0:00:02 > 0:00:06Today on Real Rescues, fire rages in a fourth-floor flat, the occupants are asleep in their beds
0:00:06 > 0:00:09and it's up to a man driving past to raise the alarm.
0:00:09 > 0:00:14I knackered my thumbs and hands trying to break down the doors and windows.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17The moment a skier surfaces after being buried alive
0:00:17 > 0:00:20in an avalanche. Trapped under the snow for 15 minutes,
0:00:20 > 0:00:23her friends expected to find her dead.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26And a parent's terror as their baby stops breathing.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36How a mum and dad bring their baby back from the brink of death
0:00:36 > 0:00:39and discover she has a rare, undetected condition.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Hello and welcome to Real Rescues.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Today we are at this very impressive control room
0:01:00 > 0:01:02of South Western Ambulance Service.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04And they are a busy bunch.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06They take up to 30,000 calls a month,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09not just from people who live here
0:01:09 > 0:01:13but also from the 17.5 million tourists who visit every year.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19A fire has taken hold in a block of flats.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Flames are billowing from the fourth-floor balcony.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26It's a race against time to fight it and make sure all of the residents are safe.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28On the floor below the fire, there's another problem.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31They can't alert the people who live there to the danger.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33SIRENS WAIL
0:01:35 > 0:01:42Saturday morning, and Green Watch from St Mary's Fire Station have an emergency that's just down the road.
0:01:43 > 0:01:4545 minutes, straight on it.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48They're there within moments,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51but a vicious blaze has taken hold.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59At least three flats are affected, potential casualties unknown.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03We need to get some water on that as quick as we can.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Swiftly, watch manager Tim Harrison must work out the best way
0:02:07 > 0:02:09to use his resources.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13I quickly sent a message requesting another three fire engines.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17You have to try and see through the size of the flames
0:02:17 > 0:02:19and actually ascertain what is affected.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Is it purely the balconies, as we've been called to?
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Or was the initial call made in error
0:02:24 > 0:02:27and actually it has spread from within the flats?
0:02:27 > 0:02:32And then, my second thought was to confirm that there's nobody in any of the flats.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36First, the crew need to try and stop the flames raging out of control
0:02:36 > 0:02:38and buy themselves some time.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Firefighter Richie Howting douses them with a powerful jet.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46Agitated, a man comes up to Tim.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49The information he told me
0:02:49 > 0:02:51was that one of the flats was definitely empty,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54the flat on the third floor, he couldn't get an answer
0:02:54 > 0:02:55and the flat on the fourth floor,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58there was two people unaccounted for.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02My main fear is that this is now the person who's reported the incident.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06A much greater sense of urgency, because we know people's lives are on the line.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10We, as firefighters, are prepared to take a lot more risk to deal with the incident.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13They've beaten back the flames for now.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16To put this fire out completely and search for any missing person,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18they need to get inside fast.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21We'll need to extend this, as well.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Because the incident was so high, and we were unable to park close to it.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29It was a lot more difficult, we had to extend the hose to 120 metres.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33With the number of people we had getting the hose to the front door of the flat,
0:03:33 > 0:03:38with enough hose to reach through it, was a lot of work. Especially when they're trying to work fast.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43Wearing breathing apparatus, Richie and fellow firefighter Tim O'Donnell will be the first
0:03:43 > 0:03:47to go into the main flat that's on fire on the fourth floor.
0:03:47 > 0:03:48While the pair get ready,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52watch manager Tim is pointed towards the flat's occupants, Andrew and Mia.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54The guy in the top-floor flat is here.
0:03:59 > 0:04:00They've got out safe and well,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03but they've had a terrifying experience.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07All I can remember was a banging.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12I jumped out of bed and opened my bedroom window and looked down
0:04:12 > 0:04:15and all I could see was the traffic and everyone's pointing
0:04:15 > 0:04:18at the building, "Get out of the building, get out of the building."
0:04:18 > 0:04:21All I could see was smoke coming down the corridor.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23I woke up Andrew quickly and said to Andrew,
0:04:23 > 0:04:25"Get up, the place is on fire."
0:04:25 > 0:04:28I ran out into the corridor and I saw black smoke going past the window.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33I carried on into the living room because I heard a burning sound
0:04:33 > 0:04:38and all I could see was a massive rolling fireball at the doors.
0:04:38 > 0:04:39It was the whole height of the doors
0:04:39 > 0:04:42and was looking like it wanted to come into the room.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44It was a complete moment of panic.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49You've seen something that you've never seen before in your life and it scared you to death.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51All you want to do is get out and get away from it.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54He shouted to me, "Mi, get out of the place."
0:04:54 > 0:04:57I didn't even realise that the fire was that big until I got out
0:04:57 > 0:05:01of the building and looked at the balcony and I saw it was actually that big.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04It's not just her property that Mia's worried about -
0:05:04 > 0:05:09she knows her pet's inside and the flames start up again.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14All I can remember is trying to shout out to my cat and I couldn't find her. I was terrified about her.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19Upstairs, Rich and Tim have now gone into the burning top-floor flat.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22As we entered the flat,
0:05:22 > 0:05:27the smoke was down to the floor, so visibility was more or less zero.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Meanwhile, reinforcements have arrived
0:05:29 > 0:05:31from neighbouring station Hightown.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36With everybody accounted for on the top floor, Tim wants them to concentrate on the flat below.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41First, second and third floor, you'll need to break in.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45On a Saturday morning, there's a chance people were lying in
0:05:45 > 0:05:48and had been overcome by fumes entering their flat.
0:06:05 > 0:06:12I have teams fire-fighting on the top floor, teams for search and rescue on the third floor.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17The fate of both human and animal could be decided in the next few minutes.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25Later, we'll see how a quick-thinking passer-by put his own life at risk
0:06:25 > 0:06:28to raise the alarm inside the block of flats.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Now, it's so calm in here that it's easy to forget that
0:06:31 > 0:06:35the call-takers in this room are dealing with 999 life-and-death emergencies all the time.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- I want to speak to Sophia. Are you OK to talk?- Yes.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43You're new here, aren't you? You have been here a month, is it busy?
0:06:43 > 0:06:45It's been going really well, yes. And very busy, yes.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47How many calls do they take?
0:06:47 > 0:06:52South-western Ambulance Service take about...1,200 calls a day.
0:06:52 > 0:06:53- That's a lot, isn't it?- Yes.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57And how long, normally, are you on a call for, more or less?
0:06:57 > 0:07:00It can be anything from two to three minutes, up to 15.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04And what sort of calls, in the last couple of days, for example, what sort of calls have you been taking?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Chest pains, falls and faints and things like that, yes.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Falling, where were people falling?
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Falling down the stairs, or falling in their own home. The elderly.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17- And that's the kind of bread-and-butter of your daily life?- Yes.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Thank you, Sophia, I'll let you go.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22So not all calls are like the one we're about to hear.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24A six-day-old baby is struggling to breathe,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27her parents are desperate and they need immediate help,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29so they dial 999.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35While all that was going on, Ian was speeding to the rescue.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37I know that's the first time you've heard that.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39It's quite harrowing, really,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41listening to it on the telephone.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42It is, isn't it?
0:09:42 > 0:09:45You didn't have any idea really how sick she was, did you?
0:09:45 > 0:09:48We were told we were responding to an unresponsive baby
0:09:48 > 0:09:53- that was breathing, but that's the only information I had.- OK.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Ian was just moments away, but Eliza Lily, as we heard,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58is still struggling for breath.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Her cries have faded and things seem to be taking a turn for the worse.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Very soon after that, I'm glad to say, you arrived.
0:10:51 > 0:10:52When you saw her,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54did you realise she was very sick, very quickly?
0:10:54 > 0:10:59Yeah, I mean, she was lifeless on the table with Michelle over her.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01I couldn't tell that she was breathing at the time.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03She was blue, got me stethoscope out,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06had a listen to her heart and lungs, could hear she was breathing
0:11:06 > 0:11:08although it was laboured and very slow.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10So then, just helped her with a little bit of oxygen,
0:11:10 > 0:11:15and then doing my basic baseline tests.
0:11:15 > 0:11:16The main thing we do,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19or one of the things we do, is prick the baby's heel,
0:11:19 > 0:11:21which gives us a little bit of blood.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24- Test the blood for blood glucose. - Normally they would cry?
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Normally, they would cry when you do it.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29I've never had a baby, apart from Eliza Lily, that's not cried.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34- Oh, gosh!- And that showed up a reading of low on our machine.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37So, quite quickly, you realised that was the problem? The blood sugar level?
0:11:37 > 0:11:41It was, yeah, causing lack of glucose and oxygen to the brain,
0:11:41 > 0:11:43which was affecting her breathing.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45What did you do then?
0:11:45 > 0:11:48I then had to go to my protocols to check how much glucagon...
0:11:48 > 0:11:53We carry an injection called glucagon, a synthetic drug...
0:11:53 > 0:11:56A hormone that's like glucagon in the body
0:11:56 > 0:12:01that we give intramuscularly, but I had to obviously down-scale the amount.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04- She was so tiny. - Yeah, she was six days old.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08I drew that up. The crew had arrived by then, to back me up.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- I then administered the glucagon. - Did it make a difference?
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Within a minute, she was breathing better,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16she was a little bit more responsive,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19so you know, it does actually work and gets in quite quick.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23And you heard her cry on the tape, but when you were there, she didn't cry.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25- No, not at all. - Which is very worrying, isn't it?
0:12:25 > 0:12:27She was very lucky you were there.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Thank you, Ian, for coming to tell us about that.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Ian's quick diagnosis may have saved Eliza Lily
0:12:32 > 0:12:34from brain damage or even death.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36She was referred to Great Ormond Street Hospital,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39where they discovered she had a condition called
0:12:39 > 0:12:41congenital hyperinsulinism.
0:12:41 > 0:12:42It's a very rare condition,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45which affects only one in 40,000 children.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Castles were built in the first place to stop people getting in.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55We're about to see how one historic fortress is still doing its job
0:12:55 > 0:12:59so well, the coastguard helicopter had a difficult time reaching
0:12:59 > 0:13:01an injured sightseer.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08The coastguard helicopter is flying from its base
0:13:08 > 0:13:11in Portland to an emergency at Corfe Castle near Swanage.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Amidst the ruins of this 1,000-year-old fortress,
0:13:14 > 0:13:18a man has fallen between the rocks and injured his foot.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22- Are you into wind?- Into wind.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24'You see the clean area to his back and right?'
0:13:24 > 0:13:27It's impossible to get a vehicle up the 55-metre hill
0:13:27 > 0:13:31with its ancient ruins, so the only way to get him out
0:13:31 > 0:13:33is to use the helicopter.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35But this is a National Trust site,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37and it's very popular with tourists.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40'What we've got is a lot of people here
0:13:40 > 0:13:43'who are going to cause us an awful lot of problem at the moment.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46'Our rotor wash, I can't get any picture of it here.'
0:13:46 > 0:13:49The rotor blades of the helicopter will cause a massive down-draught
0:13:49 > 0:13:53as it approaches, enough to frighten, or even injure,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55anyone in the vicinity.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58On board the helicopter, preparing to be winched down, is Pat Holder.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01They see the helicopter there, and it's an attraction,
0:14:01 > 0:14:05so they tend to flock to wherever the aircraft is.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08The last thing we want is any further injuries due to
0:14:08 > 0:14:12flying debris, caused by the downwash from the aircraft.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14It's impossible to clear the castle grounds,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17but the emergency services already on site
0:14:17 > 0:14:20can move people away from the winching area.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24They plan to land Pat some distance away from the busiest part,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27but the tourists are not the only problem.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29We have the confined area of the castle.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31We were trying to get into it.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35It was physically impossible to land the aircraft in the confines,
0:14:35 > 0:14:39so we knew from the word go it would be a winch extraction.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42They need to work out exactly where to place Pat
0:14:42 > 0:14:43safely between the ruins.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48If we put you down in the 3 o'clock, are you happy with that position?
0:14:48 > 0:14:52- Yeah.- Right one, and steady. Just go left slowly, five.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54We're just starting to blow all the dust up.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58We're going to ask the ambulance man to move these people out of the way.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01The pilot and winch operator liaise closely.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Are you happy to go through that gap and put Pat in that area there?
0:15:04 > 0:15:06If we aim to put Pat in there,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09that will stop the rotor wash hitting these people behind us.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11OK.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16Just a little bit, I'd say about another unit further forward. OK.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20If we just move over this area now, it'll stop all the problems with the rotor wash onto those people.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21They'll still get some, though.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25They'll get a bit, but nowhere near like we had. OK, right, slowly now, at 15.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Right six. Just going over the area now, right five. Clear the winch.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30- Clear the winch.- Right four.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Right three. Well clear. Right two.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39You can give a certain amount of direction from the end of the winch,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42but you've not always got control of which direction you're facing.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47Pat's ten to the deck, five, four, three, two, one. Contact!
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Empty hook, winch in gear, forward and left to clear the area
0:15:50 > 0:15:52whilst recovering the hook to the aircraft.
0:15:52 > 0:15:5744-year-old Gary Swan has been in great pain from his injuries.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59He had been enjoying a weekend in Dorset
0:15:59 > 0:16:03following his Under-11 rugby team's success earlier that weekend.
0:16:03 > 0:16:04Now the fun is over
0:16:04 > 0:16:08and he just wants to be taken away from this tourist attraction.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10You could hear the helicopter flying in,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13and that was hovering above,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and everyone was told to move back down the car,
0:16:16 > 0:16:18there was dust everywhere.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21The land ambulance crew have already splinted Gary's foot
0:16:21 > 0:16:23and given him pain relief.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26So this time, there's no need for Pat's medical skills.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29- Am I clear to start winching now? - You are, yes.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Within a few minutes, Pat indicates that he's ready to begin
0:16:32 > 0:16:34winching Gary up to the helicopter.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38Looking for something beneath the tail with that structure behind.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Two, one... Height is good at this time.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44From here, it's right only, through the gap, at 15.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45It's an intricate operation.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48They're very close to the ruined walls.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51You're edging towards the forward end of the wall.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53It's right only from here, then, at 10.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55'As far as the winching of the casualty,'
0:16:55 > 0:16:57it quite simply involves the aircraft moving over the top of us.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01I'm stood with him, I come up with him at all times.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05Realistically, I'll defend him against any obstructions,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07hazards, on the way up to the aircraft.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10Hooks on. Winching in.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13- Are you recovered, Pat?- Yes.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17OK, continue to winch in.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21OK, you've got Pat now 20 feet below the step.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25- OK, we've got a problem now. - Roger. 10 feet below the step.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28We're spinning round really fast and I thought, oh!
0:17:28 > 0:17:29At the step.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33At the doorway.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36OK, and bringing Pat and the casualty into the cabin.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39And with the doors all open, you could see out.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42And the noise, it's a totally different experience
0:17:42 > 0:17:43from a small helicopter.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Get you clear, up and left, start clearing the area.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49It's just two minutes' flying time to Poole Hospital.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53Once there, Gary will be thoroughly checked over
0:17:53 > 0:17:56and his foot will be x-rayed for any breaks.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02And hospital doctors found Gary had broken his foot -
0:18:02 > 0:18:05he was off work as a BT engineer for 12 weeks.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Now, the South West of England is a beautiful part of the world,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14which attracts thousands upon thousands of tourists every year,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17but sometimes they find themselves in trouble
0:18:17 > 0:18:20and it can get a little complicated, as Claire is just about to tell me.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22- You're OK to talk?- Yes, that's fine.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25- Because they don't know where they are.- That quite often happens.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27We had a couple walking along a coastal path,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30I had a very distressed lady call to say her partner had slipped
0:18:30 > 0:18:3220 feet down the cliff onto the beach.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34She managed to get down to assess him -
0:18:34 > 0:18:38he was semi-conscious, bleeding, but she didn't know where she was.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42So we normally ask if they can see any landmarks, any buildings.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44She could see a building back on the top of the cliff,
0:18:44 > 0:18:45so she made her way up there.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48She found out the name, it was a cafe.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50I took over the call with the cafe owner
0:18:50 > 0:18:52and she sent some help down with the lady, a first-aider,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55to assess the problem and provide any initial first aid.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58And then you can get the team on its way.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Yes, we had a vehicle running, a car and an ambulance,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03and because of limited access to the beach, we had to arrange for
0:19:03 > 0:19:06the Coastguard helicopter to attend and lift the gentleman out of danger.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09- And everything was OK? - Yes, it was.- Brilliant.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Claire, thank you. I'll introduce you to someone else,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14hopefully he's not still on the phone. Phil, over here,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17may have some advice for anyone that is going on holiday.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20- Phil, can you swing yourself round, can I disturb you?- Sure.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22It happens all the time, tourists go on holiday,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24they have a great time, but they forget where they are.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Any tips you can give us?
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Well, especially when camping or staying in caravan sites,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32make sure you know the name and the town that you're staying in,
0:19:32 > 0:19:36that's always a bonus, because quite often, people say, "I'm in the general area of..."
0:19:36 > 0:19:40And you can often find that there are three campsites, all in a row
0:19:40 > 0:19:43and we've got to find out where you are somehow.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47- And your caravan number might be useful as well.- Caravan number or pitch number, if you're in a tent.
0:19:47 > 0:19:53And practical things like carry your postcode around, make sure first aid boxes are available.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Yeah, there's always first aid sites on campsites nowadays,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00some of them have automatic defibrillators available.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04It's good to know if there are any first aid posts available.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07- There are often first-aiders on the campsites as well.- Yeah.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09And ramblers always carry a map, don't they?
0:20:09 > 0:20:11Well, some don't, unfortunately, and they say,
0:20:11 > 0:20:16"I've been here and I'm going to here and I'm in between the two.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20- "Can you help me?"- So, work with your coordinates on your map.
0:20:20 > 0:20:25It does help, if you know where you are, we'll know where you are.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27- And it does help a lot.- All right, Phil, thank you very much.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29- Get back to work. - Thank you very much!
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Still to come on Real Rescues -
0:20:34 > 0:20:38entombed in a wall of snow, how a woman was saved by her friends
0:20:38 > 0:20:42after being buried alive in an avalanche.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46And what is a rapid takedown? We'll be showing you -
0:20:46 > 0:20:47and it involves this.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Earlier, we saw how a fire has taken hold in a block of flats.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Some of the residents were asleep when the fire started
0:20:58 > 0:21:00and they owe their lives to the swift actions of a passer-by.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03He was driving past when he saw the flames
0:21:03 > 0:21:05and ran in to raise the alarm.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08OK!
0:21:11 > 0:21:15- We've got no water in the hose! - Water in the hose reel!
0:21:15 > 0:21:16Pump operator!
0:21:16 > 0:21:22Three flats are alight and fire crews are having to fight the fire on several fronts.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Outside, they're trying to dampen down the flames that keep
0:21:25 > 0:21:28reappearing on the balcony.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32And run hundreds of metres of hose to two sets of firefighters
0:21:32 > 0:21:36who are wearing breathing apparatus and tackling the blaze from inside.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39With several properties involved,
0:21:39 > 0:21:45watch manager Tim Harrison has had to marshal his forces carefully.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47As long as an incident is still persons reported, there's still
0:21:47 > 0:21:51a lot of pressure on and you're preparing for people to be brought
0:21:51 > 0:21:55out and having to resuscitate them or treat them for their burns.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Thankfully, after breaking down the front door of the flat
0:21:58 > 0:22:01on the third floor, the firefighters have been able
0:22:01 > 0:22:04to confirm the building is now completely empty.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08On the floor above, firefighter Richie is part of a two-man crew
0:22:08 > 0:22:12in the flat most consumed by the fire.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14We had a thermal imaging camera with us,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17which helped us locate the fire in the lounge,
0:22:17 > 0:22:21just inside of the balcony, it was the couch that was alight.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Down below, the occupants of the flat, Mia and her boyfriend,
0:22:26 > 0:22:31Andrew, have had to watch as her home has been engulfed by fire.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Obviously, when she's looked up at the flat, she's seen all
0:22:34 > 0:22:37her possessions that she owns in the world go up in smoke.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39So, devastating.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44I was actually crying, screaming still. My cat.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46I was really terrified about my cat.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51The mood is tense as everybody waits for news from the firefighters
0:22:51 > 0:22:53inside the building.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Is that them at the door?
0:22:58 > 0:23:02Red Control to Red Team One, are you confirming fire is now out, over?
0:23:05 > 0:23:09The fire in the top-floor flat has been successfully put out.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12And Mia's cat, Jenna, has been found.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Jenna is obviously a little jumpy after her ordeal,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27but Mia is soon reunited with her moggy.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30She was smelling of smoke and everything,
0:23:30 > 0:23:34but I was really happy and relieved to see her.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37She was on the bed, her face stuffed in between the pillows,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39getting away from the smoke,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42and that's how she managed to survive from the smoke.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46But their flat is far from unscathed.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50It's the most badly damaged of the three flats involved,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54as the fire had spread from the balcony into the living room.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58However, if it hadn't been for the actions of passing motorist Pete,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00things could have been a lot worse.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05He pulled over after seeing fire creep up the building.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09He started banging on the lobby door until somebody let him in.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Me and this other guy
0:24:11 > 0:24:14went up and down the stairwell banging on the doors.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18Flat number two, there was a bit of smoke in there, not too much.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Dragged them all out, there was about four of them in there.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Went up to the third floor, couldn't open the door.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Went to the fourth floor, that door was open,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30there was loads of smoke in there.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Most probably about that height.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Two people legged it out. Checked with them there was no-one else
0:24:38 > 0:24:40in there, they said there was only two of them.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Pete then stayed on hand
0:24:42 > 0:24:45to update the arriving fire crews on the situation.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48The effects of adrenaline and smoke inhalation
0:24:48 > 0:24:50are now starting to take their toll.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Yeah, I am, yeah.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57In fact I'll lean against here, actually, for a second,
0:24:57 > 0:24:58if that's all right.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Worn out.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05I've knackered me...
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Knackered my thumbs and my hands
0:25:09 > 0:25:12trying to break down the doors and the windows.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15An aerial ladder platform is being used to dampen down
0:25:15 > 0:25:19the last remaining hotspots on the roof of the flat.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Now the job of working out what's caused this blaze
0:25:22 > 0:25:26falls to fire investigation officer David Lock.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Early indications and eyewitness reports suggest
0:25:29 > 0:25:32that even though the top-floor flat is the most badly damaged,
0:25:32 > 0:25:36the fire may have started on a balcony a couple of floors below,
0:25:36 > 0:25:41spreading up until it could go no further on the fourth and top floor.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45We're now on the fourth floor. One of the issues is here,
0:25:45 > 0:25:47is that any heat rising
0:25:47 > 0:25:51and any flames coming up can't go through this wood.
0:25:51 > 0:25:52This is solid above.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55So therefore it is going to now percolate across here
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and obviously radiate heat down.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01The fire then spread from the balcony inside Andy and Mia's flat
0:26:01 > 0:26:03via the air vent.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06The sofa was set against the wall,
0:26:06 > 0:26:10and where the fan unit, extract unit is above it,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13you can see that the flames have come in through
0:26:13 > 0:26:16and it's actually dropped in and caused some fire damage
0:26:16 > 0:26:17on the sofa in that area.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20The exact cause of this severe fire will be decided
0:26:20 > 0:26:23after Dave finishes his investigation.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26But for now, Andy and Mia are just glad
0:26:26 > 0:26:28they're still around to find out.
0:26:28 > 0:26:29What we are told is that
0:26:29 > 0:26:32we were very close to just suffocating in our sleep.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Just the smoke would have suffocated us.
0:26:37 > 0:26:38It's terrifying.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40I can't get it out of my head at all.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44I don't know.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51If it wasn't for the people warning us from the outside...
0:26:51 > 0:26:54There was no alarms to do that, then we'd have been dead.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59After speaking to the fire officer, told us we were very lucky.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07The investigations into the cause of the fire are still taking place
0:27:07 > 0:27:10and the residents hope to be back in their flats very soon.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13There is all sorts of expertise in this room.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16I want to show you around a little bit. This is NHS Direct.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18There is a nurse on a call right there to a patient.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22This is patient transport services. This is non-emergency patients
0:27:22 > 0:27:25being taken to hospital for routine appointments, things like that,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27that's what they're doing, don't want to disturb them.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Over here, this is the heart of the call centre.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34The call-takers. Emergency calls come right here to this desk.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37And what's really important, just behind them,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39if we swing over here, is the dispatch desk.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41These are the people who send out the ambulances.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43So what happens, the call-taker takes your call,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46they take down the address, they type it into their computer.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50At the same time, the dispatchers are listening to that call.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53They get the postcode at the top and they send out the ambulance.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55So that means when they're telling you "Don't worry,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58"help is on the way," that's how it is on the way,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00because they know and they've sent the ambulance to you.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04Brilliant stuff. Now, a marvellous story of survival for you.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08This is the moment a skier emerged after she was buried in snow.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13She and her friends triggered an avalanche while skiing off-piste -
0:28:13 > 0:28:17that's off the usual ski paths - when a wall of snow buried her.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19It was up to her friends to find her and dig her out,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22and that is exactly what they did. One of her friends is here, Gordon.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26And of course the smiley face of Rhianna. I'm very pleased to see you!
0:28:26 > 0:28:29Gordon, it looks as if you've still been skiing, with that tan there.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33Yeah, we had some fantastic weather towards the end of the season.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Lucky ratbags! Now, back to you, Rhianna.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38Obviously a whole group of you were skiing. You lost balance?
0:28:38 > 0:28:41I collided with one of the snowboarders,
0:28:41 > 0:28:45actually. We had a minor collision, I lost both skis, tumbled a bit,
0:28:45 > 0:28:46and then sort of everybody
0:28:46 > 0:28:48was on the big ledge of snow
0:28:48 > 0:28:51that was just waiting to break away, and it did, and it carried me...
0:28:51 > 0:28:54- What was it like?- Pretty horrendous.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58I mean, initially I didn't think it was a big deal, you know,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00you're used to snow, you kind of get a bit trapped
0:29:00 > 0:29:03and tumbled in it sometimes, but then I couldn't breathe at all
0:29:03 > 0:29:05and I only was able to breathe after it came to a stop,
0:29:05 > 0:29:08and I'd tumbled 100-odd metres down the slope.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10- And you're just stuck? - It sets like concrete.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13I found out recently that you're actually supposed to swim
0:29:13 > 0:29:15whilst it's falling, and then you can possibly get to the top,
0:29:15 > 0:29:18but as soon as it stops, you're set, you're done.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20It sets like concrete.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23- Right on top of you, and you're struggling to breathe.- Yes, exactly.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26I was actually face-down and my arms were sort of frozen like this,
0:29:26 > 0:29:29and yeah, you can kind of half breathe through it.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32Oh, my goodness. Now all of a sudden, Gordon, you realise,
0:29:32 > 0:29:34part of a gang, that you're missing one.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36And you start the search party.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38You've got your ski poles out and you're prodding away.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41But it must have been a vast space that you were looking.
0:29:41 > 0:29:42The search area was huge.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44George, who'd been involved in it as well,
0:29:44 > 0:29:47he'd actually been swept down over the top of Rhianna,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51Jim had been caught in it, but he hadn't gone down very far,
0:29:51 > 0:29:54so we were looking at about 100m between George and Jim
0:29:54 > 0:29:57and Rhianna could've been anywhere in between, with 20,
0:29:57 > 0:30:0030m across, so it was a big area to search.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03- At which point, you're losing consciousness now.- Yes.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06I was under the snow for about 15 minutes,
0:30:06 > 0:30:09but five minutes of consciousness is what I reckon at this point.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11I couldn't really breathe, I heard my phone ringing,
0:30:11 > 0:30:13cos they were trying to call me to see if maybe I'd skied off,
0:30:13 > 0:30:17but I couldn't get to it, obviously.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19I was screaming for help and no-one could hear me.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22I could kind of see up and which way was up, because of
0:30:22 > 0:30:25the light, and I could hear muffled sounds, but no-one could hear me.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27It's making me panic, now!
0:30:27 > 0:30:31So, you're prodding away with poles and you eventually dig her out
0:30:31 > 0:30:35and she wasn't, I imagine, looking in the greatest of states.
0:30:35 > 0:30:36No, I've seen her looking better.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40Her face was pure white and her lips were purple. She wasn't breathing.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43I looked at her face and I just thought she was dead.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Started giving her CPR.
0:30:46 > 0:30:47It took four or five breaths
0:30:47 > 0:30:50before we got a tiny little breath out of Rhianna.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52Then, she came to slowly after that.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55- You were under for about 15 minutes, weren't you?- Something like that.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58We can only estimate from the times of the phone calls.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Normally people say after 11 minutes, it's all over.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05- Looking for a body, I think, is what we were told at training. - You're very, very lucky.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08Now, the one thing I've noticed is you've bought lots of equipment in
0:31:08 > 0:31:11and you've shown me this, which is what?
0:31:11 > 0:31:13This is a transceiver. Basically,
0:31:13 > 0:31:15you should always have one of these
0:31:15 > 0:31:18if you're going out skiing off-piste.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20It's emitting all day, and if you get buried -
0:31:20 > 0:31:25everyone else has to have one as well, that's very important.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28They set theirs to receive, then they can find you -
0:31:28 > 0:31:33it tells you how far away someone is, how many metres, and what direction to find them in.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35So if you're going off-piste, always take one of these.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38- Yes.- And you've been on an avalanche course, both of you?- Yes.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42My mother paid for all of us to do an avalanche course and...
0:31:42 > 0:31:44You know... Bit late for our one,
0:31:44 > 0:31:48but will probably all be skiing off-piste again and have been since
0:31:48 > 0:31:50and we realised how stupid we were
0:31:50 > 0:31:53and how you've got to know the conditions.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56- Thank you very much for telling us your story.- No worries.- Well done.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58Give him a kiss now, go on!
0:31:58 > 0:32:02- Thank you!- That's what I like! He's been waiting for that all winter.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Any idea what a rapid takedown might be?
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Well, I don't, and Rob and Phil are here to show me.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13- Do the honours, Rob.- OK - keep looking at me, keep nice and still.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15I'm just going to come under your arms.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18- Phil will come behind you. - Yes.- Are you there, Phil?- I'm on.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22- Keep looking ahead - don't move your head.- Oh, my goodness!- Are you on?
0:32:22 > 0:32:24- Ready, set, walk. - Where am I going? Whoo!
0:32:26 > 0:32:30- Oh, that's actually surprisingly relaxing.- I'm on.- I'm off.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36- I'm on.- I'm off. - Have you finished?- We've finished.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38Oh, thank you. The reason we're showing you this
0:32:38 > 0:32:41is because paramedic Hannah Hunter is about to use this technique.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44She's been called to an A-road crash in rush-hour traffic
0:32:44 > 0:32:46where several people have been hurt.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49SIRENS WAIL
0:32:49 > 0:32:52We're going to a two-car RTC.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54There's apparently three children in the cars
0:32:54 > 0:32:59and the airbags have gone off in one of their faces, apparently, but that's all we've got so far.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07Arriving, Hannah is confronted with a busy scene.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10It turns out that three cars were involved in the smash.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13We've got this Vauxhall here, it's come along, basically.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16It's gone into the back of the Peugeot here, which has gone into the Golf.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19Not worried about anyone in the Golf. That was just a tiny tap.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22The Vauxhall at the back of this three-car shunt
0:33:22 > 0:33:24is the most badly damaged.
0:33:24 > 0:33:29A young boy who was sitting in the front suffered mild irritation to his eyes from the airbag dust.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32While he's treated in the back of an ambulance,
0:33:32 > 0:33:34the rest of the medical team deal with the occupants
0:33:34 > 0:33:38of the second car, which was stationary when it was hit.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42Hannah's focus is on Natalie, who was sitting in the back.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45Right, any pain in your neck, first of all? Any pain there?
0:33:45 > 0:33:47- Don't shake your head or anything. Just say yes or no.- No.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51- Anything down here at all? Down your spine?- No. There!
0:33:51 > 0:33:55- That's where it really hurts.- And is it across here as well?- Yes, yes.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59- And over here?- Yes. And then down more.- Down here?
0:33:59 > 0:34:02- That's where the most... That's where it really hurts.- OK.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Natalie's friend Claire, who was driving,
0:34:05 > 0:34:07has already been secured to a board to protect her spine.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11Now that Natalie has started to feel pain in her lower back,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14she'll require the same treatment.
0:34:14 > 0:34:19When you get involved in something like this, the adrenaline kicks in and that can mask pain,
0:34:19 > 0:34:21- so as you start calm down... - I was just shaking.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24..that's when you start feeling the effects of what's happened,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27which is why you're starting to feel the back pain now.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29Is Claire OK?
0:34:29 > 0:34:31As a precaution,
0:34:31 > 0:34:33driver Claire will be taken to hospital for a check over.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37With both ambulances at the scene now occupied,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40a third has been called.
0:34:40 > 0:34:41- We're waiting on yours.- Oh, no.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44- With me, standing, holding your face!- Yeah!
0:34:44 > 0:34:46- The whole time?- Yep!
0:34:47 > 0:34:51They have to take this level of care with Natalie as it's been known
0:34:51 > 0:34:54for people to walk about following a car accident
0:34:54 > 0:34:58and then suffer paralysis later, after aggravating a spinal injury.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02- Hi, Mum.- 'Hi, are you all right?'
0:35:02 > 0:35:06- They're going to put me on a stretcher.- 'Oh, my God!'- Yeah.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08- It's just my back, yeah.- 'OK.'
0:35:08 > 0:35:12There's a man holding my head, so I can't really talk to you.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16Mum reassured, Hannah starts the process of protecting Natalie.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18..A few more blankets?
0:35:18 > 0:35:22- It's going to be cold for a minute while we get this collar on.- Whoo!
0:35:22 > 0:35:25Right, I'll attach this and then try and scoop the hair out.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28- I was meant to be going out for dinner and all.- I'll take her back.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32- Do I have to walk there?- Walk? - Is that a ridiculous question?
0:35:32 > 0:35:33You're not walking anywhere.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35Instead, Natalie will have to undergo a procedure
0:35:35 > 0:35:38known rather unnervingly as a rapid takedown.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43Do you reckon we could do the rapid takedown
0:35:43 > 0:35:45and then whilst we strap her on, you move the bus?
0:35:45 > 0:35:47Is that all right, just to get her off her feet?
0:35:47 > 0:35:50Rapid takedown? Is that actually rapid?
0:35:50 > 0:35:53It's not as exciting as it sounds!
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Board is going to come in behind you.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58- You'll feel a hard board, cold, behind you.- Got it.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02So, now, ready, set, lower.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05That's it. Keep going.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13Now that Natalie has been rapidly taken down from standing to lying,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15she needs to be strapped securely.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17- How old are you, Natalie? - 20 in three weeks.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Despite it all,
0:36:20 > 0:36:24Natalie is proving to be a remarkably cheerful casualty.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26What's happening to my feet?!
0:36:26 > 0:36:28He's strapping them on!
0:36:28 > 0:36:31- They're all over the place! - They're off for a tea break. - OK, see you later!
0:36:31 > 0:36:33- It's all right.- Thank you!
0:36:39 > 0:36:42- This is so weird.- I bet it is.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46SHE GROANS
0:36:46 > 0:36:49All casualties from this three-car shunt will be going
0:36:49 > 0:36:52to Poole Hospital's emergency department.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55It's going to be a bumpy three or four-mile road.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57- Really?- Mm, yeah.- Oh, no.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59I love rollercoasters, though, so...
0:36:59 > 0:37:01You might like it, then.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04'She'll be off to Poole Hospital for X-rays.'
0:37:04 > 0:37:06She seems totally unfazed by the whole thing.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Natalie will have a full examination at hospital to rule out
0:37:11 > 0:37:12any spinal injury.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18Now, my favourite stories on this programme
0:37:18 > 0:37:20are about babies being delivered
0:37:20 > 0:37:22thanks to the help of our call-takers.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24- Danielle, is it OK to talk to you? - Yeah, yeah.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26I know everybody gets competitive -
0:37:26 > 0:37:28how many babies have you delivered on the phone?
0:37:28 > 0:37:31- Five now.- Five! Congratulations.- Thank you.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33But I hear the fifth one was the most complicated.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35Yeah, that was a water birth.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37So, for obvious reasons, but talk me through it.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40Why does it get so complicated and so dangerous?
0:37:40 > 0:37:45Mainly because it's a lot easier to deliver a baby not in water.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47There's many things that can happen.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50The baby could intake water, which we wouldn't want to happen.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53The baby can get very cold quite quickly,
0:37:53 > 0:37:57and generally it's just a lot easier and safer to do it out of water.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01So the most important thing is to keep Mum and baby in the water?
0:38:01 > 0:38:02In the water all the time.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06We don't want Mum to lift up so that the baby can take air.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10Mum needs to be submerged all the time to keep baby submerged
0:38:10 > 0:38:13until baby's completely out and then they can bring baby up.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15- So that's what happened in your case?- Yeah.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18- So you said, "Mum, get back in the water, stay in the water."- Yeah.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22- And what happened?- She delivered, and it all happened in four minutes,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25and everything was fine, and a healthy baby girl born.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28A healthy baby girl. So how many's that out of the five?
0:38:28 > 0:38:32- That's five - one girl, four boys. - Oh, so your first girl.- Yeah.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35- Oh, congratulations.- Thank you. - Well done, you. Where's Louise?
0:38:35 > 0:38:37- Oh, there she is. - Oh, what a lovely story.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Paramedics Alison Good and Lindsey Thompson
0:38:39 > 0:38:42are making their way to a woman who's slipped and hurt her leg.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44She's not making a fuss at all,
0:38:44 > 0:38:48but she is going to need a major operation to fix the damage.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50With her 60th wedding anniversary on the horizon,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53it's a worrying time for her and her husband.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57The accident's happened at a shopping centre
0:38:57 > 0:38:59- on the south coast.- Hello.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Ironically, 80-year-old Vera Hedger has slipped
0:39:02 > 0:39:05after venturing out to keep a doctor's appointment.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08- Can you tell us what happened, Vera? - Yes, the walking stick slipped.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12- It's wet.- Vera's fallen heavily on her hip.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14It's a common accident with older people.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17One in every five beds in orthopaedic wards in the UK
0:39:17 > 0:39:21- are taken up by patients with hip fractures.- See what I mean?
0:39:22 > 0:39:26- Where have you got the pain? - It's right on the hip.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28- It's in your hip, is it? - Hip and the back, really.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32Vera had the lower half of her left leg amputated two years ago
0:39:32 > 0:39:34because of circulation problems.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37I've got an artificial leg as well, which doesn't help.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41The prosthetic replacement doesn't make her any steadier on her feet.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44I've just been to the doctor's for a blood test.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47Alison needs to assess how serious the injury is.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50If Vera's hip is fractured, she'll need surgery.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Vera, how much pain are you in, sweetheart?
0:39:53 > 0:39:57If you had to give me a number from 0 to 10, 0 no pain, 10 the worst,
0:39:57 > 0:40:00what would you give it at the moment?
0:40:00 > 0:40:01Erm...10.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03- 10 out of 10, is it? - Yeah. Yeah.- OK.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06She's still smiling, but is clearly in a lot of pain.
0:40:06 > 0:40:11Victor, her husband, is looking much more worried than his stoical wife.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Until a couple of years ago,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16they'd always prided themselves on their good health.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18So, for this pain you've got in your hip, Vera,
0:40:18 > 0:40:20I can give you gas and air.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24- Have you ever had that before? - No, only when I was pregnant.- OK.
0:40:24 > 0:40:28Same thing. Exactly the same thing. We'll try you with some of that.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Do you want to give that a go?
0:40:30 > 0:40:31- Yeah.- Yeah? OK.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35The last time Vera had gas and air was more than 40 years ago,
0:40:35 > 0:40:36when her son was born.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40It's a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide - laughing gas -
0:40:40 > 0:40:43which should take the edge off her pain.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46What you need to do, Vera, is hold that in your hand.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Try not to press the button at the end,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50cos it'll just push it straight into your mouth.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54Form a seal round the edge, and a nice, big, deep breath in.
0:40:54 > 0:40:55We do have alternatives,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58but we can give you something else once we get you on the ambulance.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05Getting onto the trolley is going to be painful.
0:41:05 > 0:41:06On your good leg.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11That's it, well done.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Swing that round. Big breath. There we go.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18Don't think we're going to get very far with the instruments...
0:41:20 > 0:41:23Fortunately, the gas and air has kicked in,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and Vera is feeling quite light-headed.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29- How's that pain at the moment, Vera? - It's not too bad.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32The journey to hospital could be a bumpy ride,
0:41:32 > 0:41:36so student paramedic Lindsey is trying to persuade her brave patient
0:41:36 > 0:41:39to take some stronger painkillers.
0:41:39 > 0:41:40It's up to you.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43- If your pain's 7 out of 10, Vera, that's quite strong.- Yeah?
0:41:43 > 0:41:47- Yeah, yeah.- Some paracetamol? - We've got stuff stronger than that.
0:41:47 > 0:41:48We've got codeine or ibuprofen.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51Well, OK, I'll have one of the stronger ones.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- One of the stronger ones. - Yeah.- Ibuprofen?
0:41:54 > 0:41:55- Yeah.- And here's some water.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Victor can hardly believe what's happening,
0:42:02 > 0:42:05or the upset that a stay in hospital might mean.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09They're both hoping the accident won't interfere
0:42:09 > 0:42:10with their diamond anniversary.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13They've been together 60 years.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16Has he got his stick?
0:42:17 > 0:42:19But plans may have to change.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21When Vera reaches hospital,
0:42:21 > 0:42:26she's told she'll need surgery to pin a break in her hip.
0:42:26 > 0:42:27Wait for hubby.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30Vera recovered and was back home in eight days,
0:42:30 > 0:42:32in plenty of time to celebrate her diamond anniversary.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Oh, that's brilliant. Congratulations to you.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38- That's it for Real Rescues. See you next time.- Bye-bye.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd