0:00:02 > 0:00:08Today, a three-year-old boy calls 999 and tells them his mummy is on the floor and can't speak to him.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18And a sight that brought a dual carriageway to a halt -
0:00:18 > 0:00:23a racehorse stuck in the front passenger seat of a van.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27If the horse had managed to get out of that cab by whatever method,
0:00:27 > 0:00:32what we didn't want is a young racehorse galloping around six lanes of traffic.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Hello and welcome to Real Rescues.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00We're at the heart of the emergency operation
0:01:00 > 0:01:02in the South Western Ambulance control room,
0:01:02 > 0:01:07one of two in the area that takes hundreds of thousands of calls a year.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Not just from people who live in Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly,
0:01:11 > 0:01:17Devon, Dorset and Somerset, but people from all over Europe passing through on business or holiday.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Some make 999 calls and have no idea where they are.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24We'll get more on how they find them a bit later.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29The sights that greet emergency services at major road accidents are many and varied,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33but occasionally, even they can't believe what they're seeing.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37This unusual rescue happened after a very unsuccessful day at the races.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44The 2.30 at Brighton. The horse in stall 6 is called Blue Vinney
0:01:44 > 0:01:47and his race is about to be extremely short-lived.
0:01:47 > 0:01:54'They're off and they're racing. Coming out of the stalls, Blue Vinney has unseated the rider...'
0:01:54 > 0:01:58If the sight of Blue Vinney unseating his rider wasn't bad enough,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02his team were about to get an even worse fright on the journey home.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Yes, you CAN believe what you're seeing.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Blue Vinney IS halfway in the driver's cab.
0:02:11 > 0:02:16What's worse, he crashed through as the vehicle was being driven along a very busy A-road.
0:02:16 > 0:02:22For the driver Pippa, her day with Blue Vinney has been fraught from the start.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25He was very unsettled all the way to the races.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29I made the lad who was with me stay in with him all the way there.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32And um, got to the races.
0:02:32 > 0:02:38I thought he'd be a bit of a naughty boy, reared up coming out of the stalls, leapt in the air.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41The jockey fell off, so he ended up running loose.
0:02:43 > 0:02:49As Blue Vinney was loaded up for the trip back, he became restless once more.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52He started thrashing again.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54All right then...
0:02:54 > 0:02:58He seemed to settle down and they continued on their way,
0:02:58 > 0:03:05but half an hour into the journey, Blue Vinney started kicking and thrashing about. Seconds later...
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Bang, crash, wallop! Over he came.
0:03:08 > 0:03:14Blue Vinney somehow leapt over this barrier, throwing his full weight against the door to the cab.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17It flung open and he was next to the driving seat.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Pippa managed to remain calm enough to pull over.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25As she called for help, Blue Vinney was throwing himself about in the cab.
0:03:25 > 0:03:31- Hello. Police, please.- The horse's head, shoulders and front legs were almost in the driving seat,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34his back legs in the cab's sleeping area behind.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Horses just head for daylight. They get panicky.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41It doesn't matter what it is or where it is.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45I was just worried that he kept coming towards the windscreen.
0:03:45 > 0:03:52We tried to hold his head up above on a little shelf above the windscreen to stop him actually coming through.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Blue Vinney is in an incredibly vulnerable position.
0:03:55 > 0:04:01Whichever way he goes, he could fall and injure his legs. That would put an end to his racing career.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03SIREN WAILS
0:04:03 > 0:04:08Pippa's 999 call was passed to West Sussex Fire Service.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13As soon as they arrive, they block out all daylight coming into the cab.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17This simple act has averted an even bigger disaster.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22He would have gone through if they hadn't turned up and put the tarpaulin over the windscreen.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26If the horse had managed to get out of that cab
0:04:26 > 0:04:31by whatever method, what we then didn't want is a young racehorse
0:04:31 > 0:04:34galloping around six lanes of traffic.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Vet Imogen Burrows has arrived too.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42By now, Blue Vinney is calm, but that could change at any moment.
0:04:42 > 0:04:48With animal rescues and certainly with a young, lively racehorse, we want a calm situation.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53By quietening everything down, hopefully, the animal quietens itself down.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57The police have closed all six lanes of traffic,
0:04:57 > 0:05:02but it's too dangerous to try and move the horse out of the driver's seat without sedation.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Imogen is controlling him by holding on to his head
0:05:06 > 0:05:10while her colleague Duncan Harrison makes him safe to work around.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14A horse who's full of adrenaline can be very hyper-sensitive
0:05:14 > 0:05:16to touch, to light.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21And when they are hyper-sensitive, any of those stimuli can result in a panic
0:05:21 > 0:05:25which means that you have a horse of 350, 400 kilos
0:05:25 > 0:05:29who is basically out of control in a very confined area.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33That can result in injury to anybody who's in that area next to them.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36The precision of the vets is vital.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40The amount of sedation has to be exact. If it's too much,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43he'll become unconscious and impossible to move.
0:05:43 > 0:05:49Too little and the safety of the firefighters and a packed dual carriageway is at risk.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56So how on earth do you get a horse out of that situation? Later, we will find out. Nick?
0:05:56 > 0:05:59How extraordinary those pictures were!
0:05:59 > 0:06:05Now, these people here take calls from emergencies all the time.
0:06:05 > 0:06:10- I want to talk to Erika here. Are you on a call?- No. - Lovely. I can have a chat.
0:06:10 > 0:06:16- Not everyone who calls up is polite, are they?- No, definitely not. - Because? Why?
0:06:16 > 0:06:21One day I took a call from a gentleman who, from the minute we had his phone number,
0:06:21 > 0:06:25thought it was all right to swear at me down the phone.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27His wife had collapsed in his pub,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30so I took his phone number and went to get his address.
0:06:30 > 0:06:35Then we have to repeat it to make sure we've got the right details,
0:06:35 > 0:06:40but he didn't know the ambulance was on the way from the minute we took the phone number.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45- People think, "Why are you asking me stupid questions?" - Yeah, so he was getting irate.
0:06:45 > 0:06:51We have to understand they are in a panic. His wife had collapsed on the floor and he didn't know what to do.
0:06:51 > 0:06:57All the time he's swearing at me, it's not giving me enough time to help him out with his wife.
0:06:57 > 0:07:02- If he's busy arguing with you, you're not getting anywhere. - You're wasting time.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07Did you explain that? You strike me as someone who's not backwards in coming forwards.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13- You asked him to calm down? - Yeah, I asked him politely to calm down and he did listen.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16He did as much as he could to help his wife.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20At the end of the call, once the crew had arrived, he apologised to me
0:07:20 > 0:07:24and invited me round for dinner at his pub if ever I was passing.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29- Aw! That's nice.- I know. - Did it make up for the swearing? - Yeah, it was OK.
0:07:29 > 0:07:35- I understood he was in a panic. - Have you ever taken him up on the offer?- I didn't, no.
0:07:35 > 0:07:40- Have you not? That's a free meal going there. - Well, perhaps I'll go back now.
0:07:40 > 0:07:46- Whatever pub you go in now, they'll be going, "I wonder if that was the landlord?"- Yeah.- Thank you.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Be nice to these people!
0:07:48 > 0:07:52When we see an ambulance racing to hospital with its blue lights on,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54we have no idea what's going on inside.
0:07:54 > 0:08:00The crews are not just carrying patients. They often end up giving them active treatment as well.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13Paramedics Sarah MacDonald and technician Nicky Robbins are heading to a lay-by just off the M4.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16A driver has pulled over with a sick passenger.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21A 31-year-old man was being driven back home to Wales by his dad
0:08:21 > 0:08:24when he started suffering epileptic seizures.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29Sarah and Nicky park up in the lay-by just in front of their patient.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33Tommy, let's get you on board. You're really hot, aren't you?
0:08:33 > 0:08:37Do you feel well enough to walk to the ambulance? Yeah?
0:08:37 > 0:08:41- All right?- Yeah. - You are absolutely boiling.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45- Oh, sorry.- OK?- He was sick at the services as well.- All right.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51He was holding himself tight, you know?
0:08:51 > 0:08:56- Sorry.- No, you're all right. Are you OK to walk?- Yeah.- Sure?- Yeah.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Tommy suffers from seizures about once every 12 months.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05They were triggered after he fractured his skull in an accident a few years ago.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07- Is that your back?- Yeah.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11The strain on his body from this latest episode has taken its toll.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15He looks worn out and has severe pain in his back.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20Are you aware when your seizures are going to happen or do they come out of the blue?
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Pop that on your finger for me.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Have you taken medication this morning?
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- Epilim.- And you took it this morning?- Yeah.
0:09:36 > 0:09:43- So everything's been as you would normally, but whilst travelling, you've had two seizures?- Yeah.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Sarah and Nicky want to check Tommy's vital signs.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51As well as the pain, he's also been sick when they stopped at a service station
0:09:51 > 0:09:55and it's unusual for him to have seizures in such quick succession.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59- Right, attacking from both angles, OK?- Are you ready?- Yeah.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Your arm's going to get tight.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Are you under any stress? Undo your legs for me. ..No?
0:10:05 > 0:10:10- He runs a pub, so he's probably under less stress the past couple of days than normal.- Yeah.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14It's been quite a shock for Tommy's dad Chris as well.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18They were on their way back to South Wales after visiting relatives.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22He's never witnessed Tommy's seizures first-hand before.
0:10:22 > 0:10:28When he was actually having his seizures, was it full-on or was it just shaking...?
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- Slightly shaking.- Slightly shaking.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34The first one was quite violent. The last one was...
0:10:34 > 0:10:40- I don't know, a third as bad. - How long did they last for? Do you remember?- Just roughly.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44A couple of minutes. And the last one was probably a minute, if that.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49- Did he go blue at all? - He did go a bit, yeah. - Try and slow that breathing down.
0:10:49 > 0:10:56Tommy's tests are clear, apart from his oxygen level which is a bit low. However, he's feeling unwell again.
0:10:56 > 0:11:02There's too many things that aren't quite right, so we need to take you into hospital, get you checked over.
0:11:02 > 0:11:09From here, you go to Swindon. It's the next junction along and you'll see it from Junction 15.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13Chris is going to follow in his car, but as he is about to leave,
0:11:13 > 0:11:18he hears Tommy groaning in the ambulance. Things have taken a turn for the worse.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23We're just keeping you on your side, Tommy, OK?
0:11:23 > 0:11:25GROANING
0:11:25 > 0:11:29No, let's sit him up. He's just trying to get comfortable, isn't he?
0:11:29 > 0:11:33He's suffering another string of short seizures.
0:11:33 > 0:11:39One after another, they take hold. There's nothing they can do, but get him safely to hospital.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Tommy, how are you feeling?
0:11:42 > 0:11:46You've had another few fits. We're going to take you to hospital.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56With Nicky driving, the ambulance sets off along the motorway.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Chris follows in his car.
0:11:58 > 0:12:04Sarah is in the back of the ambulance, making sure Tommy stays safe on the trolley.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09She's also phoning ahead to the hospital, but Tommy remains her first priority.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12SHE GIVES OBSERVATIONS OVER PHONE
0:12:12 > 0:12:14GCS...12.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Don't stretch it, my darling. That's it, straight down.
0:12:19 > 0:12:24Sarah gives oxygen and a mild tranquilliser to help keep him calm.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27OK? You've had lots of fits.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32We've given you some diazepam and we're taking you to hospital.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Try and relax. We'll be there soon.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37You're doing really well, Tommy.
0:12:40 > 0:12:47Tommy, exhausted by the convulsions, is sleeping peacefully as they arrive at the hospital.
0:12:47 > 0:12:52I was a bit frantic then. We were worried that he could have had another fit
0:12:52 > 0:12:56and sure enough, he had about four or five more just now.
0:12:56 > 0:13:01It was almost a condition called status epilepticus which is when you fit all the time,
0:13:01 > 0:13:07but the diazepam seems to have done the job and he's stopped fitting and is sleeping quite soundly.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11- Let's get him a bit more comfortable to go straight into Resus.- OK.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Look, Tommy, what a nice day!
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Can you open your eyes? Yeah, marvellous.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19Tommy can be reunited with his dad
0:13:19 > 0:13:24before being checked over by the doctors to see what's happening with his epilepsy.
0:13:24 > 0:13:30- Sarah was one of the paramedics helping Tommy. Poor Tommy, he was having a tough time.- Very tough.
0:13:30 > 0:13:35It started off quite tranquil and calm. Were you caught off guard by his fits?
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Yeah, we were. We're always prepared
0:13:38 > 0:13:42for somebody who's already had an epileptic fit to have a further fit,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46but we were quite occupied with the back pain that was presenting,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50so as we dealt with that, the new fit caught us completely unawares.
0:13:50 > 0:13:56It was quite difficult for you, cos he's about twice the size of you, to keep him under control.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58A lot of effort to keep him safe.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03And we can see you here. You're on the phone as well as trying to look after him.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06- How important is this call? - It was very important.
0:14:06 > 0:14:11We were trying to let the hospital know that we had a continuous fitter on board.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15We need the doctors ready to give him any further diazepam he might need,
0:14:15 > 0:14:21so I was trying to communicate all the obs I've done and keep Tommy calm and stop him hurting himself.
0:14:21 > 0:14:26- It was a bit like a wrestling match. - Yeah.- You called it "status epileptus"?
0:14:26 > 0:14:30- Yeah, status epilepticus.- What does that mean?- It's a fitting disorder
0:14:30 > 0:14:35when somebody has continuous fits with no longer breaks than five minutes apart.
0:14:35 > 0:14:41Tommy was doing that because he had about five in the back with a minute break in between,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43so he must have been exhausted.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48What's striking, watching you trying to hold him down, is how physical your job is.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52Yeah, it's a lot harder sometimes. Usually, it's not like that,
0:14:52 > 0:14:58but when you're doing everything you can to stop somebody hurting themselves on the defibrillator
0:14:58 > 0:15:04- and to keep them calm, it's very strenuous.- And at the same time, the ambulance is going pretty fast?
0:15:04 > 0:15:09Yeah. We were on the motorway, so no sharp bends and only one or two roundabouts,
0:15:09 > 0:15:15- which Nicky let me know about. - You knew those were coming up, so you could hold him down?- Yeah.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20- How's Tommy doing? He hadn't had those before.- He'd only had one fit on one day before
0:15:20 > 0:15:25and his last fit was quite a while ago, so for him to have seven or eight is very unusual.
0:15:25 > 0:15:31- And worrying as well.- Yeah.- Thank you. Tommy was checked over and all those tests came back as normal.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36He was allowed to go home that afternoon and he hasn't had multiple fits since.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41His dad put the seizures down to the stress of a very long journey. Nick?
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Earlier on, I was mentioning to you the number of people
0:15:44 > 0:15:48who can come through the area controlled by this control room...
0:15:48 > 0:15:5417 and a half million people extra come into the area controlled by these people here
0:15:54 > 0:16:00in terms of allocating ambulances and so on. It's a lot. And a lot of people don't know where they are.
0:16:00 > 0:16:06- We'll have a chat to Kev Leake who's a dispatcher, if he's not on a call. - No, I'm OK at the moment.
0:16:06 > 0:16:11About people who ring up, who are in difficulty, but don't know where they are.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- No, it's quite common.- Really?
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Yeah, I had a call not long after I first started.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19It was a gentleman who was on the Isle of Wight.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22He went for a walk in his garden, fell down a cliff,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26landed on a grass ledge and managed to call from a mobile.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30He's on the mobile. He knows he's fallen off a back garden somewhere,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34- but as he's on holiday, he's not sure where?- He hasn't got a clue.
0:16:34 > 0:16:40- All he could tell me is he was in the Yarmouth area, there was a post office...- Let's look at the map.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44At this point, Kev goes in to do some detective work. So he says...?
0:16:44 > 0:16:49OK, in the Yarmouth area, so I'm scrolling round to find the Yarmouth area.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52He's telling me little scraps of information.
0:16:52 > 0:16:57He tells me there's a post office, a church, police station, etcetera,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00so I'm pretty confident he's talking about this area here.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04Then he says, "It's up from there," so I'm looking up.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09He says he can see a beach in the daytime, so I look up and all I can see...
0:17:09 > 0:17:12This is the first set of cliffs you come across.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16And you're looking then for houses that back on to the cliffs.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21- On your other map, you can see them marked, those squares there?- Yeah.
0:17:21 > 0:17:26This is the first cliff you come across, these are the first houses what back on to the cliff,
0:17:26 > 0:17:28so then I'm looking in this area.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32Every time he mentions something, I'm searching the map, looking.
0:17:32 > 0:17:38- And he said during the day he looked out from the back garden and could see...- He could see across here.
0:17:38 > 0:17:44- He was describing viewpoints what matched up with this place. - So you dispatch people there and...
0:17:44 > 0:17:49My colleagues contacted the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service who search the area,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52listening to the call at the same time.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55The RNLI were dispatched as well as Coastguard...
0:17:55 > 0:18:01The other thing I wanted to ask... This is great that you do this and very exciting that you can do this.
0:18:01 > 0:18:07- Can't they triangulate mobile phones so they can find them?- They can do. It takes a long time, though.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12If we get a call from a mobile, sometimes we can pinpoint it to a certain area.
0:18:12 > 0:18:18- It's a wide area.- But it's only useful if they're on a main road in the middle of fields.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23Then you know they're on that road somewhere. It narrows it down to a stretch of road.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27The police can do more accurate triangulation, but it's a long process.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31- So these guys do their own detective work. Thank you.- No problem.
0:18:31 > 0:18:37The 999 team never know what to expect when they pick up the phone and answer an emergency call.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42This rescue has it all. It starts when a young boy calls 999
0:18:42 > 0:18:45to let them know that his mum has collapsed.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Oh, goodness! The call taker we heard there is Debbie.
0:19:55 > 0:20:01You've got a three-year-old on the phone and you hear there's a one-year-old. How was it going?
0:20:01 > 0:20:06You just worry. You've two children there that are not being supervised.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10Mum's unwell, so you're thinking you need to help them straight away,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14- keep him on the phone.- One of the key things that he had managed to do
0:20:14 > 0:20:18was call on a landline because that gave you a key piece of information.
0:20:18 > 0:20:24Absolutely. If he comes on the landline, the address comes straight up on my screen.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28- We know we can get to him quickly, hopefully.- Did you feel the pressure
0:20:28 > 0:20:32when you knew that three people's lives were resting in your hands?
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Yeah, it was just keep him on the phone,
0:20:35 > 0:20:41making sure that we could hear everything that's going on before we get there and help as best we can.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45You've got children yourself. Did that help you with the conversation?
0:20:45 > 0:20:50Yeah, I have a little boy, so keeping him entertained, chatting all the time
0:20:50 > 0:20:53definitely helped me relate to him a lot more.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57And as the conversation's going on, you know that Mum is unconscious.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02It's vital that Debbie gets accurate information from Harvey and that he stays on the phone.
0:22:19 > 0:22:25- That was a worrying moment.- "Bye!" - He thinks he's done his job, doesn't he, at that point?- Yeah.
0:22:25 > 0:22:31- So how did you manage to keep him on the phone?- We talked about what he'd got for Christmas
0:22:31 > 0:22:38and managed to keep him on there. And asking him about his sister and his mum and what she did before.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40The sister was tiny. Where was she?
0:22:40 > 0:22:43She was in the kitchen with him.
0:22:43 > 0:22:49- I tried to find out what she was doing, but we were concerned about Mum.- It's heart stopping.
0:22:49 > 0:22:55Presumably your imagination is running riot or do you keep nice and calm?
0:22:55 > 0:22:59You have to, for the little boy. You've got to keep reassuring him
0:22:59 > 0:23:02that everything will be fine.
0:23:02 > 0:23:08And tell us, he needed to open the door, didn't he, for the crew? How did you persuade him to do that?
0:23:08 > 0:23:13Well, the crew had organised him from the other side to get the key.
0:23:13 > 0:23:19He said to me they were going out, so the keys might have been in the handbag.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23You're constantly thinking of the next step to get us in.
0:23:23 > 0:23:29And it's not over yet. You managed to keep Harvey playing to his strengths.
0:24:23 > 0:24:30Harvey, well done. Here he is. How amazing, listening to that call. And very emotional for you.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35- Yeah.- What was going on? You'd collapsed?- I'd been in the kitchen,
0:24:35 > 0:24:39doing my washing. Harvey asked for a drink.
0:24:39 > 0:24:44I told him I didn't feel so good and then I collapsed on the floor.
0:24:44 > 0:24:50- Harvey picked the house phone up and dialled 999. - Harvey, what number did you dial?
0:24:52 > 0:24:56We know you dialled 999! Do you know what he asked for?
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- He asked for an ambulance. - And how did he know how to do that?
0:25:00 > 0:25:02We'd told him previously what to do.
0:25:02 > 0:25:08- It happened previously and we told him what to do if my husband was at work.- Right.- And he'd listened.
0:25:08 > 0:25:13OK, so what happened when you came round? Did you realise he'd called?
0:25:13 > 0:25:16No, I didn't realise at first.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20When I came around, paramedics were bringing me around.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22I didn't know what was going on.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27What about your little daughter? He's gone all shy!
0:25:27 > 0:25:33- You're not really that shy. How loud did you shout, "Mummy!"? Can you give us a shout?- No.- No.
0:25:33 > 0:25:39He's gone all shy, hasn't he? But potentially this was a life-threatening situation.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41- And he saved you from it.- Yeah.
0:25:41 > 0:25:48If he hadn't called 999, I don't know how long I would have been lying there for. My husband was working.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52And you're a mum as well. Really difficult to hear that on the phone.
0:25:52 > 0:25:59- I know you guys have met before, but what's it like to see him? - It's lovely. I've had flowers.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04It's really nice to put the face behind the words you're hearing.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06And obviously he's a very brave boy.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11What caused the collapse? Oh, go on. What do you want to tell me?
0:26:11 > 0:26:15- What caused it? Do you know? - No, we don't know yet.
0:26:15 > 0:26:21I've had tests on my brain and my heart, but I'm still waiting for further tests.
0:26:21 > 0:26:26Do you realise you're a very brave boy, Harvey? You are. Well done.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29- Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:26:30 > 0:26:36Aww, Harvey going all shy there. He wasn't shy on the telephone, was he? Still to come...
0:26:36 > 0:26:39How do you get a horse out of here?
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Firefighters use specialist cutting equipment just inches from it.
0:26:43 > 0:26:49Don't drink and drive is good advice. So is don't drink and climb trees.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Don't move, don't move.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Ask him how bad his pain is. MAN TRANSLATES
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Don't move your head. Keep your head still. Don't move.
0:27:03 > 0:27:10Now if you suffer epileptic fits like Tommy did in the ambulance, or if you collapse like Harvey's mum,
0:27:10 > 0:27:16there's a new idea that can aid the first paramedics on the scene and potentially save lives.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21Like so many great ideas, it's simple, but effective. This is the message in a bottle.
0:27:21 > 0:27:27Here to chat to us about it is Andy Capes. Andy, what is the message in a bottle?
0:27:27 > 0:27:32It's simply a plastic container that goes into the patient's fridge.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36- And inside is all their personal details.- Right.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40What they suffer from, medication they're on, next of kin details.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45- And any allergies...- That's right. It's the best thing we can rely on.
0:27:45 > 0:27:50We know it's in the fridge because they have these two green stickers.
0:27:50 > 0:27:55One at the front door, one on the fridge. And we go straight there.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59- So this is getting quite popular? - Very much so.
0:27:59 > 0:28:05On average, I use it 2-3 times a week and if the patient is unconscious, they can't talk,
0:28:05 > 0:28:09we can look at the information and find out what's wrong. Saves time.
0:28:09 > 0:28:15- Two or three times a week? Give us an example.- Last week I had a patient on the floor.
0:28:15 > 0:28:21They suffered from diabetes, was in a coma. I was quickly able to diagnose, as part of our checks,
0:28:21 > 0:28:26that they suffered from diabetes and administer the right medication.
0:28:26 > 0:28:32I was worried about how do you know it's the right person when you go in. What if there's somebody else
0:28:32 > 0:28:38- and it's not their house...? - It's a fair comment. Touch wood, it's never happened yet,
0:28:38 > 0:28:42but there's even a simple thing there for the patient to put a photograph
0:28:42 > 0:28:47- so we know the paperwork goes to the patient.- Louise had a good idea.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51She said why not do this in cars, in glove compartments of cars?
0:28:51 > 0:28:57- So if you're in a car accident... - They could do, but if someone steals the car,
0:28:57 > 0:29:03- people have all their personal information in that car.- Ah. - Bit of a two-way thing there.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07- I thought it was a good idea, but it's not.- No.- That's fascinating.
0:29:07 > 0:29:12Thanks very much for chatting about it. Louise, it's not a good idea.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16What a shame! I thought for once I'd had a good idea!
0:29:16 > 0:29:22Now back to that trapped race horse stuck on the passenger seat of a horsebox. It panicked,
0:29:22 > 0:29:28and has forced its way through from the back. It now takes a patient operation to release it.
0:29:32 > 0:29:38A more secure horsebox has arrived on the scene. It's essential they have somewhere to put Blue Vinney
0:29:38 > 0:29:44before they start work getting him out. Every part of the rescue has to be carefully thought out.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48There was no option to use the driver or passenger door.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52The next door possibly available was the side groom door,
0:29:52 > 0:29:56but that would've meant a jump down, so that wasn't for recommendation.
0:29:56 > 0:30:01So the only real option was to put the horse back where it came from.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05That meant cutting away aspects of the horsebox.
0:30:07 > 0:30:14The horse is now sedated, but it's still a potentially volatile situation.
0:30:14 > 0:30:20The firefighters have to use their most powerful hydraulic cutters to cut away the partition wall
0:30:20 > 0:30:25and, even with sedation, the noise could startle him again and make it worse.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27So far, so good.
0:30:27 > 0:30:34The first wall is removed, but a second has to be cut away, only inches from the horse.
0:30:34 > 0:30:41Vet Imogen is holding his head, but he's agitated by the work going on around him.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45Even with a sedated animal, with a highly-strung horse,
0:30:45 > 0:30:49any stimulus can take that horse out of his sedated state.
0:30:49 > 0:30:57So noise, even the cracking of metal as we cut it, the vibrations caused by the saw
0:30:57 > 0:30:59could all stimulate the horse.
0:30:59 > 0:31:05Anyone who isn't absolutely essential to the operation is moved out of the hot or danger zone
0:31:05 > 0:31:08before they attempt to move Blue Vinney.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13When we were just about to extract Blue Vinney, going backwards,
0:31:13 > 0:31:18we had to use a lot of cutting equipment next to his hind legs.
0:31:18 > 0:31:24That could have caused two things - he could have injured himself because of the equipment
0:31:24 > 0:31:28and it put the fire crew in danger next to his hind legs, crouching.
0:31:28 > 0:31:34So at that point I stabilised him by pushing his hind quarters against the far wall.
0:31:34 > 0:31:40That moved him away a little bit and also provided some comfort in that he felt safe, not slipping.
0:31:41 > 0:31:46The wall to the cab is out. They've managed to bring his head round
0:31:46 > 0:31:51and Blue Vinney is now free to be walked out of the horsebox.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55St John keeps him as calm as possible. He's a little unsteady,
0:31:55 > 0:32:00but that's the effect of sedation rather than any other injury.
0:32:01 > 0:32:08They need to get him into the second horsebox, but first he's allowed a little time outside on the grass.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12The horse was very, very lucky.
0:32:12 > 0:32:17He had no injuries, apart from a few very superficial scrapes.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20He got away with it Scott free.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Well, I was relieved,
0:32:23 > 0:32:27but I couldn't believe he only had a few marks and scratches on him.
0:32:27 > 0:32:33You'd imagine he'd be mutilated or have to be put down.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37To everyone's surprise, he puts up no fight about the new horsebox.
0:32:37 > 0:32:43He'll be taken to local stables for some TLC until his transport home can be arranged.
0:32:43 > 0:32:49Blue Vinney and Pippa have had a lucky escape, not to mention the other drivers on that busy road.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53It could have been fatal to all the other people on the road.
0:32:53 > 0:32:59If I hadn't been able to pull over, I could have got a knock on the head, crashed the lorry,
0:32:59 > 0:33:02caused numerous other accidents.
0:33:02 > 0:33:09Fantastic result. The horse came out, essentially uninjured. A couple of minor scrapes and scuffs.
0:33:09 > 0:33:16If he had managed to get out on a Friday afternoon onto six lanes, it could be a different picture.
0:33:17 > 0:33:23The trauma of the day has left the owners reluctant to put Blue Vinney through anything like this again.
0:33:23 > 0:33:29If he'd been a bit better in his races and shown he'd be a half-decent racehorse,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33maybe we would have persevered, but he was...
0:33:33 > 0:33:37He wasn't in the right frame of mind to be a racehorse, I think.
0:33:37 > 0:33:43The life of a racehorse with its constant travelling isn't one he'll ever be able to cope with.
0:33:43 > 0:33:49He'll now be found a loving new home where he can take life at a gentler pace.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53The horse escaped with minor grazes.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58- The lorry didn't fare quite as well. Louise.- I got it, I got it.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02Lots of the calls that come here are women about to give birth.
0:34:02 > 0:34:10- Erica's a friend of the programme. Take us back to your first call, your first 999 call.- Yeah.
0:34:10 > 0:34:15- What happened? Take us through it. - Well, 6am, busy shift, want to go home.
0:34:15 > 0:34:22A fella rings up cos his wife's in labour so we took the call and went through the motions.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25His wife delivered the baby on the kitchen floor.
0:34:25 > 0:34:31I went home and went to bed. When I got up, I had phone calls. It was on the front page of the Echo.
0:34:31 > 0:34:36- OK.- Which is lovely, but it's what we do for a job.
0:34:36 > 0:34:42- But he'd also rung in to see if he could meet me as well, bring his wife and the baby.- Right.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- Which is nice.- Oh, yeah.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49- Often you don't hear what happens. - Yeah, I know.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53It's lovely to meet them and the baby. So it was arranged
0:34:53 > 0:34:57and they came in one day with their other little boy.
0:34:57 > 0:35:03As I walked through the door, I recognised the dad. He was an old boyfriend!
0:35:04 > 0:35:07So we had a cuddle with the baby.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10- A semi-awkward situation, really. - Yeah.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14So how did you approach that? "Hello. Do you remember me?"
0:35:14 > 0:35:18No, when he walked through the door he realised...
0:35:18 > 0:35:20Oh, I'm cringing for you!
0:35:20 > 0:35:25- But we just got on with it.- OK. Did they name the baby after you?
0:35:25 > 0:35:29- No, it was a boy. - Fair enough. Could have been Eric!
0:35:30 > 0:35:34What's it like? Do you often know what happens to people?
0:35:34 > 0:35:38They go to hospital. It's quite a difficult thing.
0:35:38 > 0:35:44We seem to deliver a lot of babies on the phone. When we know it's a baby, we all listen in
0:35:44 > 0:35:50and we like to know what they've had. There's always a cheer when the baby's born and we hear it cry.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54- Lovely. Erica, thanks very much. - That's OK.
0:35:54 > 0:36:01Fantastic! Erica's life is like a soap opera! Her son's involved in crashes and ringing in...
0:36:01 > 0:36:04All the things going on. Ex-boyfriend, eh?
0:36:04 > 0:36:08It's astonishing what people will do when they've had a drink.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12All of a sudden, inhibitions are gone. They think they're Superman.
0:36:22 > 0:36:27The fast response car is heading to a park in the city centre.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31A man is badly hurt after falling out of a tree.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35Onboard is emergency care practitioner Mark Ainsworth-Smith.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Are they waving us over there?
0:36:43 > 0:36:44Hello.
0:36:44 > 0:36:50The injured man is lying in the bandstand, quite a way from any trees. He may have walked there,
0:36:50 > 0:36:54which could have made any serious injuries worse.
0:36:54 > 0:37:00Hello, sir. Do you mind putting the cigarette away while we check him over? OK?
0:37:00 > 0:37:03Which tree did you fall out of? MAN TRANSLATES
0:37:03 > 0:37:09- Keep his neck still. - There's an added complication. The injured man, Darius, is Polish.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13Luckily, his friend Paul is on hand to translate.
0:37:13 > 0:37:20- Do you know which tree he fell out of?- Yeah, it was one of these. - Over there?- Yeah.- OK.
0:37:20 > 0:37:25It's painstaking work getting the basic details.
0:37:25 > 0:37:31- Mark thinks he fell from the lowest branch of this tree - a significant fall.- How high up was he?
0:37:31 > 0:37:35- I think the second floor. - Really? A significant fall.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40Darius can't bear to put his right leg on the ground. Mark sees why -
0:37:40 > 0:37:44the ankle is horribly deformed and swelling very quickly.
0:37:44 > 0:37:50Could you ask him how bad his pain is? PAUL TRANSLATES
0:37:50 > 0:37:54- Really sore. - If 10 out of 10 is the worst...?
0:37:55 > 0:38:01- OK.- He can't move his leg. - He's definitely broken it. You can see how swollen it is.
0:38:01 > 0:38:06Mark is very worried about more serious and hidden injuries.
0:38:06 > 0:38:11We don't know what other injuries he's got. I'll put him on oxygen.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15Don't move your head. Keep your head still. Don't move.
0:38:15 > 0:38:20The accident has happened after an afternoon's drinking in the park.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24I can smell it quite strongly. Thank you.
0:38:24 > 0:38:30By now, an ambulance has arrived. Mark needs to know what and how much he's had to drink.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33How much alcohol has he had?
0:38:33 > 0:38:34About...
0:38:34 > 0:38:38- It's difficult to tell you how much. - Just a rough idea.
0:38:38 > 0:38:44In case he goes sleepy. We don't know if it's because he banged his head or because of alcohol.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Don't move, don't move.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49Don't move your neck, sir.
0:38:49 > 0:38:54Just for safety, could you come and hold his head? He's moving it.
0:38:54 > 0:38:59Just come to the top of him. Don't move, please. Nice and still.
0:38:59 > 0:39:04But his friends can't tell him how much Darius has had to drink.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08He's landed directly on his right ankle. No, just put your head down.
0:39:08 > 0:39:14Put your head down, sir. Any pain in your tummy? PAUL TRANSLATES
0:39:16 > 0:39:20- No...- Just his ankle.- In the back. - He's got pain in his back. OK.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24What we're doing is scooping him off the floor. Just relax here.
0:39:24 > 0:39:30We're going to pop a little needle in his arm to give him some morphine. It's a very good painkiller.
0:39:30 > 0:39:35He's clearly fractured his ankle. He's also got pain in his back.
0:39:35 > 0:39:41We really need to get on top of his pain. It'll make it much easier to move him into the ambulance.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47The ankle may be the most obvious injury, but might not be the worst.
0:39:47 > 0:39:53Injuries to the lower spine or lumbar area are quite common after a fall from a height.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57His friend describes what happened and it worries Mark more.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01So if we say he's fallen about six metres, would you say?
0:40:01 > 0:40:06- I'll show you. - Don't climb it!- This one here.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09- Yeah.- He says he'll do it.
0:40:09 > 0:40:14- OK.- He's just hanging and jumping. - OK.- He came down and broke his leg.
0:40:14 > 0:40:20With such a serious break, the leg has to be kept perfectly still on the journey to hospital.
0:40:20 > 0:40:25Very carefully, it's encased in a splint to hold the ankle rigid.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29By supporting the ankle like this, it makes it a lot easier.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33We'll have to roll him onto a special scoop in case of a spinal injury,
0:40:33 > 0:40:38so now it's immobilised it will make a lot less discomfort.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42So it's the best thing to do at the moment.
0:40:42 > 0:40:49Darius is now ready for hospital. As the ambulance heads off, Mark phones in all his details.
0:40:49 > 0:40:54It will all save valuable time at Accident and Emergency.
0:40:54 > 0:41:00It's a 25-year-old male that's fallen from 25 feet approximately out of a tree in Palmerston Park.
0:41:00 > 0:41:06He's got a fracture of his right ankle, also probably a lumbar spine fracture. He has tenderness there.
0:41:06 > 0:41:12Appears to have no neurology. Good sensation in his legs and has had good range of movement.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16And ETA to you is, realistically, probably about 7 minutes from here.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20OK? Thanks very much, then.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27Darius fractured his back and had steel pins inserted into his leg.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31He's now making a good recovery. Thank goodness.
0:41:31 > 0:41:38- Now the chat we were having earlier about these. What are they? - It's a Message In A Bottle.
0:41:38 > 0:41:44They can be obtained from chemists, doctors' surgeries and even some local police stations.
0:41:44 > 0:41:50So if you want one in your fridge so if you collapse, paramedics can learn all about you,
0:41:50 > 0:41:55or you want to stick one in your glove box, then go and get one.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Thank you very much.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01- Louise is still chatting to Erica! - She's telling us about her son.
0:42:01 > 0:42:08- He's been in Afghanistan?- Yeah. - Hang on. What happened to him in Afghanistan?
0:42:08 > 0:42:12- He was driving a Viking and hit an IED.- And he's OK now?
0:42:12 > 0:42:17- Yeah, he was injured, but not badly. - He came back and had a crash...?
0:42:17 > 0:42:21And then there's more, there's more. What was after the RTA?
0:42:21 > 0:42:25He slipped on the ice and dislocated his shoulder.
0:42:25 > 0:42:32- And then?- He nearly chopped his finger off two months ago! - Answers to the name of Lucky!
0:42:33 > 0:42:37More every day! We'll have more extraordinary stories from Erica...
0:42:37 > 0:42:44- if you're prepared to join us next time for more Real Rescues. - Bye-bye.- Take care.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee media Ltd - 2011
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk