0:00:02 > 0:00:07Today, Victor's nickname is Lucky and luck was on his side when he had a heart attack on a golf course.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10A team of hospital consultants were just two holes away,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13ready to carry out life-saving chest compressions.
0:00:13 > 0:00:19I knew I'd broken several of his ribs cos I heard them go, and that's not uncommon.
0:00:19 > 0:00:24And the driver who makes an emergency call as he's trapped under his 15-ton lorry.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Welcome to Real Rescues. Today we're at the Thames Valley Police Control
0:00:55 > 0:00:58in Oxfordshire. The controllers based here coordinate rescues
0:00:58 > 0:01:02using all kinds of police units, from air support to firearms teams.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06They deal with calls from people in all sorts of stressful situations.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Di has been doing this job for longer than most
0:01:08 > 0:01:12and I bet you've pretty much seen it all. Although, I have to say,
0:01:12 > 0:01:15even she couldn't believe a 999 call that happened recently.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19- The caller had an unusual phobia. - Crumpets.
0:01:19 > 0:01:24Crumpets, yes, you're hearing exactly right. Crumpets. More on that later. Louise.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27There's never a good place to have a heart attack, but in this next film,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30we see how one man was pulled back from the brink of death.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33And the reason? His location and lots of luck.
0:01:33 > 0:01:38Let's see what happened to Victor, known as Lucky to his friends.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45'Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance has been scrambled.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49'A sunny Saturday has turned serious for a golfer.'
0:01:49 > 0:01:52- And it's a male cardiac arrest? - Yeah, male cardiac arrest.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54OK. I'll let them know we're airborne.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57'On board are pilot Alf Gusparo,
0:01:57 > 0:02:02'air paramedics Mark Begley, Paul Jefferies and Dr Simon Brown.'
0:02:02 > 0:02:06RADIO CHATTER
0:02:06 > 0:02:11HeliMed 24, ETA 12 minutes. Figures 1-2. Over.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18'Paul knows speed is of the essence for the man who's suffered a severe heart attack.'
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Are there any other resources going or are we the sole resource at this time? Over.
0:02:25 > 0:02:31"HeliMed 24, I believe there is an off-duty intensive-care doctor on scene.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35"There is a crew and a car also running. Over."
0:02:36 > 0:02:42'Woburn Golf Course appears on the horizon. One of its advantages is a big fairway to land on.'
0:02:43 > 0:02:47HeliMed 24, we're committing to land now. Over.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50"Thank you."
0:02:55 > 0:03:01'A group of golfers watch anxiously as one of their number, Victor, lies stricken on the green.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03'An ambulance crew are already there
0:03:03 > 0:03:08'and defibrillator pads have been used to shock his heart back into rhythm.'
0:03:08 > 0:03:10"Start CPR."
0:03:10 > 0:03:13"Give 30 compressions."
0:03:13 > 0:03:18'Shaken, Victor's golfing partner Mark was with him when the attack started.'
0:03:24 > 0:03:25Yeah.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30'Victor is very lucky to have made it this far at all.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35'When his heart attack started, two off-duty anaesthetists, Peter and Jane Reed,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39'happened to be playing nearby. They leapt into action.'
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Victor, at that stage, wasn't breathing and wasn't responsive.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Then I felt for a pulse and there was no pulse.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Victor's heart was what we called fibrillating,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51which means instead of beating normally,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55it's a bit like a bag of jelly, so it's not able to push out blood to the body.
0:03:55 > 0:04:01'On the remote 12th hole, the couple knew they had to take on the job of Victor's failing heart.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03'By repeatedly pushing hard on his chest,
0:04:03 > 0:04:09'they were trying to pump enough blood round his body and to his brain to keep him alive.'
0:04:10 > 0:04:14- CPR is physically hard work. - You've got to put your back into it.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18It needs to be continuous. You can't do it for two minutes and have a rest.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22When I first started, I knew I'd broken several of his ribs
0:04:22 > 0:04:25cos I'd heard them go, and that's not uncommon.
0:04:25 > 0:04:30If you don't feel uncomfortable afterwards,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32you haven't been doing it well enough.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35But it is tiring and we were doing it for 20 minutes.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37And that's why my wife and I took turns.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42We continued until eventually a defibrillator came from the clubhouse,
0:04:42 > 0:04:47- which we didn't know they had, but it was excellent. - Like the cavalry arriving.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50If we hadn't had a defibrillator, he would...
0:04:50 > 0:04:54There was no option. I mean, he would've died.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00'The couple gave Victor two blasts with the defibrillator
0:05:00 > 0:05:02'to shock his heart back into working for itself.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06'He's alive but he's certainly not out of the rough yet.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10'They need to get him to hospital and to find out what caused his major heart attack.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13'Until then, he could relapse at any minute.'
0:05:13 > 0:05:16That amazing rescue continues later in the programme.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21But how lucky is that? Hospital consultants to care for him on the fairway. Nick.
0:05:21 > 0:05:26Extraordinary. OK, now, there's arachnophobia. Do you know what that is? Fear of spiders, well done.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29And claustrophobia? The fear of enclosed spaces.
0:05:29 > 0:05:35And halitophobia. Halito... Any ideas what that is?
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- Bad breath?- Bad breath is absolutely right! Very good!
0:05:38 > 0:05:44But they are going to have to find a new name for the phobia that Di had to deal with recently.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Now, on the one hand, this is very funny. It would be wrong of us to pretend it isn't.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52But at the same time, it's serious, so bear with us. What was the call about?
0:05:52 > 0:05:55The lady had come home from work to find that
0:05:55 > 0:05:58there was crumpets scattered up her driveway.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00Somebody had sprinkled crumpets up her driveway?
0:06:00 > 0:06:05Which is all very well, but she had such a fear of crumpets...
0:06:05 > 0:06:09According to the person who took the call, she could hardly even use the word crumpet.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- You're not making this up? - No, not making it up at all.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16- She genuinely had a phobia of crumpets?- Terrified of them.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- Right.- We don't know whether it was what they looked like
0:06:19 > 0:06:23or what they felt like, we don't know, but she just had a severe fear of them.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26And somebody obviously knew this
0:06:26 > 0:06:30and had terrorised her by doing that so when she came in from work, that's what she found.
0:06:30 > 0:06:35- It sounds like a joke, but you would have to then respond to this seriously.- Yes.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- As weird as it sounds.- Yep. - So what happened after that?
0:06:38 > 0:06:43Well, a unit was sent there, they spoke to her and it was actually crimed as harassment.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48It was a genuine case of harassment because the people knew she had this fear and had used it against her.
0:06:48 > 0:06:54It doesn't have to be people throwing stones, it can be anything that can be used against you for harassment.
0:06:54 > 0:07:00We've been trying to work out what kind of word it might be, because there is no Greek word for crumpet.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Cake is "glikisma".
0:07:03 > 0:07:08So a crumpet phobia would be translated as glikismaphobic.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13Or the person might be a trypophobic which means they have a fear of small holes,
0:07:13 > 0:07:20which might have frightened her, the small holes on top of crumpets. If you know better, write in. Thanks.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24Long-distance driver Eric drives a 15-ton refrigerated lorry.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27When it packed up on a dual carriageway at two in the morning,
0:07:27 > 0:07:31he thought nothing of crawling underneath to see what the problem was.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35Trouble is, the suspension automatically lowered, trapping Eric underneath it.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Here's the call he made to this control room.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01The spot where Eric's lorry broke down is unlit and has no hard shoulder.
0:09:01 > 0:09:08The lorry is in the path of oncoming traffic and Eric's body is hidden under the slowly sinking vehicle.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26Let's talk to Bridget who took what was actually a very long call. How long were you on the phone with him?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- About 15, 20 minutes in all. - Was he OK?
0:10:29 > 0:10:32He was fine, yeah. He was really chatty while he was on the phone
0:10:32 > 0:10:36- and afterwards he was fine. - And how did they get him out?
0:10:36 > 0:10:40The fire service came along and they used these hydraulic airbags
0:10:40 > 0:10:45that lift the lorry up so that they can pull Eric out from underneath the lorry.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- He actually had a pretty lucky escape, didn't he?- He did, yeah.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53He ended up with some bruising on his chest and that was all, really. He was just so lucky,
0:10:53 > 0:10:58And very lucky that he was on his mobile. Because if he hadn't had that, what would've happened?
0:10:58 > 0:11:02The vehicle was in lane one of a dual carriageway in the middle of nowhere.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Traffic would've ignored the fact that there was a lorry broken down there.
0:11:05 > 0:11:11You look into a lorry to see if there's anybody with it, not necessarily under it.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15But fortunately he had his mobile with him and was able to call us directly himself.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19So dangerous for him. Dangerous for the traffic, as well, is it?
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Yes. It's an unlit road where he was.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25People get mesmerised by the hazard lights on a lorry, especially at night,
0:11:25 > 0:11:31and we get an awful lot of accidents with people that hit the back of stationary broken-down vehicles.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36What sort of things should we be watching out for if we're driving along and you see hazard lights?
0:11:36 > 0:11:40- They draw you towards them. - They do. Slow down. Think, "What is the hazard?"
0:11:40 > 0:11:43"Have I got room to get round it safely or not?"
0:11:43 > 0:11:46If you slow down, invariably, you can't go wrong.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50OK. And tell us about him. He was like, "Oh, don't worry, just get a jack..."
0:11:50 > 0:11:53He was. He was very calm about it all.
0:11:53 > 0:11:59He said, "I just need somebody just to come and jack the lorry up and just get me out.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02"Don't bother telling the wife. I'm OK."
0:12:02 > 0:12:07- Aw!- He was very sweet about it, but you have to consider his age,
0:12:07 > 0:12:11where he is and the fact that he's got 15 tons of lorry on him.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- I'm very glad he got out safely. Thank you.- Thank you.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Still to come on Real Rescues,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23fighting fires at night can be dangerous, but not just because of the flames.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Are you still being watched? Over.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33'Euan's broken his jaw, the paramedics keep telling him
0:12:33 > 0:12:37'his teeth are all there but he just won't believe them.'
0:12:39 > 0:12:42OK. I promise you, they are all still intact.
0:12:44 > 0:12:50As we've seen, Victor the golfer collapsed after having a massive heart attack on a golf course.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53It may sound weird, but he's been extremely lucky so far.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00'Air medics are hoping to fly Victor to hospital in time for life-saving treatment.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04'The fact he has a chance at all is down to the efforts of two other golfers who were nearby,
0:13:04 > 0:13:08'Peter and Jane Reed. Both anaesthetists, they rushed to Victor's aid
0:13:08 > 0:13:12'when his heart stopped and he collapsed on the course.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17'They performed CPR for an exhausting 20 minutes until help arrived.'
0:13:17 > 0:13:21I do realise that if my wife and I
0:13:21 > 0:13:25hadn't continued doing that CPR then Victor would've died.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Many people would've probably given up,
0:13:28 > 0:13:34but we could tell that what we were doing was working. He regained consciousness.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40'They eventually needed the shock from a defibrillator to get Victor's heart beating on its own again.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43'But to keep it working, he needs an operation.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51'This is where the air ambulance comes into its own,
0:13:51 > 0:13:53'as his best chance of long-term survival
0:13:53 > 0:13:58'actually rests on them taking him to a hospital in Oxford, which is not the nearest one.'
0:13:58 > 0:14:03We're taking him to the John Radcliffe Hospital cos they've got the ability to do primary PCI
0:14:03 > 0:14:06which means they're able to have a look at the coronary artery
0:14:06 > 0:14:10and if there is any blockage there, they're able to open up the blockage
0:14:10 > 0:14:15and reduce the likelihood of him having a further cardiac arrest.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18'It can be a tense journey with cardiac arrest patients.
0:14:18 > 0:14:24'The risk of Victor suffering another attack whilst airborne means the team need to stay vigilant.'
0:14:24 > 0:14:28That's good. It's just the other one which we'll need to...
0:14:28 > 0:14:30- I'll put it down on top of him. - That'll be fine.
0:14:30 > 0:14:36- The lead is connected. - OK, we'll hit the blood pressure once you've got that connected.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39I'll keep an eye on it for you. If I think there's any peri-arrest rhythms,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41I'll give you a heads-up.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47'After landing at the hospital helipad,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51'Victor will be transferred into an ambulance for the short hop to A&E.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54'The air medics will remain with him all the way through.'
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Vic, are you in any pain at all at the moment?
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Does it hurt at all?
0:15:01 > 0:15:04I'm just going to gently open your eyes, Victor. Thank you.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06And gently open the other one. Well done.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09You're in the ambulance. We're moving you to hospital now.
0:15:09 > 0:15:15- Rhythm check, please. - Yeah, it's still monitoring. Looks like a normal sinus, 81.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18- Thank you. - A unifocal ectopic has come in.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- Apart from that...- Right, thank you.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24HE GROANS We're nearly there, Victor.
0:15:27 > 0:15:32'Thankfully, Victor's condition has improved considerably since the team first saw him.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36'But he may yet require life-saving surgery to make sure he stays that way.'
0:15:38 > 0:15:42I'm very pleased to say, against all the odds, Victor is able to join us here today
0:15:42 > 0:15:48along with his very good friend and golfing partner Mark. Well, what an extraordinary day.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53What a lucky person you are. What an extraordinary bunch of circumstances.
0:15:53 > 0:15:59It certainly is. I've got everybody to thank that saved me
0:15:59 > 0:16:02because otherwise I wouldn't be here now.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07So just explain, cos you're playing a round of golf,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11- feeling perfectly all right. Did you feel ill?- No, not at all.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14- Sank a putt. Is that right, Mark? - Yeah, sunk a putt.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18- Unusually for Vic, but sunk a putt. - Right. And then?
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Then I just don't remember anything.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26- And he collapsed, is that right? - Yeah, putt went in, he just walked off
0:16:26 > 0:16:29and I looked round and he'd just fallen to the ground.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31At once you were worried for him or not?
0:16:31 > 0:16:37- Erm, as usual with mates, I thought he was messing around and slipped over.- So you said?
0:16:37 > 0:16:42- "Get up, Vic, don't be stupid." - THEY LAUGH
0:16:42 > 0:16:46- Nice.- And then, obviously, he didn't get up.
0:16:46 > 0:16:52- This might be serious.- Yeah. So I went over to him and I realised straight away that it was serious.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55A long time ago, I did a first aid course.
0:16:55 > 0:17:00A long time ago. I'm not sure I'd remember. Had you ever done anything like that?
0:17:00 > 0:17:05Same sort of thing, a long time ago, so I rolled him over, checked his pulse,
0:17:05 > 0:17:10couldn't feel anything, whether he was breathing or not,
0:17:10 > 0:17:14and heavy-handedly started some CPR stuff.
0:17:14 > 0:17:19You must have been...very worried at that stage.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22- I'm trying to think of the right words.- Yeah, you always think,
0:17:22 > 0:17:29"He's going to come round" but after what seemed like ages, he just wasn't coming round at all.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33I'm going to run over the luck again, because the couple playing behind you...
0:17:33 > 0:17:38Yeah, the couple behind us, husband and wife, both doctors.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40- The couple in front?- Both doctors.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44Unbelievable. You're surrounded by doctors on the 12th.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Talk about picking your spot for it! Do you remember anything?
0:17:48 > 0:17:53No. I don't remember much of the whole day.
0:17:53 > 0:17:58You know... I just get little flashes and glimpses
0:17:58 > 0:18:01that I was on the course, but nothing solid.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05- Was he having a good round? - For Vic, he was playing very well.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Typical. When you have a good one, you don't remember it.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13But then on top of that, the amazing thing was also that the golf club also had a defibrillator.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17So not only have you got doctors either side of you, but also...
0:18:17 > 0:18:22- Who rang up the club? Was it you? - It was one of the other playing partners who'd already rang 999.
0:18:22 > 0:18:28They then rang the club and then found out that they'd had a defibrillator there
0:18:28 > 0:18:33and so one of the marshals brought the defibrillator out and the doctors were able to use that.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37A great place to have a heart attack because they can land the helicopter
0:18:37 > 0:18:40and get you directly to one of the specialist places.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43So what happened? Have they fitted a defibrillator?
0:18:43 > 0:18:47- They have, yes.- And how have you been feeling since?
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Feel fine since the ribs got better.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Yeah, cos... Didn't he have a go at you?
0:18:52 > 0:18:57He came round on the Saturday evening, I got his daughter and his step-daughter there
0:18:57 > 0:19:03- and the first thing he said to me was, "What did you do to my chest?" - That's nice, isn't it?
0:19:03 > 0:19:08- Have you had a round of golf since? - I haven't played with Vic. He's not allowed out with me any more.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13- Not without two doctors behind? - Yeah.- How much were you playing for a hole?
0:19:13 > 0:19:16We always play for £5 a round and 50 pence for birdies
0:19:16 > 0:19:21- and I had a birdie that day, so he still actually owes me 50 pence.- I'm going to pay him now.- On television.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26- He is actually going to do it, as well!- I'm not going to moan. There's interest.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28THEY LAUGH
0:19:28 > 0:19:34- Guys, lovely to talk to you and really nice to see you looking so well. Thank you.- Cheers.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36I'm in the parade room and what I want to talk about is,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40sometimes police officers have to help out other emergency services.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44- James here is a response officer, so you do lots of night shifts, don't you?- Yes.
0:19:44 > 0:19:50- Are you often called out to help ambulance crews?- Yes, it's not uncommon for us to help the ambulance
0:19:50 > 0:19:53- or any emergency service.- I know if a knife is mentioned in a call...
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- You've got a specific example, haven't you?- Yes.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59We've attended incidents where a male has self-harmed with a knife,
0:19:59 > 0:20:04an ambulance crew had been called and they call us so we can assist.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09- We turn up first to make sure it's safe before the ambulance crew go in. - And what happened on that occasion?
0:20:09 > 0:20:13The male pulled a knife out on myself and my colleague and had to be restrained
0:20:13 > 0:20:18- and then taken to hospital.- So that's exactly why if a call comes in, knife, that's why you go.- Yes.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22There are other examples where you know you might need to help.
0:20:22 > 0:20:28Yes, we go and assist quite often where they will call up because people have got warning markers.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32- What does that mean? - It means they've been involved in an incident in the past
0:20:32 > 0:20:38where they were violent towards ambulance staff or they're liable to attack them.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42We will go and assist to make sure it's safe before the ambulance go in
0:20:42 > 0:20:48- and also we'll transport them in the ambulance with the paramedics. - So you're on board the ambulance.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51What about firefighters? Are there specific places you might go with them?
0:20:51 > 0:20:55If they go to a fire location where they know they've had problems in the past,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58it's not uncommon for them to contact the police to turn up,
0:20:58 > 0:21:02just to contain crowd safety and make sure nothing happens to them.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06So you make sure both the ambulance and all of you turn up at the same time, or you before them?
0:21:06 > 0:21:10We'll try and turn up at the same time, or if we know where the fire is,
0:21:10 > 0:21:14we will turn up and then we lead by their direction when we go to a fire incident.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19Very interesting. Thank you. In the next rescue, the firefighters are called out to a burning caravan
0:21:19 > 0:21:23and they need to judges the locals' reaction before moving into action.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32'The firefighters of green watch are heading out to a disused industrial site. A caravan is on fire.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41'There are no reports of anyone inside but there are plenty of potential hazards.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44'Watch manager Sean Foster is in charge.'
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Cylinders, guys, OK? Watch out for cylinders.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52'Caravans often have gas cylinders which could explode in the heat
0:21:56 > 0:22:00'When they get there, the caravan is burning fiercely.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02'They're clearly not going to be able to save it.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05'The site is being used by travellers.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08'Sean wants to find out if the caravan belongs to them.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12'He goes to investigate on foot with crew manager Steve Evans.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15'But the travellers say it has nothing to do with them.'
0:22:15 > 0:22:19All right, well, we'll put it out. Thanks a lot, guys. Thank you very much.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23'It turns out that the men who brought the caravan here in the morning are long gone.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27'Suddenly Sean's attention is diverted to the perimeter fence.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30'The crew outside, still on board the fire engine,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33'are worried about a group of men hanging around.'
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Guy said someone's watching them in hoodies.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Receiving? Over.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44- This is Adam.- Adam, are you able to speak to me? Over.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47Yep, I can. Over.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Are you still being watched? Over.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54No, they looked a bit shifty hanging around the back of the building, but they've gone in. Over.
0:22:54 > 0:22:59'Firefighters never know for sure what they may encounter on a call-out.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04'Trouble is highly unlikely but in the dark, on a large patch of waste land,
0:23:04 > 0:23:06they have to stay extra-vigilant.'
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Sometimes the emergency services come under attack and physical abuse.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Later at night, the public can be aggressive towards you due to alcohol
0:23:14 > 0:23:17or they can be aggressive because they're agitated or worried.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20But fortunately, in the fire service, it's very seldom.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23We always have the option of calling the police to assist us,
0:23:23 > 0:23:27but we tend to work as a team and look after one another.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32'Their priority is putting this fire out.'
0:23:32 > 0:23:37Right, guys! Water tender's going in. The ladder's going to come in with them
0:23:37 > 0:23:42but we're not going to use the ladder. Probably not going to need your sets. We'll put it out.
0:23:42 > 0:23:48'A quick look at the caravan reveals there's no danger from gas cylinders, so they move in closer.'
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- Alan, can you send further information for me?- Yep.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00One caravan, severe, two hose reels, two BA, incident mode Oscar.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04'While Paul Beckett and Rob Martin prepare to tackle the flames,
0:24:04 > 0:24:09'their crew mates keep an eye out for any other activity. Sean keeps Control up to date.'
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I'm going to stay with the water tender at the moment.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16We're not getting any trouble at all, but we're just acting as lookouts.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20'Paul and Rob make short work of dosing the fire.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42'The fire's damped down and there are no other incidents.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44'The next job is cleaning up the gear.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47'The next call-out might be to a slightly smarter location.'
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Guys, when we get back, we need to wash our boots.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54A good example of that was last week.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58We had those lovely cream carpets, didn't we, the following morning.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05Nice to know that if they turn up at your house, they'll have very clean boots.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09Now, falling into very cold water can lead to hypothermia
0:25:09 > 0:25:12or, in extreme cases, even death within a few minutes.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17So when on a wintry day, some rowers were dumped into the sea after their boat capsized,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19it was a race to get them to safety.
0:25:21 > 0:25:27- 'Coastguard helicopter 106 are in the middle of a rescue operation.' - Good line. Forward ten.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30'Two people have already been winched up into the helicopter
0:25:30 > 0:25:33'but three still remain in the water down below.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37'The sea is a chilly 12 degrees, so there's no time to lose.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42'Earlier, the helicopter crew had been on a training exercise near their Portland base
0:25:42 > 0:25:47'when they got a call diverting them to Exmouth, 40 miles away.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52'Five people had been thrown into the sea when their rowing gig capsized.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56'Far from shore and unable to right their boat in the cold, choppy conditions,
0:25:56 > 0:26:01'helicopter co-pilot Mark Bazalgette feared for the rowers' safety.'
0:26:01 > 0:26:05What worried us was the screaming north-easterly wind just above zero
0:26:05 > 0:26:07which would have chilled anyone who was wet to the bone
0:26:07 > 0:26:11and when we got there, we found that they weren't wearing wetsuits,
0:26:11 > 0:26:15which meant they had a short time before they were in serious trouble.
0:26:15 > 0:26:20'On reaching the upturned gig, winchman Dougie Ayles was sent down to start lifting them to safety.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25'Normally he'd head for the worst off, but here everybody was in the same predicament.'
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Obviously, if someone was floating upside down, they would be first,
0:26:29 > 0:26:33but they all seemed to be heads out of the water, looking at me,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35so I grabbed the first person and we took it from there.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40'Time to rescue casualty number three.'
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Forward one. And steady.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Contact. Steady. Steady.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50'As he's plucking people from water rather than a deck or a rock face,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53'Dougie has had to change his footwear accordingly.'
0:26:53 > 0:26:58The reason for wearing the fins, when you're in the water, you can manoeuvre yourself easily,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02go behind them to turn them round. If you've got a set of fins on, it makes it so much easier.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Steady. Back one.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09'Dougie treads water while simultaneously wrapping a harness around the rower.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13'Only one of them, a woman, has been able to perch on the hull of the boat.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15'The rest have been in the sea for at least 20 minutes.'
0:27:15 > 0:27:18He's working the casualty. Just strapping them.
0:27:18 > 0:27:24They were mildly hypothermic. They were shaking, a sign that they're going into hypothermic shock.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27OK, he's ready now. Just winching the wire.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31'Pilot Kevin Balls keeps the helicopter hovering at 75 foot
0:27:31 > 0:27:34'while winch operator Steve Larson carefully reels them in.'
0:27:34 > 0:27:39- He's just in swimming trunks. - OK, that's good. I've got Dougie 20 foot below the step.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43At the doorway. And bringing them in the cabin.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47'The third rower is now up and into the warm.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49'But before Dougie needs to be lowered out again,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52'a lifeboat crew have joined the rescue effort.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55'They pull the remaining people aboard.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59'The rowers are now all safely out of the water, but they're not out of the woods.'
0:27:59 > 0:28:02We can get the other two in the back and take them all to A&E.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06'Dougie is worried that they're really feeling the effects of the cold.'
0:28:06 > 0:28:10After a lengthy period in water, you need a slow recovery to be rewarmed
0:28:10 > 0:28:13that needs to be done in hospital,
0:28:13 > 0:28:17so we decided, once the lifeboat made it ashore, that we would pick all the five casualties up
0:28:17 > 0:28:22and a quick hop to Exeter Emergency Department to get them checked out and rewarmed.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26"Can you touch down on our ramp?"
0:28:26 > 0:28:30- Yeah, on the ramp is fine. - We can go wheels light on the ramp.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34'So the rowers are to be reunited and what could have been a disastrous outcome
0:28:34 > 0:28:39'will hopefully end up with just a check-up and a warm cup of tea at hospital.'
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Now, "I fell off my bike" is up there with sickness and alien abduction
0:28:44 > 0:28:47in the top excuses to get out of school or homework.
0:28:47 > 0:28:53But in this next rescue, a student genuinely has fallen off his bike on the way to his finals.
0:28:53 > 0:28:58It's now the last thing on his mind as all he can think about is his teeth.
0:29:00 > 0:29:06'Paramedic Chris Reed is on duty in the ambulance with colleague Olly Hunt when they get a call-out.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10'A cyclist has been badly hurt in a road accident.'
0:29:10 > 0:29:13The police are en route for this one, as well?
0:29:13 > 0:29:17"He's just fallen, it's not an RTC."
0:29:17 > 0:29:22'There are no other vehicles involved but the cyclist is flat out on the pavement.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27'The only visible injury is a two-inch-long deep gash to his chin.'
0:29:27 > 0:29:30- What's happened today? - I was cycling along
0:29:30 > 0:29:32and I was trying to get up the kerb
0:29:32 > 0:29:35and I fell off my bicycle and flat on my chin.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38- On your chin? - Yeah. Feels like I've got no teeth.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42- Any pain anywhere else? - Just my chin, really, and my head. My head's really bad.
0:29:43 > 0:29:49'The cyclist is so stunned by the accident that he's forgotten he's still holding his phone.'
0:29:49 > 0:29:53Do you want to put the phone down for a minute and we'll have a little chat?
0:29:53 > 0:29:58My colleague's just going to hold your head until I can make sure you haven't damaged your neck.
0:29:58 > 0:30:03- I'll have a listen to your chest. - What's your name?- Euan.- Euan.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07'Euan's hurtled over the handlebars after hitting the kerb.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10'His chin was the first part of his body to hit the ground.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13'It's taken the full brunt of the fall.'
0:30:13 > 0:30:15- Any pains in your neck?- Yeah.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18- Do you remember the event?- Yeah.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21- You do?- Yeah.- OK.- It wasn't pleasant.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25- OK. Any pain where I'm pressing? - No.- No?
0:30:25 > 0:30:27- Any pain there?- No. That's pain.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31- There's pain there?- Yeah. - Definitely pain there?- Yeah.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35'Chris is very worried about the pain Euan has in his neck.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38'But the student is more concerned about his teeth.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42'The accident seems to have affected the feeling inside his mouth.'
0:30:42 > 0:30:45- Have I got teeth left? - Yeah, you've got teeth left.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49None of your teeth are displaced. Poke your tongue out.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52'Chris must prioritise protecting his spine.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56'He needs to be laid flat and it has to be done very precisely.'
0:30:56 > 0:31:01Go on, then. Lower, lower. Lower.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04We're just going to get another ambulance to help us.
0:31:04 > 0:31:09'Euan needs maximum protection for his spine. They need a third person to move him safely.'
0:31:09 > 0:31:136401, please can we have another pair of hands? An ambulance or a car will be fine.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15On blues, please.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18How you doing, Euan?
0:31:18 > 0:31:20'Euan's a student at Bournemouth University
0:31:20 > 0:31:24'and this accident couldn't have happened at a worse time.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29'He was on his way to a presentation for his finals. Now his mind is on other things.'
0:31:29 > 0:31:32- Have I lost a lot of blood? - No, not at all.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36- Cos that could be the reason why I'm getting cold. - No, no, it's just shock.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42This is not designed to be comfortable, all right? It's designed to keep your neck in line.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45We're not going to move you until the other ambulance gets here.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49- Where's the most pain? - Jaw.- Your jaw. OK.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53On a scale of 0 to ten, 0 being no pain, ten being the worst pain you've ever felt in your life,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56- where would you put this pain in your jaw?- Eight.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Sorry? About an eight, is it? OK.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03'Backup has arrived in the shape of emergency care practitioner Debbie Thompson.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06'Chris fills her in.'
0:32:06 > 0:32:10I'm just giving him something for the pain in his chin, then scoop him and block his head.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14'The pain suggests Euan might have done some damage to his back.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17'Strapping him onto the board might be uncomfortable.'
0:32:17 > 0:32:20Euan, do you want some gas and air for the pain in your chin?
0:32:20 > 0:32:23It's a pain relief that's inhaled.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27You can take it whenever you feel pain and you can put it down.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30- It's quick-acting, short-lasting. - I'm cool.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32You don't want any, no? OK.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36'Euan can't grin but decides to bear it.'
0:32:36 > 0:32:41Ready, set, lower. I would consider this a scoop out.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46I'm just trying to keep you warm, all right? This is just to keep you
0:32:46 > 0:32:49in neutral alignment on the board, all right?
0:32:54 > 0:32:57How's the pain in your chin?
0:32:58 > 0:33:00OK, all right.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05OK. I promise you, they are all still intact.
0:33:05 > 0:33:10'Euan clearly has some altered sensation which makes him think his teeth have gone.'
0:33:14 > 0:33:16OK. Open your mouth again.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21Just chips, OK.
0:33:21 > 0:33:27'Chris can only reassure him and make a note to pass on to the emergency team at A&E.'
0:33:27 > 0:33:32All I can do at the moment is just record what you're telling me and I'll have a chat with the doctors.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36Still painful, is it?
0:33:39 > 0:33:41Sorry?
0:33:41 > 0:33:43You sure you don't want any pain relief?
0:33:45 > 0:33:47'Euan is showing great stoicism.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51'He's now in the hands of the emergency care doctors at Bournemouth Hospital
0:33:51 > 0:33:55'who'll investigate his symptoms fully.'
0:33:55 > 0:33:59Well, let's find out what happened next. We saw you, Euan, going into the hospital.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02Turns out you'd broken your jaw, hadn't you?
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Yeah, I had broken my jaw right up here near my ear.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09Right. Tell us about the teeth, because they could see your teeth
0:34:09 > 0:34:12but what did they feel like to you?
0:34:12 > 0:34:16Because I slammed so hard into the concrete on the ground, my nerves were in shock.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20I couldn't feel any of my teeth and because they hit so hard, they were all jagged...
0:34:20 > 0:34:23They felt jagged even though they were OK?
0:34:23 > 0:34:27- Or most of them were. - Yeah, exactly. Because they were all so jilted from the impact,
0:34:27 > 0:34:30when I ran my tongue across them, I felt serrations.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35- And why was that, do you know? - It was because all the nerves were in shock round my mouth.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38And you've got it all pinned up at the moment, haven't you?
0:34:38 > 0:34:41My jaw's all wired shut and it's going to be for another two weeks.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45- And how's that affecting you?- Well, I've lost two stone because of it.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48Two stone! In five or six weeks?
0:34:48 > 0:34:51Yes, exactly. I haven't been able to eat any solid food.
0:34:51 > 0:34:56It's just been protein shakes, soup, porridge, rice pudding, that kind of thing.
0:34:56 > 0:35:02- That's very boring.- Yes. - Just tell us about your finals, because you were on your way
0:35:02 > 0:35:05- to do the presentation. - Yes, I was.- So what happened?
0:35:05 > 0:35:10Well, my group went on. That's who I was on the phone to, one of my group members.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14And they didn't know what had happened, they thought I was just sleeping in late.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Of course, I was just lying on the pavement and couldn't move.
0:35:17 > 0:35:24And they went on without me, but my version, my video which I made is up on my blog
0:35:24 > 0:35:27and my lecturers have seen it now.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30- So they'll give you dispensation for not actually turning up.- Yeah.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34- Did they believe you?- I don't think they believed me at first, no.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37I think they just thought it was another crazy excuse.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40It's a very old excuse. So you don't know what you got for that exam?
0:35:40 > 0:35:45- Not yet, no.- What about cycling? Cos I know you're a keen cyclist. What are you going to do about that?
0:35:45 > 0:35:50I think I might take a bit more persuasion to get back on my bike. I'll probably learn to drive.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53Good idea. Thanks very much.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57Specialist listening equipment like this, these little orange blobs,
0:35:57 > 0:36:00have got incredibly sensitive pads underneath.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04They're used to find people in the rubble of collapsed buildings.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06But when Cookie the dog chased a rabbit down a hole,
0:36:06 > 0:36:11firefighters decided using it was the best way to locate the missing terrier.
0:36:14 > 0:36:19'Shropshire firefighters have been called to a small wood almost a mile from the nearest road.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23'The worried owner of a small terrier urgently needs their help.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27'Cookie has chased one rabbit too many and definitely too far.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29'She's now stuck down a rabbit hole.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33'The soft ground has collapsed behind her and she's well and truly trapped.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37'She's already been underground for almost two hours.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41'The first job for the rescue team is to try and locate just where she is.'
0:36:41 > 0:36:44- Rest, everyone. - HE WHISTLES
0:36:44 > 0:36:48The hole that the dog had gone down, there was no sound at all.
0:36:48 > 0:36:53And another hole was probably about five, six, seven metres away.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55We could hear really faint barks.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01- Was that a bark then? - There was definitely barking, yeah.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04'The barks mean Cookie is still alive and not too far away.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08'But there's a chance the harness she's wearing could've caught on a tree root
0:37:08 > 0:37:12'The fire crew now need to use their specialist listening equipment
0:37:12 > 0:37:14'to get a better fix on where Cookie is.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18'It's what they would use to find people under collapsed buildings after an earthquake.'
0:37:18 > 0:37:21- Cookie!- Quiet.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25We were still shouting for the dog and then getting everyone to keep quiet
0:37:25 > 0:37:29and listening to see if we could hear the barks and the dog was still barking back.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Stay still.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35'It's good news. Cookie must be very close to where they're digging.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38'Her owners still have reason to hope.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42'The digging goes on for two hours. It's hard physical work
0:37:42 > 0:37:45'and the firefighters take it in turns to keep up the speed.'
0:37:45 > 0:37:48It was a case of keep digging, keep digging.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50The dog was barking back every time.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Cookie! Cookie!
0:37:54 > 0:37:58'They're trying to pinpoint the spot where Cookie is using a snake-eye camera
0:37:58 > 0:38:01'which can look round bends and send back images.'
0:38:01 > 0:38:05- It splits again there.- 'But it shows nothing more than a complex warren.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10'It's down to more digging and some more wood-clearing.'
0:38:14 > 0:38:18We're going to stop for a minute and let Rob shout. Quiet.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20Cookie!
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Come on, girl!
0:38:23 > 0:38:26Yep, I can hear it. Going that way.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28- This way?- Can we just get the...
0:38:31 > 0:38:34There. That's where you want to be. There.
0:38:34 > 0:38:39'Despite most of the earth being dug away, she still can't make her way out of the hole.
0:38:39 > 0:38:44- 'Cookie's owner gets down to try and coax her out.'- Cookie! Cookie!
0:38:44 > 0:38:49Cookie, come on! Cookie! Come on, then.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52'But the barking has changed to a whimpering.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56'Something is wrong. She may be caught up on some roots.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08If we can get a direction...
0:39:14 > 0:39:18'The atmosphere lightens. Everyone is willing Cookie to come out of the hole.
0:39:18 > 0:39:24'But to a small, frightened dog, Luke's hand reaching out to help could seem like a threat.'
0:39:29 > 0:39:32'The gloves go on just in case.'
0:39:33 > 0:39:35A bunch of strangers, as well.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39- Some of them very strange. - Speak for yourself!
0:39:41 > 0:39:43'They're so close but it's not all over.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47'Cookie could still move further down the hole and out of reach.'
0:39:52 > 0:39:56- There we go. - THEY CHEER
0:39:56 > 0:39:59'But at last she's free.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12'Her owner's joy and relief is clear to see.'
0:40:14 > 0:40:18- Do you want us to dig for the harness?- Thank you so much!
0:40:18 > 0:40:21Yes, find the harness! THEY LAUGH
0:40:21 > 0:40:25'A dusting down and a good drink and Cookie's as good as new.'
0:40:27 > 0:40:31It's nice to help people, yeah. You certainly get a good feeling
0:40:31 > 0:40:35and you've done something to help somebody. I think the lady would've been very upset
0:40:35 > 0:40:41had the dog not come out and she was very happy and I think the crew were pretty satisfied. A worthwhile job.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48No, you're not going anywhere!
0:40:49 > 0:40:52Perhaps that will teach Cookie not to go chasing rabbits.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Callers dialling 999 to report suspicious happenings
0:40:55 > 0:40:59can sometimes provide vital clues in police work.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04Just one random nugget of information can prove the missing link that officers need.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Ben, are you off the phone now? - Just about, yeah.
0:41:07 > 0:41:12You got an example of somebody phoning up and she gave you extraordinary information.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16Yeah, she was an old lady and she called us quite early in the morning,
0:41:16 > 0:41:19about five o'clock. At these times, we're all half-asleep.
0:41:19 > 0:41:24But she called us, she'd just been woken up by a car driving very fast
0:41:24 > 0:41:27- down her road, which is a cul-de-sac, so it doesn't happen often.- Yes.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31And she looked out and saw two males jumping into another car
0:41:31 > 0:41:36and then driving off at speed, which at this sort of time is very strange indeed.
0:41:36 > 0:41:41And it turns out that what she'd actually seen was two men stealing cars from her neighbour.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44But she didn't realise at first. So she called me up and said,
0:41:44 > 0:41:49- "I really don't know if this is an emergency or not."- And she was very charming.- Very charming.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53She was happy to stay on the phone. Most people at this time in the morning would be miffed,
0:41:53 > 0:41:56like Shrek or something.
0:41:56 > 0:42:01But she was quite happy to speak to us, quite happy to stay on the phone
0:42:01 > 0:42:04and give us as much information as possible until we got there
0:42:04 > 0:42:09and it really helps getting descriptions of the cars, the people, understanding what had gone on.
0:42:09 > 0:42:14OK. So you wouldn't have known anything about that. Did she give you some of the registration?
0:42:14 > 0:42:19She tried. That's the major thing. When someone calls to say, "I've seen this car drive off"
0:42:19 > 0:42:23we always try and get a registration, but it was very dark and she couldn't see anything.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27And she was elderly. Not to say she couldn't see perfectly.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31- But she did manage to give us some good descriptions.- Did you get them?
0:42:31 > 0:42:35Well, we got there to find that they'd broken into the house
0:42:35 > 0:42:39to steal the keys for cars, which is quite a common thing now.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42We woke up the owners who gave us the registrations...
0:42:42 > 0:42:44- And then you could go after them. - Of course.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48- Excellent. So it's always worth calling. - Always worth calling.- Thank you.
0:42:48 > 0:42:53These things are amazing! In a kitchenette just under number four, someone's buttering some toast.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57No, it's peanut butter. Crunchy peanut butter.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01- That's all we've got time for this time. Join us for more Real Rescues soon.- See you then. Bye.
0:43:06 > 0:43:10Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:10 > 0:43:14E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
0:43:14 > 0:43:14.