0:00:02 > 0:00:04Rural Britain has some of the most challenging
0:00:04 > 0:00:05environments in the world.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08In Scotland, the mountains, lochs and coastline
0:00:08 > 0:00:12encourage tourists and locals to get out into the wilds.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15But with that comes danger.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Steady. He's on the life raft.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25The emergency services north of the border have to deal with
0:00:25 > 0:00:27extreme challenges every day.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31There's a car upside down.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35From severe weather and treacherous terrain...
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Hello?!
0:00:37 > 0:00:41..to covering huge distances on country roads
0:00:41 > 0:00:43with time against them.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46The GP's upgraded the call to an emergency.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47They work around the clock,
0:00:47 > 0:00:50battling against some of the most difficult situations.
0:00:53 > 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...
0:01:00 > 0:01:03..on the road with paramedics caring for the injured,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05and following the police fighting crime,
0:01:05 > 0:01:10as the emergency services work together to pick up, patch up
0:01:10 > 0:01:14and protect the public in rural communities.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16This is Countryside 999.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Coming up...
0:01:34 > 0:01:37the Royal Navy helicopter crew race to a man
0:01:37 > 0:01:40who's suffered a massive heart attack.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41Clearly, with the state of this patient,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44the imperative is to get him to hospital as quickly as possible.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50Traffic cops are called to a major collision.
0:01:55 > 0:01:56Yes, roger.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59And it's snow-mageddon on the slopes
0:01:59 > 0:02:02as ski patrol face their busiest day of the season.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23The British countryside makes up a massive 86%
0:02:23 > 0:02:27of our nation's landscape and is home to over 10 million of us.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Rural living is officially good for our health.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Studies have shown those of us living in the countryside
0:02:36 > 0:02:39can expect to live longer than our urban counterparts.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43But, when things go wrong,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46getting swift access to emergency care can be difficult.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53Longer journeys to hospital come with increasing risks for patients,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56making getting to remote places quickly
0:02:56 > 0:03:00one of the greatest challenges faced by our rural emergency services.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06HMS Gannet.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Home of the Royal Navy Search And Rescue team,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12based near Prestwick on Scotland's West Coast.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14ALARM
0:03:14 > 0:03:16It's 12:30pm.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Scramble ASAR, scramble ASAR.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22The crew have a call-out.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26A man has suffered a heart attack and needs urgent air evacuation.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30On duty today as part of the four-strong crew
0:03:30 > 0:03:33is observer, or navigator, Florry Ford.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38We've just been tasked to assist with the transfer
0:03:38 > 0:03:40of a 67-year-old male post heart attack.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42He's at Campbeltown, just down here at the moment,
0:03:42 > 0:03:44so a relatively short transit.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47The medical team have gone across from Glasgow,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50but they're unable to take him back in the Helimed,
0:03:50 > 0:03:52so we're going to go and pick them and him up
0:03:52 > 0:03:53and take them back to Glasgow.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Rescue 177's ready for departure.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Rescue Helicopter 177 is airborne in less than 15 minutes.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32The helicopter is heading 37 miles east to Kintyre,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36to the region's main town, Campbeltown.
0:04:38 > 0:04:4040 miles long and only 11 miles wide,
0:04:40 > 0:04:45Kintyre is an isolated peninsula of farmland and rugged coastline.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49It's over three hours' drive from Glasgow.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50With a man's life in danger,
0:04:50 > 0:04:55air evacuation is the fastest means of getting him to specialist care.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03Assisting pilot John Wade is co-pilot Craig "Sweenos" Sweeney.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06We're en route to pick up a member of the public from Campbeltown
0:05:06 > 0:05:09who's post-cardiac arrest at the moment.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11The helicopters are very important in this environment,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14because you can see there's lots of water, lots of islands
0:05:14 > 0:05:16which have got hilly ground and, clearly,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18with the state of this patient,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21the imperative is to get him to hospital as quickly as possible.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25The patient has suffered a major heart attack.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27An air ambulance, or Helimed,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29has already been dispatched from Glasgow,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33with two A&E consultants from the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36But, on arrival,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39they found the patient was too big to be transferred by Helimed.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06The Navy Sea King helicopter
0:06:06 > 0:06:10can carry up to 20 casualties in its spacious hold.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12It's the best aircraft for the job.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17A road transfer by ambulance would be out of the question.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19That's Prestwick airport, where we're at,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22and the casualty's over here on Campbeltown.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25You see the distance is not that significant, however,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27when you look at the roads to get down there,
0:06:27 > 0:06:31it's about 120 miles one way to come all the way round,
0:06:31 > 0:06:35so from a road move point of view, 120 miles, even with a blue light,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37on these roads is going to take you a fair few hours,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41and then you've to recover the patient back into hospital, as well.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47Every two minutes, someone in the UK has a heart attack.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50The first 60 minutes are crucial for the patient
0:06:50 > 0:06:53to receive emergency care.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Easier for emergency services to address in urban areas
0:06:56 > 0:06:58than in remote, rural locations.
0:07:02 > 0:07:03The patient desperately needs
0:07:03 > 0:07:06the specialist care available in Glasgow,
0:07:06 > 0:07:10and the Navy helicopter looks to be his only means of getting it.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22Rural emergency services face unique challenges,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25whether attending medical emergencies by air
0:07:25 > 0:07:26or preventing ones by road.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34In south-west Scotland, the Dumfries & Galloway traffic cops
0:07:34 > 0:07:38safeguard a network of rural roads covering an area the size of Devon.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Preventing accidents is high-priority.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48The region contains three of the busiest freight roads in Scotland.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53One of the most notorious is the A75,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57a trunk road shared by locals, lorries and tourists
0:07:57 > 0:07:59bound for the ferry ports of Cairnryan and Stranraer.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11It's the early morning shift for PCs Stevie Kerr and Scott McCready.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15They're conducting safety checks in an unmarked car
0:08:15 > 0:08:18at a dangerous junction on the A75.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21It's well known to Scott and the traffic team.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40It's the start of the working day for many rural commuters,
0:08:40 > 0:08:44and it's not long before the pair spot their first offender.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49The car overtook the lorry on the white lines.
0:08:51 > 0:08:56It's the red Volvo V70 estate, which is in front of this lorry now.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58It's just sitting behind that van.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02The duo give chase to the red Volvo.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05Crossing double white lines is risky.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10The road is busy with oncoming HGVs heading to the ferry ports.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14He could have endangered his life and that of other road users.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19That's a section of the road coming down there where there's
0:09:19 > 0:09:21plenty of road markings, plenty of visibility
0:09:21 > 0:09:23for the double white lines.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29It's time to heed the voice of the law.
0:09:31 > 0:09:32Morning.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36OK, we were sitting in the junction back at Hargrove Crossroads.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38You know where we are there, yeah?
0:09:38 > 0:09:40You'll realise why we've stopped you, then,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43because as you came towards that junction you overtook
0:09:43 > 0:09:46in contravention of the double solid white line system there.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Do you mind taking a wee seat in the patrol car for a few minutes
0:09:49 > 0:09:50just until we sort things out.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52It's a wee bit quieter and safer, OK?
0:10:09 > 0:10:10Cheerio.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14He escapes court prosecution, but is hit with a £60 fine,
0:10:14 > 0:10:18three points on his licence and some stern words from PC Stevie.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25Their first offender dealt with before breakfast,
0:10:25 > 0:10:28it's not long before Stevie and Scott are on the tail
0:10:28 > 0:10:32of another driver chancing it on the A75.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36This time, it's a lorry heading for the ferry port at Cairnryan.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38On this road, lorries are limited to 40.
0:10:40 > 0:10:45We can see here that we're sitting at just bang on 55 mph.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47PC Scott hits the sirens.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51But the driver seems oblivious to their presence.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Morning.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Stopped you for your speed today.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Travelling at 54 mph.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19- 50?- No, the speed limit is 40 mph on this road.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24The trucker is speeding to make the 10:30 ferry to Ireland.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Scott wants to see the records of his journey.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Tacho chart, open up.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Your tachograph.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Open it. Just give me the box, give me them all.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Is this your paperwork for the load?
0:11:40 > 0:11:43If you'd like to take a seat in our car at the moment
0:11:43 > 0:11:46we'll get some details from you there and examine your tachograph, OK?
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Most HGVs have a tachograph -
0:11:49 > 0:11:52a recording device on the driver's dashboard.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56It monitors speed, distance and the amount of rest
0:11:56 > 0:11:58a driver takes during a 24-hour period.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04What we're going to do is have a look behind the dash.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09Here there should be six screws
0:12:09 > 0:12:12on the plaque here and on the dashboard.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14There's only two holding it in,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17so an indication it has been removed recently.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23Suspecting tachograph tampering, Scott calls Stevie into the cab.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28Steven, there's only two screws holding this in.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29Aye, let's just pull it.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31- Where's he?- He's here.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37See, its armoured cable's fine, the seal there...
0:12:37 > 0:12:41- The seal's up. Is there anything round the back of that there?- No.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45It turns out the tachograph is intact,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48but it reveals the driver is long due for a break.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51OK, we're going to take you around the bypass and park you up.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Big roundabout, turn right?
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Yeah, follow me, OK?
0:12:57 > 0:13:00The trucker has blown his chances of making the 10:30 ferry.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04What's going to happen now,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06we're going to park him up for 11 hours,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10whereby he can't drive the lorry until he's had the full rest.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15He was looking to get to the 10:30 boat,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17and we stopped him at 8:30,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20so he just did not have the time to get there.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26So, he was rushing on all the time for a boat that he probably
0:13:26 > 0:13:30wasn't going to make in the first place, and if he was going to make it
0:13:30 > 0:13:34he'd have been speeding all the way along the 75,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37and that's the kind of vehicles we want to target.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41With the driver parked up for his required rest,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45and a white line ignorer given points and a fine,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Dumfries traffic cops Scott and Stevie have done their bit
0:13:48 > 0:13:50to prevent accidents on the A75.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Roger, AJ, currently on scene.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58But it's a very different story for fellow traffic cops
0:13:58 > 0:14:00John Parry and Scott Burnett.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03They have to deal with the disastrous consequences
0:14:03 > 0:14:06of icy weather on a smaller country road.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Further up the West Coast, the Royal Navy Search And Rescue team
0:14:17 > 0:14:21are racing to Campbeltown on the remote Kintyre peninsula
0:14:21 > 0:14:24to pick up a man who's suffered a major heart attack.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27The individual had had a heart attack earlier in the day,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30and with anything like that
0:14:30 > 0:14:32time is muscle,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35so it's really important he gets care quickly.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40The 67-year-old needs to be transferred to Glasgow's
0:14:40 > 0:14:44Golden Jubilee Hospital for immediate cardiac care,
0:14:44 > 0:14:46but he's too big to be transported in the Air Ambulance
0:14:46 > 0:14:48already on site.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52So, the Navy Sea King helicopter is on its way.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Its roomy hold can take up to four stretchers,
0:14:54 > 0:14:58so it's more than capable of accommodating him.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00We'll be landing shortly, over.
0:15:01 > 0:15:0350 minutes after leaving the Ayrshire base,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06the crew reach Campbeltown hospital.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10OK, good line in. Follow along 60 yards.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14- Well clear tail, well clear right. - Well clear left.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17With no helipad, they need to land in a nearby field,
0:15:17 > 0:15:21guided by the same flare used for the Glasgow Air Ambulance team.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26And you've got three foot tail, two, one...
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Tail on now, now, now. Tail's down.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31INAUDIBLE
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Retired fisherman David has been brought in
0:15:38 > 0:15:41to Campbeltown Hospital by local paramedics
0:15:41 > 0:15:43who responded to his 999 call.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47David's heart stopped,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50but the ambulance team managed to get it started again.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Miraculously, he's now conscious and surprisingly relaxed.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Around him, the team of ambulance and hospital medics join forces with
0:16:20 > 0:16:25the navy crew to form a plan for getting David on to the helicopter.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32They use a piece of equipment known as a Patslide
0:16:32 > 0:16:33to relieve the stress on David
0:16:33 > 0:16:36and take the burden of manual lifting off the team.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42Let's get the gentleman onto his right on three. One, two, three.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45OK, happy and back down on three.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49- Do you want me to slide over?- No, no. You stay where you are.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50We'll do everything for you.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55On three, everybody set? One, two, three.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58That's excellent. Thanks, guys.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Are you all right, sir? You just relax now.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03We'll get this mattress shaped around you.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08He's then zipped into a rescue bag, which should make it easier
0:17:08 > 0:17:10and safer to transport him.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19David lives just a mile away from the ambulance station.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Any further and the outcome could have been very different.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27He was reached in just two minutes by local paramedic Scott Ramsey.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32It's the best result you can get under the circumstances.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36He was definitely at the right place at the right time.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38He got the right treatment.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Hopefully, he'll make a rapid recovery once they get him
0:17:41 > 0:17:43into proper definitive care.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49David is still not out of the woods.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52The cardiac arrest will have taken a massive toll on his body.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56He'll need close monitoring throughout the helicopter journey until
0:17:56 > 0:18:01he's handed over to the specialist cardiac care team in Glasgow.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Later, it's a combined effort to get heart-attack victim David
0:18:12 > 0:18:14to hospital.
0:18:17 > 0:18:18And emergency services face
0:18:18 > 0:18:22treacherous road conditions at a head-on collision.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24Two vehicles have met on a bend, an icy bend.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Unfortunately, one has come off worse than the other.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30But first, it's problems on the piste for the ski patrol.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44Remote rescues pose some of the greatest challenges to
0:18:44 > 0:18:46our rural emergency services.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53Helicopters can be vital to getting casualties off a mountain quickly.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56But they are not the only way.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07Cairn Gorm Mountain, Britain's busiest snow sport resort.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11It's World Snow Day,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14a global celebration of winter sports held once a year.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17It's set to be one of the busiest days of the season.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23On duty today is ski patroller Justine Stewart.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Her job is to keep the slopes as safe as possible,
0:19:27 > 0:19:33but the weather isn't helping. It's -8 with a wind-chill of -28.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36The winds are picking up on the mountain.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40The summit weather station is saying 60, gusting 70.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44We're quite sheltered down here.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48South-easterly winds, so it may not sound like it's sheltered
0:19:48 > 0:19:51but this is sheltered in comparison to what it's like at the top.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53The snow's been blowing down the mountain
0:19:53 > 0:19:55so there are scoured areas of ice.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02With such difficult conditions on the slopes, accidents can happen.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07Any minor injuries are dealt with in a medical room by the ski
0:20:07 > 0:20:10patrollers, who are all trained in advanced first aid.
0:20:10 > 0:20:16The resort can deal with anything between five and 25 injuries in a day.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19We do get a lot of casualties. Especially beginner snowboarders.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21We get a lot of wrist injuries from those.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23It's very difficult to say.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Unfortunately, we can't predict those things.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33It's not long before Justine's first casualty of the day.
0:20:33 > 0:20:34Skier Liz has injured her knee.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41- Can you still wiggle your toes?- Yes. - Can you pinpoint the pain for me?
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Or is it all over?
0:20:43 > 0:20:45- It's here.- Can we undo your boots?
0:20:45 > 0:20:49I'll have a wee feel up here to check everything is in place.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Is the pain getting worse?
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Justine has radioed for help and a sledge
0:20:57 > 0:21:01so that they can get the casualty back to base as quickly as possible.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05- This is Liz.- Hi, Liz.
0:21:05 > 0:21:11Liz has fallen and hurt her left knee.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15They work quickly to get Liz off the mountain to reduce
0:21:15 > 0:21:17the risk of hypothermia.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21This just ties you in, Liz.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24- You're still doing OK?- Yeah.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27We'll try to get you down as quickly as possible.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33The sledge is the quickest way of getting Liz off the mountain,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37but it's 2km downhill to the medical room.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42Icy conditions and other skiers on the slope make for a tough journey.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Hey, guys. Can you just slow down?
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Nine minutes later, they reach the base station.
0:22:10 > 0:22:16- Can you still feel your toes?- Yeah. - If we can get you to swing out...
0:22:16 > 0:22:17Perfect.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28The medical room, also known as the Aonach room,
0:22:28 > 0:22:32is the first port of call for all the slope's casualties.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Justine checks the extent of Liz's injury.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- Still sore there? - It's not too bad.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44That's me flicking a muscle. It's not bony here.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49I think you might have sprained it.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Thankfully, Liz's injury appears to be relatively minor
0:22:52 > 0:22:54and won't need treatment.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Now, Justine has to turn her attention to off-duty
0:22:57 > 0:22:59police officer Scott.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02He's come in worried he's dislocated his shoulder.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06It's like someone's sticking a sharp needle into the ball socket.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Really sharp, when I try to push something.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Can I have a feel round here?
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Because you're quite muscly around there, sometimes it tightens up,
0:23:20 > 0:23:22especially if you have dislocated it.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25I would expect you to have more pain if you have dislocated it.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27It's a complicated joint in there,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30so I think you might have twinged one of the joints.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32I'll get some ice on it just now.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37An icepack made with snow is applied to Scott's shoulder to
0:23:37 > 0:23:40- ease his pain.- Just going to rest it on there. How's that?
0:23:40 > 0:23:43But then another call comes through on the radio.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50I'm quite confident this gentleman hasn't dislocated his shoulder
0:23:50 > 0:23:51that I've got just now.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55There's a DEFINITE dislocated shoulder just coming in.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58With Justine kept so busy in the treatment room,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02it's unlikely she'll get back out on the slopes any time soon.
0:24:02 > 0:24:041500 people are on the mountain today.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07And the casualties just keep coming.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18From rush-hour on the slopes to rush-hour on the roads.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Earlier, traffic cops Stevie and Scott had a busy morning
0:24:23 > 0:24:27enforcing the law on the notoriously dangerous A75.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30I've stopped you for your speed today.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34Inevitably, road traffic accidents do occur.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36Dealing with the aftermath can be particularly
0:24:36 > 0:24:38challenging on small country roads.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46Dumfries and Galloway traffic police cover 2500 miles of public road.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51They're a small team. One cop for roughly every 60 miles.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55They also deal with one of the highest serious accident rates
0:24:55 > 0:24:57per head of population in the UK.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00SIRENS
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Who was driving the car?
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Stevie and Scott's colleagues John Parry and Scott Burnett
0:25:08 > 0:25:11are attending a minor road accident in the centre of Lockerbie.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15It's 8:47 - rural rush-hour.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20I'm just regulating the traffic control just to make sure that...
0:25:20 > 0:25:22there's not any further collisions.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32The driver of the Renault, Jane, is uninjured but in shock.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Scott helps manoeuvre her to the roadside.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51The traffic cops give a handover briefing
0:25:51 > 0:25:54to other emergency services who have arrived and are now taking over.
0:25:54 > 0:26:00OK, Jane. We're going to stand down and leave you with these officers, OK? OK, no problem.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07John and Scott are freed up to respond to further incidents.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10MESSAGE ON RADIO
0:26:10 > 0:26:13And it's not long before an urgent call comes in
0:26:13 > 0:26:15from the control centre.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19Roger, AG. A74M southbound. Free to speak, go ahead.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45One driver is trapped and unconscious
0:26:45 > 0:26:48so this qualifies as a major road traffic collision.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53The duo race back up the motorway to Lockerbie.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Last year, Dumfries and Galloway Police responded
0:27:04 > 0:27:07to over 300 serious traffic accidents.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13'It's not so much worry. Yes, you've got your adrenaline,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15'I guess that's your natural anticipation
0:27:15 > 0:27:18'of what you're going to see when you get there.
0:27:18 > 0:27:23'But we're trained for these sort of circumstances
0:27:23 > 0:27:26'so the biggest factor is ourselves getting there in one piece.'
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Nine minutes after taking the call, they arrive at the collision.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Emergency services are already on the scene.
0:27:39 > 0:27:45We've got a car into the front of a Transit van hauling a trailer.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51The car driver is still trapped and unconscious.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Fire crews, paramedics and police work together to get him out
0:27:54 > 0:27:56of the car as quickly as possible.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02As they've come round the bend, they've seen each other,
0:28:02 > 0:28:05they've put their brakes on and they've gone head on.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08And unfortunately, one's come off worse than the other.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22From a multi-team effort on the roads, to one by air.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25In Campbeltown, the Royal Navy Search and Rescue Team
0:28:25 > 0:28:28are preparing to airlift heart attack victim David.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Lack of space in the air ambulance means he'll need the bigger
0:28:33 > 0:28:37Navy helicopter to get him to urgent specialist care in Glasgow.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42David's been brought to the waiting helicopter
0:28:42 > 0:28:43but there's a problem.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47The ground is so waterlogged, the ambulance can't reach it.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09The Search and Rescue Team prepare to move the Sea King closer.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25Small, rural hospitals like Campbeltown rarely have helipads
0:29:25 > 0:29:28but a boggy field is no challenge for the Navy team.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38An eight-man team of coastguards, ambulance crew
0:29:38 > 0:29:42and Helimed medics help lift David onto the helicopter.
0:29:49 > 0:29:54Main's clear, tail's clear. Steady up. Well clear as you climb.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58INAUDIBLE
0:29:58 > 0:30:01That's us now departing Campbeltown, we are now eight persons on board.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08On board are medics Alistair Kennedy and Andrew Inglis
0:30:08 > 0:30:11from the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15They travel out to rural areas to provide critical care
0:30:15 > 0:30:17on scene to seriously ill patients like David.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27Got the casualty in the aircraft now with the retrieval team.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31He's stable, we're looking after him. We're on our way back up to Glasgow.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33It's about 35 minutes for us.
0:30:33 > 0:30:39At a guess, probably a four-hour - at least - road journey,
0:30:39 > 0:30:43120 miles and some very small, windy roads.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50The Royal Navy Search and Rescue Unit
0:30:50 > 0:30:53regularly assist in medical emergencies like David's.
0:30:57 > 0:31:0030% of Scotland is made up of mountains.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04And there are over 100 inhabited islands.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09So air evacuation's not just the quickest way...
0:31:11 > 0:31:13..it's very often the only way.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Rescue 177. Roger, continue to the Golden Jubilee
0:31:19 > 0:31:21and let down at your discretion.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23Wind at the field is 07 degrees, seven knots.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27Emergency medic Alistair keeps a close eye on David.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29His condition remains stable.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37It's not long before the crew make their approach to Glasgow.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39BEEPING
0:31:39 > 0:31:41OK, we've got it in visual. Forward about three, two, one.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45Clear the nose, clear right, check, clear left...we're there.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49This was a really good example where the system worked.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53We started off with the paramedics arriving on the scene.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55'They brought the man back, they stabilised him,
0:31:55 > 0:32:00'took him to their local hospital. We then arrived to actually package him.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03'As soon as he was ready, back at the Sea King'
0:32:03 > 0:32:07off to Glasgow where he could get the care he really needed.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10- REVERSING WARNING:- Stand well clear.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15Four hours earlier, David's heart stopped.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Now, thanks to the hard work of the emergency teams,
0:32:18 > 0:32:20he's been given a second chance.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Getting critical care when he needed it most
0:32:23 > 0:32:27not only saved his life, it should aid his recovery.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44Tackling medical emergencies in isolated areas
0:32:44 > 0:32:47is a challenge for our rural emergency services.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51And it doesn't get much more testing or more isolated
0:32:51 > 0:32:54than the high Arctic plateau of the Cairngorm mountain range.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02Back at the ski centre, World Snow Day is continuing to keep
0:33:02 > 0:33:06ski patroller Justine busy in the medical room.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10So, what happened? You'll have to give me the lowdown again.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13- OK. I was skiing down The White Lady.- OK.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15And when I got to the bottom, I wiped out.
0:33:15 > 0:33:20Now she's treating 12-year-old Marcus who's banged his head.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24First, my head was sore, just around here,
0:33:24 > 0:33:26and by about...a wee bit later,
0:33:26 > 0:33:30- I got coloured dots going over my eyes.- OK.
0:33:32 > 0:33:33Can you look at my finger?
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Follow me along.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38Concussion is always a concern with head injuries
0:33:38 > 0:33:42so Justine runs some tests.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46- Very good at this, have you done this before?- No.
0:33:46 > 0:33:47What about when I come in close?
0:33:49 > 0:33:53- Which one popped out, can you remember?- It was my left one.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55He's focused and talking clearly.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Are your mum and dad up here just now?
0:34:02 > 0:34:06Yeah, my mum and dad are somewhere on the mountain.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10- Can you get in contact with Mum and Dad?- Yeah, we're still trying.
0:34:10 > 0:34:11- Tried a few times. - Your address?
0:34:11 > 0:34:15Marcus seems none the worse for a bump to his head.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18After a thorough check-up, he's reunited with his mum.
0:34:27 > 0:34:291500 people are on the mountain today,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32and the casualties just keep coming.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37In the past three hours, the team have treated ten injuries,
0:34:37 > 0:34:41and there's no sign of the casualties letting up.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49Yes, just send her along. Thank you.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51- RADIO:- Cheers.
0:34:51 > 0:34:52Just a contact telephone number.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Justine isn't the only one who's kept busy.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57Ski patroller Iain Cornfoot has arrived
0:34:57 > 0:35:00with yet another casualty off the slopes.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02It's a suspected dislocated shoulder.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10We can give it a shot. If you can support that arm first
0:35:10 > 0:35:13and I'll take my hand out from underneath so I can put it up.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Andrew takes a hit of pain relief for the removal of his jacket.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23- Justine?- Yeah?- Are you free?- Yep.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29- Sorry, what's your name? - Ah!- Move forward a bit.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33- Ow.- We'll be as gentle as possible.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36- Can you yank that arm a bit? - Yeah, will do.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40I was just skiing down the lower slopes, coming down
0:35:40 > 0:35:43to the bottom here and there was a gentleman
0:35:43 > 0:35:45who thought he'd dislocated his shoulder
0:35:45 > 0:35:47but he was in a lot of pain.
0:35:47 > 0:35:48BLEEP
0:35:48 > 0:35:50Ohh!
0:35:50 > 0:35:51BLEEP
0:35:51 > 0:35:52Ah!
0:35:52 > 0:35:57Layers of thermal clothing are vital in sub-zero temperatures,
0:35:57 > 0:35:59but peeling them off is very painful.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04He heard someone behind him and tried to get out the way
0:36:04 > 0:36:06and he fell on his shoulder.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- Ah!- BLEEP.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15Injury revealed. It's clear it's not a dislocated shoulder.
0:36:15 > 0:36:20I think it was more his clavicle than his shoulder,
0:36:20 > 0:36:24so it wasn't dislocated, but it was really painful
0:36:24 > 0:36:28and he was pretty much in agony. It's very difficult
0:36:28 > 0:36:32in that shoulder area to get the arm in a position which is comfortable.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39The injury is too serious for the ski patrol.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43Iain strongly suspects Andrew has a fractured clavicle
0:36:43 > 0:36:47and needs to go to the medical centre in Aviemore for further treatment.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52Iain straps him up so the journey isn't too painful.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02Cool. We'll phone ahead and let them know you're coming.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05- All right, cheers. - OK. All the best, guys. Cheers.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11Andrew's friends take him off for treatment 10 miles away.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15It's been a hectic day for the Cairngorm ski patrol.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17The total number of casualties in the last three hours
0:37:17 > 0:37:20has risen to 14.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25Despite the wild weather, 1500 people turned up on the slopes
0:37:25 > 0:37:28today, making it the busiest day of the season.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33It's a challenging job keeping everyone safe in some
0:37:33 > 0:37:37of the harshest, windiest and coldest conditions in Britain.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42But for Justine, it's just another day at the office.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45It's just basically what we do. You don't really...
0:37:45 > 0:37:47You don't really think about it at the time.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49I remember thinking when I was younger
0:37:49 > 0:37:53and skied in Cairngorm that the people in ski patrol were heroic
0:37:53 > 0:37:55but I was five, so that's probably why.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04From icy slopes to icy roads.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06Who was driving the car?
0:38:07 > 0:38:10Traffic cops John Parry and Scott Burnett are being kept
0:38:10 > 0:38:13busy on small country roads in and around Lockerbie.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19After dealing with a minor incident in the town,
0:38:19 > 0:38:21they have been called to the outskirts where a car
0:38:21 > 0:38:24and a van have had a head-on collision.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26Ambulance is here.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30The car driver is trapped and unconscious.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33Roger, AJ, currently on scene in relation to
0:38:33 > 0:38:36this RTC at Lockerbie golf course.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Can confirm two vehicles involved.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42A van and a small car.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46The road becomes very, very treacherous.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48Take care on your advance.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55It has been very, very icy so as they've been approaching the bend,
0:38:55 > 0:38:57the other vehicle's been approaching the bend
0:38:57 > 0:39:00and as they've came round the bend, they've seen each other,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03they've put the brakes on and they've gone head-on.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07And unfortunately, one's came off worse than the other.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11The driver of the van is uninjured
0:39:11 > 0:39:15but there is major concern for the car driver, 52-year-old Gordon.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21A Helimed crew arrives to join the other emergency services
0:39:21 > 0:39:23already on the scene.
0:39:28 > 0:39:33Fire brigade, ambulance service, police, everybody works hand-in-hand
0:39:33 > 0:39:36but the main priority is the casualty.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41The extent of Gordon's injuries isn't yet known.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45The fire crews start removing the roof
0:39:45 > 0:39:48with heavy-duty metal cutters, known as the jaws of life.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59With all the teams working together,
0:39:59 > 0:40:01the fire crew manage to get the roof off
0:40:01 > 0:40:05and work with the ambulance team to get Gordon on to a stretcher.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22The Helimed crew are on hand to evacuate him if necessary.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25One of the persons involved in the accident
0:40:25 > 0:40:29is in the back of the ambulance just now getting assessed just to see
0:40:29 > 0:40:32what sort of injuries he has, whether it's life-threatening.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35Cos if it does change from a minor RTC, road traffic crash,
0:40:35 > 0:40:37to a life-threatening one,
0:40:37 > 0:40:41there's a lot more procedures need to be done for a life-threatening one.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46John, Scott and the Helimed team are on standby whilst they await
0:40:46 > 0:40:50the ambulance crew's assessment of Gordon's injuries.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58Meanwhile, the gritter arrives to make the road conditions safer.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Gordon has regained consciousness.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10His injuries aren't as serious as first feared.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13He suffered broken bones and will need to be taken to
0:41:13 > 0:41:16Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, 12 miles away.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22The traffic cops update the worried van driver with some welcome news.
0:41:35 > 0:41:36Which is good.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43The Helimed team are stood down and head back to Glasgow.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51Weather conditions is a major player here.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53I mean, hardly any of us could walk down the road
0:41:53 > 0:41:56prior to it being gritted so you can just imagine
0:41:56 > 0:41:59the effect it had on tyre adhesion and braking.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05With the other emergency teams having done their bit
0:42:05 > 0:42:08and Gordon safely away to hospital, it's down to
0:42:08 > 0:42:12traffic cops John and Scott to help with the clear-up.
0:42:12 > 0:42:13From our point of view,
0:42:13 > 0:42:15all we're waiting for now is the recovery of the vehicles.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19Once the recovery of the vehicles has taken place,
0:42:19 > 0:42:21the road will be reopened.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23It has been gritted now
0:42:23 > 0:42:26so hopefully that'll be the end of accidents on this road.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41It's been all go for the emergency services in Scotland's rural areas.
0:42:43 > 0:42:44After a stay in hospital,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47heart-attack victim David is back home in Campbeltown
0:42:47 > 0:42:52with his wife and family, where he is continuing to receive treatment.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55Gordon, the car driver in the Lockerbie collision, is facing
0:42:55 > 0:42:59a major operation after breaking both his feet.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02He is relying on walking sticks in the meantime.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06And the avalanche of injuries kept coming on Cairn Gorm Mountain
0:43:06 > 0:43:09with 25 incidents by the end of World Snow Day.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14And you thought it was quiet in the countryside.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd