0:00:02 > 0:00:06Rural Britain has some of the most challenging environments in the world.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09In Scotland, the mountains, lochs and coastline encourage
0:00:09 > 0:00:12tourists and locals to get out into the wilds.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14But with that, comes danger.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Put your arms by your side!
0:00:22 > 0:00:26The emergency services north of the border have to deal with
0:00:26 > 0:00:27extreme challenges every day...
0:00:29 > 0:00:32SHOUTING Come here! Come here now! What's he done to you?!
0:00:32 > 0:00:35..from severe weather and treacherous terrain...
0:00:35 > 0:00:38- Is the pain getting worse, do you think?- Yes.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41..to covering huge distances on country roads
0:00:41 > 0:00:43with time against them.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Can we just get him out ASAP?
0:00:46 > 0:00:48They work around the clock,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51battling against some of the most difficult situations.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55We'll be right at the heart of the action.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Side-by-side with air rescue saving lives,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02on the road with paramedics caring for the injured,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05and following the police fighting crime,
0:01:05 > 0:01:09as the emergency services work together to pick up,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13patch up and protect the public in rural communities.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16This is Countryside 999.
0:01:34 > 0:01:35Coming up...
0:01:35 > 0:01:39The Royal Navy, police, fire and ambulance services
0:01:39 > 0:01:43join forces to response to a serious accident on a remote country road.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46He's conscious but taking a wee dip, so we'll just get him out ASAP.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53We go out on the beat in the market town of Dumfries, on one of
0:01:53 > 0:01:57the busiest nights of the festive season with local PC, Kerrie Smith.
0:01:57 > 0:01:58Happy Christmas!
0:02:01 > 0:02:05And emergency consultants in a rural hospital deal with
0:02:05 > 0:02:06pre-Christmas casualties.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10- Come on.- No!- Here, listen. You're in... Oi! You're in hospital.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26The festive season brings with it winter conditions.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Across rural Britain, snow,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31ice and rain bring havoc to scattered communities
0:02:31 > 0:02:35and make driving conditions on country roads much more treacherous.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46HMS Gannet in Ayrshire is home to one of the country's busiest
0:02:46 > 0:02:48search and rescue units.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51In winter, the Royal Navy crews play a crucial role,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54reaching and treating people in hostile environments.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Joining the crews training exercise today is
0:03:02 > 0:03:08Dr Neil Hughes from the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service, or EMRS.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11A team made up of A&E specialist,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13they can treat life-threatening injuries at the site
0:03:13 > 0:03:16of accidents before the injured are transported to hospital.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25But, during the exercise, a real emergency call comes in.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45There's been a head-on car crash on the A82 near Tyndrum.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05They're low on fuel, but decide they need to get
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Dr Neil Hughes on site as quickly as possible.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21The 10 ton helicopter burns aviation fuel
0:04:21 > 0:04:23at around 10 litres per minute,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26so they will need to keep a constant eye on fuel levels.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32With the extreme weather and icy roads,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36helicopter is the fastest option for getting a medical team
0:04:36 > 0:04:39direct to the casualty's remote location.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Once we discovered where the incident was,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44we discovered it was the A82 road,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and that's quite an extremely rural road.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49We could see that there had been a lot of bad weather up there
0:04:49 > 0:04:51and we assumed the road was going to be icy.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55And, as you can imagine, for any form of emergency service to get there,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58that's going to be quite tricky in the first place.
0:04:58 > 0:05:04The 147 mile-long A82 runs from Glasgow to Inverness.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08It's one of the main arteries to the north of Scotland
0:05:08 > 0:05:11and is one of Scotland's most dangerous roads.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17As they approach, the scale of the accident becomes clear.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43With so many emergency staff and members of the public on site,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46finding a safe spot to land is a delicate operation.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Police, fire and ambulance are on site already,
0:05:59 > 0:06:04but the swift arrival of emergency consultant Dr Neil could make
0:06:04 > 0:06:07a huge difference to the outcome of any critically injured casualties.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26The wide-open spaces of Britain's rural areas mean that
0:06:26 > 0:06:29the emergency services have greater distances to cover
0:06:29 > 0:06:32than their counterparts in the cities.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Dumfries & Galloway has the smallest mainland police force
0:06:39 > 0:06:43in the UK, with just 515 officers.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46That's one officer to every five square miles.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52But, along with the countryside,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55they must also police the region's town centres.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Dumfries is the main town for the region -
0:07:00 > 0:07:03a small market town, popular with tourists on the Burns Trail.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07In the Christmas season,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11a visible police presence is needed more than ever.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14No-one understands that more than local PC Kerrie Smith.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19So, tonight, between really 17:00 hours and 02:00 this morning,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23it's probably the busiest time of the year for us
0:07:23 > 0:07:26with custodies and antisocial behaviour.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30So there's extra staff on tonight. We intend being quite busy.
0:07:30 > 0:07:35Born and bred in Dumfries, this is Kerrie's home turf.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Tonight, she and Sgt Carol Anne Campbell are on the beat
0:07:38 > 0:07:40in the streets of the town.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- You're going to have a very busy night, aren't you?- Santa!- Yeah.
0:07:47 > 0:07:48Hi, Terry.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50Merry Christmas!
0:07:50 > 0:07:54- The police here are very much part of the local community.- Hi, folks.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Hi.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00And, with fewer police officers on the ground than in cities,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03there is more of a community policing approach.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Just tell Santa what you want for Christmas.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Enjoy your night and have a nice Christmas.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Kerrie and Carol Anne visit the local pubs to test the mood
0:08:12 > 0:08:16and check with doormen that they are well prepared for the night ahead.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19- Is there more of you due out? - There's six of us on tonight.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22So, the time is nine o'clock. The town's pretty busy.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Everyone's in good spirits. It's good to see.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29So, hopefully, that'll be for the remainder of the night, as well.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Police presence is high tonight.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41The officers hope balancing that with a friendly
0:08:41 > 0:08:43and tolerant approach will keep the atmosphere festive.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48- Hello.- Hi, folks.- Hi there.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52It's nice and friendly just now, but you'll see the manners change
0:08:52 > 0:08:56and behaviours change later on, maybe in a couple of hours' time.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58The moods will certainly change.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Dumfries might be a small market town,
0:09:22 > 0:09:25but it starts to look like any city centre
0:09:25 > 0:09:26when the alcohol starts to flow.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33On certain nights of the year, the population of Dumfries swells.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Its pubs and nightclubs draw party-goers
0:09:36 > 0:09:39from the surrounding towns, farms and villages...
0:09:39 > 0:09:43..all converging in the town centre.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46It seems like a busload of them have just arrived,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48and not that quietly.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54A call's come over the radio about a bus coming to town
0:09:54 > 0:09:58with five youths on board causing a bit of disturbance, being sick, etc.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03As we're on foot, we'll just head down, as well, just to give
0:10:03 > 0:10:06a bit of assistance and see what's happening.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08What happened, guys, you going to tell us?
0:10:08 > 0:10:11The guy that spewed is in there just now,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13He's talking to him, he's all right, I've told him to owe him £30.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Picked five of them up in Moffat, rather rowdy.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Barely out of Beattock on the way to Dumfries
0:10:19 > 0:10:21and spewed all over the bus.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24They were just trying to be vulgar and loud and obnoxious.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29Which is why I phoned for the assistance of the police.
0:10:29 > 0:10:34Also to get the fine money for cleaning the bus after it.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Kerrie doles out a fitting punishment.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48On top of the £30 fine from the bus company,
0:10:48 > 0:10:52the youth is faced with cleaning up his own sick in the morning.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59His night of partying is over.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10You've got to get to a point where you don't take much slack.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12And there is no slacking for Kerrie
0:11:12 > 0:11:15when there is a suspected knife attack
0:11:15 > 0:11:17outside a nearby pub.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31The Royal Navy search and rescue team are attending a serious
0:11:31 > 0:11:35road traffic collision just outside Tyndrum in the Scottish Highlands,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38between Glasgow and Fort William.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40On board, they have Dr Neil Hughes
0:11:40 > 0:11:42from the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Their own winch man, Dave Rigg, is a trained paramedic.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Today, we're out on a training session
0:11:50 > 0:11:53and we've got one of the local retrieval doctors, Neil, with us,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56and as soon as we got the call he was ready and with us.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00It's icy and two cars have had a head-on collision
0:12:00 > 0:12:02on a notoriously dangerous road.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06The fire service incident commander is in control of the situation.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09His team have been working to free the casualties,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12but now need guidance from the medics.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Right, guys, what we need from you is to tell us
0:12:14 > 0:12:17whether you want us to open it. We haven't done anything yet.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19We need access through the B-post.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23If you let us know, we'll open it further to extricate him.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26- But we've left quite tight just now. - Superb. We'll have a quick look.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30There are three casualties.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33One of them is in a critical condition.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37A&E consultant Dr Neil Hughes has arrived just 21 minutes after
0:12:37 > 0:12:41the collision to give specialist care at the scene of the accident.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Unfortunately, it's been quite a nasty road smash.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47We've had one severely injured casualty and we have got two other
0:12:47 > 0:12:50minor injured casualties but who are in a stable condition.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53But it's... Yeah, it's a fairly isolated place
0:12:53 > 0:12:55and a nasty crash, unfortunately.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58They must get this driver to hospital as soon as possible.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01By road, the journey could take hours,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03with nearby traffic now at gridlock.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06A heli-med air ambulance with more specialist equipment
0:13:06 > 0:13:08is on its way from Glasgow.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11I think the heli-med is still coming, isn't it?
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Yes, as far as I know.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15We'll need anaesthetic drugs and stuff, I think.
0:13:16 > 0:13:21- How are the other casualties doing? - His conscious level has taken a wee dip, so we'll just get him out ASAP.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24The heli-med's arrival is vital.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Is there any chance of getting all these vehicles behind
0:13:27 > 0:13:29- the fire engines back, so we can land there?- OK.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33Navy winch man Dave helps clear a landing space for the heli-med
0:13:33 > 0:13:36whilst Neil assesses the driver's condition.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40The police are moving them vehicles back,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42so as soon as we get a chance we'll get them up here.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46He's got an open leg fracture, and a forearm fracture, as well.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Just getting some morphine here for the doctor,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54because he's seen that, obviously,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56the patient needs some major analgesia.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01And as soon as he's got a line in, then we'll give the pain relief,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03then hopefully we'll be able to get him extracted.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07The heli-med arrives.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13The driver is removed from the car.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17With the heli-med now on site, the Sea King crew take the decision
0:14:17 > 0:14:20to go to Killin, 25 miles away, to refuel.
0:14:44 > 0:14:45Can you open your eyes for me?
0:14:50 > 0:14:53The critically injured patient is assessed
0:14:53 > 0:14:56and handed over to the specialist team on board the heli-med.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02Once we removed the casualty from his car, the doctor decided at that
0:15:02 > 0:15:06point, that he would be required to be put in a controlled sleep.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Therefore, with the air ambulance arriving,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11we knew we had a doctor team on there that could do that.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Fortunately, with us being there early,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16we could get most of the preparation done in advance
0:15:16 > 0:15:18and save them a lot of time once they did arrive.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22But there are still two casualties to attend to.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Our boys are going to come back, we will bring our aircraft in here,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30extricate the person in that car, get them straight to hospital.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39On the last Friday before Christmas, people from rural areas
0:15:39 > 0:15:46all over Dumfries & Galloway pour into the market town of Dumfries.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50It's known as black-eye Friday,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53and it's traditionally a busy night for the police.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57The town's hospital staff are also well aware
0:15:57 > 0:16:00of the caseload this night traditionally brings.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07The A&E department treats around 100 patients every day.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10In the run-up to Christmas, the results of festive spirits
0:16:10 > 0:16:14often end up here for the staff to pick up the pieces.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Dr Pete Armstrong has 13 years experience on the job
0:16:20 > 0:16:22and is now a consultant in emergency medicine.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30Well, today is black-eye Friday, 21st December.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36It's traditionally thought to be one of the busiest days in A&E.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Locally, it's black-eye Friday because everybody has..
0:16:40 > 0:16:42It's the start of the festivities,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44so lots of people going on work nights out.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47It's not long before Pete has to deal with
0:16:47 > 0:16:51a casualty from the town centre's revelry.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54We're just going to go and see an 18-year-old lad who
0:16:54 > 0:16:57sounds like he's had too much to drink and has been fighting.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02In Scotland, 70% of A&E admissions after assaults are alcohol-related.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Most involve people under 30.
0:17:08 > 0:17:13Come on. Wakey-wakey! Come on. Sit up and tell me what's happening.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18- You're in hospital. Why are you here? - Not a clue.- Don't have a clue. OK.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21How about, you've had too much to drink and you been fighting?
0:17:21 > 0:17:24- Is that a good starting point?- No! - Are you sore anywhere?
0:17:24 > 0:17:26HE GROANS
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- Come on. Up the bed.- No. - Come on, up the bed.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Come up.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Come on. Up the bed.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Right, come on. Let's see you. Open up your eyes.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Pete must make sure his patient's not suffering more than just
0:17:45 > 0:17:46superficial injuries.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51But, in this state, it's tricky to get him to see sense.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54- OK. Let's see this side here. - Whoa, whoa, whoa.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Let's see this one. Come on.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59- No!- Here, listen. You're in hospital.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Just behave yourself.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Just behave yourself. You're in hospital, we're trying to help you,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09so let me take a look at your elbow. Let me take a look at your elbow.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Right, let's see this elbow of yours.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19Och, you've just got a wee bruise over it.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Apart from a few bumps and bruises, he's OK.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Right, someone will pass you in a bottle.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30Don't even think about it in the cubicle.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36But, before the doctor even has a chance
0:18:36 > 0:18:38to give him the disposable bottle...
0:18:40 > 0:18:41Come on.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43..he's passed out.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Come on, come on.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Here you go.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50You need a pee.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52Sit in the trolley and use that, OK?
0:18:56 > 0:18:58- BLEEP.- OK, that's fine.
0:19:00 > 0:19:01That's fine.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05Each year, over 10% of NHS staff are assaulted.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09It's one reason why this hospital has dedicated police officers
0:19:09 > 0:19:13on site, to help them deal with drunk or aggressive patients.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18Just because you've had too much to drink doesn't give you a right
0:19:18 > 0:19:21to start being difficult with people, starting, as you saw there,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25to start punching at things, spitting at things, you know.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27It's the difference between right and wrong.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Pete's called for police assistance, but it looks like this young man
0:19:31 > 0:19:35is going to do more harm to himself than anyone else tonight.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Come on! Come on! Why are you lying on the floor?
0:19:40 > 0:19:42BLEEP.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45- Can I suggest that you sit.- Sorry. Sorry.- No, it's fine.
0:19:45 > 0:19:46I know you're trying to look after me.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Come on, sit on the edge of the trolley. There you go.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51If you want to have a pee, there you go, OK?
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Will you get me another one and I'll try again? I'm sorry, I won't punch.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59OK. I'll go and get you another one.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02While Pete gets another disposable bottle,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05the police arrive to keep his patient in line.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10- How are you doing?- Not too bad. - Listen, you need to co-operate,
0:20:10 > 0:20:11with these doctors, right?
0:20:11 > 0:20:15- You punched the last one, OK, and spat on the floor.- Sorry.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Right, you've got a job to do here.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Let's just calm down and get the job done, all right?
0:20:20 > 0:20:24In this state, a trip to the toilet, assisted by a nurse
0:20:24 > 0:20:27and a police officer, is the best treatment.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31He has multiple superficial wounds and abrasions,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34but nothing that's giving any other big cause for concern at the moment.
0:20:34 > 0:20:39So, I think what he needs is a bit of time to actually sober up.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Pete's patient is clearly relieved.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45So he's left to sleep it off before the police take him home.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02In the market town of Dumfries, black-eye Friday, one of the busiest
0:21:02 > 0:21:06nights of the year for the emergency services, is well under way.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Sgt Carol Anne Campbell and PC Kerrie Smith
0:21:12 > 0:21:14are on duty until 2:00 AM,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16keeping an eye on the Christmas revellers.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23With the alcohol flowing freely, the atmosphere changes,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26and then reports come in of a knife attack outside a pub.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Police officers are already at the scene and requesting back up.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Carol Anne and Kerrie must race across town on foot.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50By the time they arrive, the situation has been defused.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52Basically, what happened was,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55there was an allegation that a young boy had a knife on him.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Officers have gone down and detained him for a search.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59I think he put up a bit of a fight.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02We've attended, but it's been all calm on arrival.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04Been searched, it was a negative result,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07and he's been released to go home and there has been no other
0:22:07 > 0:22:11further complaints about a knife or anything else being mentioned.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14It was quite hard to control, initially, with the numbers involved
0:22:14 > 0:22:18until other colleagues arrived and gave us a wee hand with everything.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22We're expecting a bit more bother later on tonight
0:22:22 > 0:22:24as the alcohol flows.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Haven't seen any black-eyes yet, but I'm sure there'll be some later on.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39It is getting towards the end of the night,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43and Kerrie and Carol Anne take a final turn around town.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47But, with the streets still packed, black-eye Friday isn't over yet.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54There's an assault up ahead.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Come here! Come here now! Get here now!
0:22:58 > 0:23:02Carol Anne and Kerrie apprehend a youth running away from the scene.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06Yeah, by the way, I'm bleeding through the mouth because of him.
0:23:09 > 0:23:10How did you not throw a punch?
0:23:10 > 0:23:14- He ran up that street. - Aye, you jumped me!- Right, right.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Two of the group are charged with breach of the peace
0:23:20 > 0:23:22and taken into custody.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32And, at last, it's the end of a long night protecting the community
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Kerrie grew up with.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39It's 2:05 and it is end of shift for us.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Black-eye Friday has, touch wood, so far gone OK.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47So, a quick couple of updates, and then that will be me.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02A head-on collision between two cars on an isolated rural road in the
0:24:02 > 0:24:06Scottish Highlands has left three people injured, one critically.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13Emergency services are working in unison to get the injured to hospital.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18It's a stroke of luck that emergency consultant Dr Neil Hughes
0:24:18 > 0:24:22was on board the Royal Navy helicopter when they got the call-out.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26I work with the EMRS, which is our retrieval service here,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29and I was with HMS Gannet doing exercises in the hills,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32some winching practice and some mountain manoeuvres
0:24:32 > 0:24:36when we were tasked here to this road traffic collision.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39So, we've landed and been the first on the scene and been able to
0:24:39 > 0:24:42assess the casualties and help them as best we could, before our
0:24:42 > 0:24:46colleagues from the service in Glasgow arrived to help us out, as well.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50The seriously injured man is now on his way to hospital by air ambulance.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52So, Neal and Navy paramedic Dave Rigg
0:24:52 > 0:24:55now focus on the other casualties.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58The other gentleman is trapped, but not too badly.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01- So just keeping him there while we sit out the bad weather. - The other guy, I think,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04- we can probably get him to mostly self-extricate.- Perfect.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07We'll then extricate the other chap, take the other casualty, as well,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10bring our aircraft back in, disappear off to hospital.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17The passenger, Joe, has managed to get out of the other car.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Robin, the driver,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- has moved into the passenger seat to be treated by the medics.- I'm OK.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24I've got very bad bruising.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29We were driving up from Tyndrum and I remember I was looking at a map,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32and just as I glanced up from the map,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35the next second, we had the impact. So...
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Although there's obviously some bruising,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41I think Robin's all right, he's got a bit of a strap burn.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50His collarbone's probably away.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52The Navy helicopter is back from Killin,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55where it refuelled, ready to get the two men to hospital.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Yeah, we had the heli-med here earlier.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00We're now using the same place.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02We're now bringing the helicopter in,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05get the two walking wounded in and off straight away.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Both men are able to walk on to the helicopter,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23but driver Robin needs some assistance.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31Two hours after they arrived on the scene, Dave, Dr Neil
0:26:31 > 0:26:34and the crew are all aboard, en route to the nearest hospital.
0:26:36 > 0:26:41- Right, three, two, one, engage. - All right. Ready to lift.- Yes.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20So, for Neil the doctor, who was with us that day,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24that turned out to be an extremely interesting day for him.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Straight from a high-level mountain training session,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29then into an extremely interesting job,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32where we're all working extremely hard.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38As night falls, Joe and Robin are handed over to paramedics,
0:27:38 > 0:27:42who'll escort them to Glasgow's Southern General Hospital.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45A job well done, the crew head back to base.
0:27:56 > 0:28:01It's been all go for the emergency services in Scotland's rural areas.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04After the head-on collision in the Highlands, the seriously injured
0:28:04 > 0:28:09casualty survived the crash and received specialist medical care.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Robin, in the other car, is still suffering from some back pain.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15His passenger, Joe, has made a full recovery.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19The drunk young lad apologised to staff for his behaviour,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22and, on black-eye Friday in Dumfries,
0:28:22 > 0:28:27police attended 40 different incidents which led to 29 arrests.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31And you thought it was quiet in the countryside.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd