And is it heavier than normal?

-Yeah.

-Do you suffer from things like ovarian cists?

-Yeah.

-So you're prone to them.

-Yeah.

-Have you ever had a cist rupture before?

-Yeah.

Her blood pressure is dangerously high.

Close your eyes.

Take some nice deep breaths. Do it with me. Take a deep one in.

And out. That's it. And in.

Maya hopes gas and air will take the edge off Emily's pain

and help bring her blood pressure down.

-Ow! Sorry.

-Let's make sure... Open your mouth.

That's it, make sure you've got it in, nice deep breaths.

The gas and air is ineffective. The pain is too intense.

Maya decides to administer morphine,

but inserting a cannula is difficult.

-Emily's veins are tiny.

-The thing is, your veins aren't the best.

-I know, I know, I know.

-Yeah, if you know they're not the best...

No talking, just keep taking that for us, OK?

Maya thinks she's found a viable vein

but it's going to be hard to hit.

There's only one way to find if she's been successful.

You're doing really, really well.

What I need you to do is tell me if you...

Can feel a nice cold sensation now?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-It's good news. Maya hit the target first time.

OK, morphine going in now, sweetheart. Just relax for us.

The drug rapidly takes effect.

-OK?

-Thank you.

-All right, it's OK.

With her pain under control, Emily can be taken to hospital.

A couple of bumps.

It's not just Emily who's relieved Maya hit the vein first time.

I'm a lot happier she's smiled at me.

Loads happier, we're sat having a chat.

Normally paramedics are nice like that.

Some you get you know, they just don't talk to you and stuff.

You'll never have that problem with me.

If anything, you'll probably think, "Shut up."

When they reach A&E, Emily's whisked in for further investigations.

The paramedics' work is done.

When you get the cannula into position, you do get an

immediate sense of relief, especially if it's a time-critical patient.

You can see the patient's miles more comfortable than what she was.

You know, you're only a few seconds away from getting

the drugs in that the patient needs.

She came off the back of the truck smiling, which is a good thing.

Maya may have waited 15 years to achieve her dream of becoming

a paramedic, but her career is off to a flying start.

She did say if she needed an ambulance crew again,

she only wanted us two together.

-Yeah, she did actually say that.

-That's a plus.

-The dream team.

Got to be done, got to be done.

Back in Crewe, the night's ending with a bang

for new Police Special Laurence.

He and his mentor, Warren, are answering another 999.

It's a domestic incident.

Male at the property has been kicking off inside the house

and outside, as well.

The violence has erupted at a family party.

Police control has dispatched several units.

The man accused of starting the fight is now on the street.

Sorry, I'm from Yorkshire.

A disturbance like this is a new experience for Laurence.

A fact that isn't lost on the suspect.

-You don't look exactly old, do you, really?

-Forget that.

Why have we been called to this address?

-Why?

-Everyone says you've been kicking off and causing a scene.

-I'm 25 years of age in February.

-Yeah?

OK.

-I

-don't see no-one writing it, so no-one's taking evidence.

Now I want either my solicitor here or someone taking evidence.

-For what?

-For everything I say.

We're speaking to you because we've been called to this address.

-For what reason?

-Because you've been kicking off.

The man claims he was the victim in the fight

and didn't start it in the first place.

-I've got a bruise here.

-I can't see any bruise.

Well, that's what I can feel.

I've got a tooth loose, my nose is loose.

You don't have to shout as much.

-I'm having a go because he

-BLEEP.

Stop swearing now, otherwise you'll be locked up

for drunk and disorderly before you even start.

I am not standing on a street corner with you while you're swearing.

There's other people in bed,

so tone your voice down and talk to me civilly.

One of the other officers has been inside to talk to the party goers.

It's bad news for the suspect.

From what they're saying in there, OK,

-you've been squaring up to your sister.

-Squaring up to my sister?

Yeah, and the person whose house it is

-has been trying to remove you from the address.

-That's a lie.

-What we need you to do...

-I'm going home.

He's got into an altercation with his sister

and they're all originally from Yorkshire.

His family want him to leave the neighbourhood.

-But he refuses to go quietly.

-I'm going.

-BLEEP

-idiot.

-You're under arrest, sunshine.

-What for?

-Drunk and disorderly.

-Don't force me to my bad chest.

-Let go.

-Please.

-My chest. I've got a heart

-BLEEP

-condition.

You're under arrest.

You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if

you do not mention when questioned something which you later

-rely on in court.

-My chest!

Remembering his training, Laurence helps secure the man

so he can be handcuffed.

It'll be all right. You can stand up now. There you are. There you are.

-Please, lift my shirt up?

-I don't want to, mate.

I believe you. You told me you've got a heart condition,

-I believe you, all right?

-Lift it to the top.

-I'm not lifting anything.

-You're all right, you're all right.

With the man now cuffed, the officers can search his pockets.

Inside, a bag of drugs.

You've got cannabis in your hand. I know you have.

-I admit that now.

-His next stop, the custody suite.

He got arrested for drunk and disorderly and, yeah,

a lovely bit of weed.

You'll be famous for that. That's the money shot, that one.

When they reach their destination, the cells are full

so the man's kept in a holding bay.

The rookie works hard to keep the volatile suspect calm.

Laurence has done a good job of just keeping him sort of entertained,

so to speak, and just taking his mind off what's happened

and just asking him loads of other things, so distracting him in a way.

The police often take into account whether a suspect is compliant.

The shoplifter earlier tonight was. This man was not.

That's why he's here.

So many chances to leave, to stop swearing, everything.

He didn't take any of them, so, he's got a fair old bit of lip, this boy.

Had to put in the final word, which got him banged up.

Laurence's busy shift finally draws to a close.

Maya's patient, Sebastian, has fully recovered from his stomach problems

and is back at work.

Peggy's ankle has mended.

She's already planning her next trip to the Lakes.

The man Laurence helped arrest

pleaded guilty to drunk and disorderly and possession of cannabis.

He received a 12-month conditional discharge

and his drugs were destroyed.

And Emily will soon be having an operation on her womb condition.

Hopefully that will cure her problem for good.

Next time: On patrol...

Someone's in trouble, basically.

-..and under attack.

-Not over me.

Police Special Sarah puts her own safety on the line

when a colleague is pinned to the ground.

No time to waste - Ben rushes to a patient whose heart

hits 160 beats a minute.

-You've got cold hands.

-You know what they say? Cold hands, warm heart.

-And crashed...

-Brendan, just talk to the casualty.

..and trapped,

-the driver whose life depends on fire recruit Brendan.

-Cutting!