Pennod 5 999: Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru

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-Every year, the Wales Air Ambulance

-responds to 2,000 emergency calls.

-When accidents happen in remote

-and isolated rural locations...

-..their contribution is vital.

-This is the story of the helicopter

-crews and their casualties.

-Tonight on Ambiwlans Awyr...

-..a mountain biker

-is injured in North Wales.

-Aargh!

-Wintry weather

-causes problems in Betws-y-Coed.

-The wife slipped on a patch of ice.

-She's in a great deal of pain.

-And a young mother

-who needed an urgent transfusion...

-..after losing pints of blood.

-Without the air ambulance...

-..Rachel would've died.

-February,

-the Horseshoe Pass in Denbighshire.

-A group of friends, among them Dan

-Lewis, was climbing the mountain.

-It was cold but

-it was nice weather for walking.

-All of a sudden,

-I slipped on stones.

-I knew straightaway...

-..that I'd done something serious.

-I heard a big crack

-and I was in a lot of pain.

-Dan had seriously injured his leg

-and needed urgent assistance.

-A friend dialled 999.

-We didn't know the exact location

-to give them a grid reference.

-I was relieved when two mountain

-bikers with a map came to my aid.

-One of the bikers had a camera

-on his bike and continued filming.

-They were two miles

-from the nearest road...

-..and a fair distance

-for an ambulance crew to walk.

-The Welshpool

-air ambulance was alerted.

-Paramedics Rhodri Thomas

-and Ben Seabourne...

-..and pilot Pete Tomkins

-are on board.

-I'm assuming they're on this path.

-The Horseshoe Pass

-is across the way there.

-Despite the troublesome, low-lying

-cloud, they continue their mission.

-Visual, our nine o'clock.

-Two paramedics have managed

-to walk to the accident scene.

-But the uneven terrain

-makes landing difficult.

-After the second attempt,

-they land safely.

-You're clear to the front.

-They have a long

-and steep climb ahead of them.

-These paramedics

-are required to be reasonably fit.

-Hello, mate. How are you doing?

-Paramedic Rhodri examines the leg

-to determine the injury.

-His lower leg.

-The bone

-is pushing against his skin.

-After administering a dose

-of morphine, Dan must be moved.

-Dan, I'm not going to lie to you.

-It's going to hurt when we move you.

-Hopefully the morphine

-will take the edge off that.

-It's cold on the mountainside.

-Paramedics fear the casualty

-may develop hypothermia.

-I'm going to take your shoe off.

-Aargh!

-Aargh!

-

-Alright. OK. Bear with us.

-Bear with us. Well done. All done.

-Good stuff. Fabulous. Brilliant.

-It was alright after the morphine...

-..but when they moved my leg,

-it hurt and I was in a lot of pain.

-I've got your leg. Nice and easy.

-Whoa, whoa!

-Despite the urgency,

-they must be very careful.

-The slope is steep

-and there's a strong gale blowing.

-You come here and

-we'll have to hold the stretcher.

-Did you get

-a distal pulse when we moved him?

-The crew must ensure

-there is blood flow to the foot.

-If there's no pulse, it's possible

-the casualty may lose his foot.

-Let me just check for a distal

-pulse again when we moved him.

-He currently has a pulse, but that

-could change when they move him.

-I'll have to pull this

-really tightly.

-That's fine. Go for it.

-One on each corner, guys.

-One facing.

-Aargh!

-One, two, three, lift.

-They must

-exercise caution once again.

-If one of them were to fall,

-Dan could suffer further injury.

-Cheers, guys. Thanks for your help.

-OK, mate?

-OK, mate?

-

-Yeah.

-Thanks a lot, guys.

-It was a relief

-to hear the helicopter.

-I knew I was going to be OK.

-Dan was transferred

-to Ysbyty Maelor within 10 minutes.

-Fair dos, they tried everything

-to get there, didn't they?

-Dan broke his tibia and fibula.

-But now he's back on his feet.

-I'm back at work

-and off the crutches...

-..but I might need

-another operation.

-He's had a metal rod inserted

-to strengthen his leg.

-He's grateful to the helicopter crew

-for rescuing him.

-A big thank you to everyone.

-A fantastic service

-to get me off the mountain.

-Specialist life-saving equipment

-is carried on board the helicopter.

-The challenge

-for pilots and paramedics...

-..is to reach casualties swiftly

-since every second counts.

-It's mid-December, and Helimed 61

-is hovering above Betws-y-Coed...

-..in the Snowdonia National Park.

-..in the Snowdonia National Park.

-

-There's an entrance as well.

-A woman has slipped on ice

-and is lying on the ground.

-You're clear, Bob.

-Someone's walking away on the left.

-On duty today are pilot Bob Kendall

-and paramedics Tony Stevens...

-..and Ian Thomas.

-Soon as we're down, I'll get out.

-They've landed a stone's throw

-away from the casualty.

-Hello. Are you OK?

-Is it nice down there?

-I'm very pleased that we

-contribute to the Air Ambulance.

-Payback time!

-Mair Jones and her husband were

-Christmas shopping when she fell.

-We were enjoying ourselves...

-..and admiring

-the covering of snow and so on...

-..when the wife slipped

-on a patch of ice...

-..and fell on her back.

-We'll examine you in the helicopter.

-It's too cold to undress you.

-Watch you don't slip too.

-We've only enough room for one!

-It's possible

-she's broken her ankle...

-..but because of the cold weather...

-..paramedics fear

-her condition may worsen.

-This lady's got known problems with

-her leg. She slipped on the ice.

-She slipped on the ice.

-Query fracture

-to her right lateral malleolus.

-I'm not going to strip her down now,

-but she's complaining of pain.

-Stretcher her across.

-It's still cold in Betws-y-Coed.

-It's feared the casualty

-may develop hypothermia...

-..which kills

-10 people a year in Britain.

-You're not the first to slip today.

-People have been admitted to Bangor.

-Can you bend your knee at all?

-Does that stop you from doing it?

-Yes.

-You won't have to walk on it.

-The paramedic in the rapid-response

-unit has given her pain relief...

-..and put her leg into a splint.

-..and put her leg into a splint.

-

-I'll give you a hand, don't worry.

-Watch out.

-Ouch! I have cramp in my leg!

-At the top of this leg.

-That wasn't Dylan, was it?

-You're not having a good day here.

-It was Dylan!

-And again.

-Lie down.

-He's got my handbag.

-He's got my handbag.

-

-It's not my colour. You're safe.

-I'll just put this on top, if I can.

-Are you alright there?

-The couple from Anglesey were

-relieved to see the helicopter.

-I know now just how invaluable

-the Air Ambulance Service is.

-Some years back,

-we went to a fundraising event.

-I can see where the money goes.

-It's vital.

-Thank you, Dyl!

-Merry Christmas.

-It's only a short journey

-to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

-Clear right and rear.

-Be about eight minutes.

-Be about eight minutes.

-

-Thanks, Bob.

-How are you doing there?

-Fine.

-It's easier to take you to Bangor

-since you live in Llanfair.

-It's a shame you can't see anything.

-The view from up here

-is spectacular.

-I'm sure!

-Later in the programme, we'll

-return to check on Mair's condition.

-Still to come tonight, Helimed 61

-is back near the Horseshoe Pass.

-It was vital he kept as still as

-possible to avoid further injury.

-And the story of the young mother

-who lost pints of blood...

-..and needed an urgent transfusion.

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-With more and more of us

-enjoying outdoor pursuits...

-..there is more chance of injury.

-If you run into difficulty

-in rural Wales...

-..it can be quite a challenge

-to transfer you to hospital.

-When Andy Lund had a biking accident

-on the mountains of Llantysilio...

-..the air ambulance

-came to his rescue.

-Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor,

-and the Helimed 61 crew...

-..has just transferred a casualty

-to the accident unit.

-All secure.

-But as they take off, another call

-comes through on the radio.

-Helimed 61 now taking off.

-Can we have the correct

-grid reference again, please?

-A mountain biker

-has been injured on Moel-y-Gamelin.

-Sam Williams

-is one of the crew on duty.

-A young boy has fallen off his bike.

-We think

-he went over the handlebars...

-..and sustained an injury.

-We know he's currently

-having trouble breathing.

-The casualty is lying

-in the Llantysilio mountains.

-It's unlikely

-that an ambulance will reach him.

-Sam speaks to the man who dialled

-999 to find out their location.

-We're about two minutes out now.

-We're trying to find yourselves.

-Are you

-by any distinguishing markings?

-Have you got

-any fluorescent clothing with you?

-I'm wearing an orange jacket

-and we've got an orange bag.

-Are you in the helicopter?

-Are you in the helicopter?

-

-Yes.

-I can see you now.

-There's a couple of people south

-of you, right on the junction.

-Get them to walk away from you. That

-gives us more options for landing.

-There's a slope on there, mate.

-Hiya.

-This is Andy.

-This is Andy.

-

-Hi, Andy. I'm Sam. OK?

-Andy Lund

-and Matt McLean were biking...

-..when Andy

-rode into a hole and fell.

-His bike landed there

-and he landed on it.

-So he landed up...?

-So he landed up...?

-

-He took the impact on his chest.

-He fell from his bike

-and injured his chest.

-It was important

-that he kept as still as possible...

-..to avoid further injury.

-Have you tried standing up?

-Have you tried standing up?

-

-Yes.

-Sam needs to remove his clothes to

-see where exactly he's been hurt.

-I know

-you're going to be in a lot of pain.

-You've got a lot of clothing

-we might be cutting off.

-As soon as we get you up...

-..we'll be able to tell...

-No C-spine pain.

-No shoulder pain. No hip pain.

-The paramedic is happy

-there is no neck injury...

-..but he must find out more.

-You remember

-everything that happened?

-Medication?

-Asthma? Diabetes?

-Normally fit and well?

-Aided by paramedic Tony Stevens...

-..Andy will be moved

-to the spinal board.

-If it's a back injury, any

-small movement could paralyze him.

-We'll sit him up,

-nice and easy, OK?

-We'll see how you go.

-This is going to sting, buddy.

-Nice and easy.

-Once you're up there,

-let it settle.

-Don't take deep breaths.

-Nice and easy, OK?

-Nice and easy, OK?

-

-Argh! It hurts.

-HE WHIMPERS

-Lovely stuff. There you go.

-Otherwise you're going

-to get a gobful of that.

-We're literally

-bringing your bum down, fella.

-Nice and easy.

-Aargh! Aargh!

-We're trying to protect your

-stomach. Relax as much as you can.

-Relax back. There we go.

-I don't know if you can,

-but if your legs can go down.

-Andy has been on the ground

-for more than half an hour.

-Like every helpless casualty

-in an exposed area...

-..there is the risk of hypothermia.

-Often, hypothermia

-sets in on the mountains.

-The wind affects the casualty if

-he's not wearing suitable clothing.

-Without a blanket or a cover, a

-person loses body heat very quickly.

-One, two, three, oop.

-Andy is now warmly wrapped up

-and in good hands.

-OK, let it slide.

-Accidents like this

-can cause internal bleeding.

-Sam examines the stomach to see

-if this area has started to harden.

-You're quite fit

-and quite toned as well.

-I don't know

-which one's your six pack.

-You have a feel with

-your other hand. Nice and easy.

-Is that

-your normal muscle down there?

-Yeah.

-The stomach

-is usually soft to the touch.

-If it starts hardening,

-it's a sign of internal bleeding.

-When I was examining Andy,

-I noticed his stomach was very hard.

-It was complicated by the fact

-that he's naturally a fit man...

-..with a toned, muscly stomach.

-We've just got

-a little bit of morphine, OK?

-With Andy

-in a more comfortable position...

-..the crew is happy to take off.

-His friend will have to walk back

-down the mountain with two bikes.

-Andy was hospitalized

-for six days at Ysbyty Maelor.

-He'd broken bones in his back,

-but now he's back in work.

-Wales's landscape

-can be truly spectacular.

-But sometimes it proves difficult

-to transport patients to hospital.

-The Wales Air Ambulance...

-..makes all the difference for those

-who need urgent medical attention.

-In 2004, Rachel Thomas

-was expecting her second child.

-Three months into the pregnancy,

-she started bleeding.

-The family

-was living in Dolgellau at the time.

-I went to the toilet

-and found blood.

-I went to see the doctor...

-..who said

-I had to be admitted to hospital.

-She was given a scan

-and it was bad news.

-They gave me a scan,

-but there was no baby.

-It had died.

-The following day, she was resting

-at home when she started bleeding.

-I went into our bedroom...

-..and Rachel was on the bed,

-bleeding everywhere.

-It was a pitiful sight.

-Her husband, Robert,

-phoned the doctor in panic.

-The doctor came to see me and

-told me I had to go to hospital...

-..because I was losing

-more and more blood.

-The paramedic told the doctor...

-.."We need

-an air ambulance quickly, doctor."

-They whisked Rachel

-straightaway to the playing field...

-..where the air ambulance

-was waiting.

-The helicopter landed

-on Dolgellau's rugby pitch.

-I felt happy

-once I was in the helicopter...

-..because I knew it'd only take

-a short while to get to hospital.

-They were talking to me

-and laughing with me.

-They were telling me stories.

-She was taken by helicopter

-to Ysbyty Maelor, Wrexham.

-Her condition

-deteriorated upon arrival.

-Once I'd arrived in the hospital...

-..I had severe pain in my belly.

-I felt awful.

-My blood pressure had dropped...

-..and they were trying

-to get it back up.

-If the blood pressure

-didn't increase...

-..there was a likelihood

-I would die.

-Rachel had

-an urgent blood transfusion...

-..and was transferred

-to intensive care.

-I thought, "This is it for Rachel.

-"Rachel's going to die.

-What am I going to do now?"

-Without the air ambulance...

-..Rachel would be dead.

-Seriously.

-But she pulled through.

-Since losing the baby, they've gone

-on to have three other children.

-Two weeks after leaving hospital,

-I decided I wanted another baby.

-Soon after, I booked a holiday

-in the Lake District.

-While I was there, I found out

-I was pregnant with another baby.

-Rachel is now pregnant again...

-..with her fifth child.

-It's possible none of

-the girls would he here today...

-..were it not for the Air Ambulance.

-..were it not for the Air Ambulance.

-

-We were thrilled when Becky came.

-We were over the moon.

-Then came Ruby and Rhian.

-And...

-Grey hair!

-And now there's another on the way.

-Can you bend your knee at all?

-Whilst Christmas shopping

-in Betws-y-Coed...

-..Mair Jones ended up with

-something that wasn't on her list.

-I dislocated my ankle and

-cracked the bones on both sides.

-I needed

-a four-hour operation in theatre.

-It was a nasty injury.

-I was in a wheelchair for a while.

-She is now recovering at home...

-..and would like

-to thank the crew publicly.

-Thank you very much, lads.

-I didn't get the chance

-to tell you while I was in hospital.

-Next time,

-the story of a farmer's son...

-..knocked down by a car

-on his way home from school.

-He was on the floor with blood

-coming out of his mouth and ear.

-And the crew rescues a motorcyclist

-who crashed headlong into a lorry.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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