0:00:02 > 0:00:06If you're seriously ill or critically injured up here,
0:00:06 > 0:00:08your life is in real danger.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11He's complaining of severe pain.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Mid-30s. Been ejected from a vehicle.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19Hospital's an hour away by road and speed is the only thing that can save you.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Roger. Helimed 99 is en route. Over.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27The Yorkshire Air Ambulance and its highly trained paramedics are scrambled 1,000 times a year.
0:00:27 > 0:00:32- 'Tell me what's happened.' - 'A small child has been run over.'
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Many of its ex-military pilots flew the SAS into action.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Let's find a suitable landing site.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Welcome to the life and death world
0:00:41 > 0:00:44of the Helicopter Heroes.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Today on Helicopter Heroes:
0:01:06 > 0:01:12A Good Samaritan is fighting for his life after he tries to flag down a 38-tonne lorry.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Ten minutes, Dave, and we'll have you out.
0:01:15 > 0:01:172,000 feet up in the Peak District,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20the team fight to save the victim of a heart attack.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25He seems to be stable, but these patients can go off very quickly.
0:01:25 > 0:01:30A 20-stone patient presents his rescuers with a weighty problem.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32He's a big lump to get through that door.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36And the team track down a patient who doesn't know where she is herself.
0:01:36 > 0:01:37We'll get you out.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49There's something about extreme weather that brings out the best in people.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Especially here in the countryside.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Everyone knows it could be them stuck in the snow
0:01:54 > 0:01:56or a broken-down car.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00But one day in North Yorkshire, a Good Samaritan paid a terrible price
0:02:00 > 0:02:01for his kindness.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06Even at one inch to the square mile,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08Yorkshire is a big place.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11The map covers most of the Helimed crew room wall.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15- 'Is it a pedestrian?' - 'Yep.'- Somebody's been hit? - 'It sounds like it.'
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Today, pilot Chris and paramedic Darren face the problems
0:02:19 > 0:02:22presented by the outsize local geography.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Taking off from Leeds Bradford airport, it's cold but with clear skies.
0:02:31 > 0:02:3430 miles and 15 minutes later,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36and Helimed 99 is in the depths of winter.
0:02:36 > 0:02:43We're going to an incident where a patient's been run over by a lorry.
0:02:43 > 0:02:48Not sure about injuries, but due to the severity of the mechanism
0:02:48 > 0:02:51we're going to see what assistance we can give.
0:02:52 > 0:02:57'An update. The patient is now in respiratory arrest.'
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Roger. All received.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07The ambulance is just coming under the bridge.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10COMMUNICATIONS INDISTINCT
0:03:17 > 0:03:22Black ice on the road. There's been a bump. A gentleman's flagging the traffic down.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27The articulated lorry's come along, skidded on ice and wiped the man out.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30He's stuck between a tree and the wagon.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35In sub-zero temperatures, a man is fighting for his life.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Hiya, Dave. How you doing? I'm James, with the helicopter.
0:03:39 > 0:03:45Dave Jackson is a Good Samaritan whose good turn may yet cost him his life.
0:03:45 > 0:03:51Gentleman's been trying to slow traffic and it's gone straight through him. GCS 15, at the moment.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55We'll just mess about with you for ten minutes, Dave, then we'll have you out.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00He's trapped beneath the wheels of a 38-tonne truck
0:04:00 > 0:04:03that he tried to flag down at the scene of an earlier accident.
0:04:03 > 0:04:09Obviously Fire and Rescue are trying to jack this thing up.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14Trying to make sure it doesn't move and trap him even worse.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17He's fully conscious and obviously in a lot of pain.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21- More morphine!- Another ten?
0:04:21 > 0:04:27Dave's in agony. Despite earlier reports, he's breathing but his pelvis is shattered
0:04:27 > 0:04:30and fire-fighters are struggling to release him.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Dave, there'll be a wee scratch in your arm.
0:04:33 > 0:04:34- Yeah.- OK?
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Can I have ten of morph, please.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44- That's two lots for that patient. - He's not had that second lot.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47As soon as we take him out, he'll need it.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51Dave had just dug this car out of a snow drift for a passing motorist
0:04:51 > 0:04:55when he tried to warn the lorry driver that it was blocking the road.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58The truck skidded on black ice.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03The driver was being assisted by a member of the public to get the car back on the road.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07Then the goods vehicle came and got into trouble on the same black ice
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and has ended up running into the first collision.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Paramedic James knows this is serious.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16Crush injuries are devastating and very difficult to treat.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19I'm worried as soon as we take this tyre off...
0:05:19 > 0:05:23James knows that when the fire brigade release the weight on Dave's legs,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25he could go into cardiac arrest.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Many accident victims have died like this.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Can I have that bag of fluid, chaps?
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Before we move him out, I want a bag of fluid, please.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39I want some fluid just before we move him.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42- Got some warmth for him? - That's warm air.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46He's determined to make sure there's enough saline being pumped into Dave
0:05:46 > 0:05:51to make up for the sudden drop in blood pressure he'll suffer when he's freed.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57In a few moments, fire-fighters will try to lift the truck.
0:05:57 > 0:06:02Will Dave's heart be able to cope as the toxins building up in his crushed legs are released
0:06:02 > 0:06:04and his blood pressure plunges?
0:06:04 > 0:06:07The team must be prepared.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22There's a fantastic reward when you reach the top of a hill like this.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Just look at that view.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28But the sheer physical effort of reaching the top of the peaks and fells
0:06:28 > 0:06:31can take a terrible toll on your body.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37Sightseeing doesn't come easily in the Derbyshire Peak District.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41If you can't afford a helicopter, the only way to take in views like this
0:06:41 > 0:06:42is to use muscle power.
0:06:42 > 0:06:48Every weekend, thousands are happy to take on the local terrain.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50But when a medical emergency overtakes you,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53the isolation of this magnificent National Park
0:06:53 > 0:06:55can threaten your life.
0:06:55 > 0:07:02Today, Helimed 99 has touched down 2,000 feet up a tricky footpath called Jacob's Ladder.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07Mountain biker Ashley Bailey is suffering from severe chest pains.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09We set off early. He had a bit of chest pain.
0:07:09 > 0:07:15It eased off when he relaxed. Went into his back, got tingling down his arms.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17Pain score five out of ten.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Pulse rate about 62, breaths slightly up at 24.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25The chopper's ECG heart monitor will help them diagnose Ashley's condition.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30Paramedics Lee and Glen know Ashley's life is in real danger.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Can I just pop that on your chest?
0:07:38 > 0:07:41If anything changes, Ashley, tell us.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44If the pain gets worse or you feel nauseous.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48Ashley and his biking mates were nearing the top of Kinder Scout,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51one of the biggest of the Derbyshire peaks, when he had to stop.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55Obviously quite a lot of pain. Struggling to breathe.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59I phoned Mountain Rescue pretty soon after that.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02You wonder if you're over-reacting but it's not worth the risk.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05I just took the call and phoned in.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09- All the leads plugged in?- Yep. - 54-year-old.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Nice and still. Stay like that for me. Takes about 30 seconds.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15No talking, no moving.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18We're doing an ECG, an electrical image of his heart.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22We're doing a 12-lead one. It means 12 different views,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25which you need to do with anybody with chest pain.
0:08:25 > 0:08:34This gives us a 95% diagnostic accuracy on what's going on with his heart.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45One of the blood vessels feeding his heart is blocked
0:08:45 > 0:08:49and he could go into cardiac arrest at any moment.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Ashley should be in a coronary care unit,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54but he's stranded 2,000 feet up.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58What I'll do, if you're happy, we'll get the aircraft ready.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00- We'll bring him to you. - You bring the de-fib up.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02- Are you familiar with the de-fib? - Yes.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04OK, great.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08The ECG is showing anterior sectal elevation.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13So we've diagnosed that this gentleman is having an M.I.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16- We'll meet you at the top. - All right, mate.- Brilliant.
0:09:16 > 0:09:21Ashley's life is now in the hands of the local mountain rescue team.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Reaching Helimed 99 is going to be a struggle for them.
0:09:24 > 0:09:30We've got a good team. Some local paramedics that are part of Mountain Rescue.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33They've come from Sheffield, so we work closely with them.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35They're bringing him up now
0:09:35 > 0:09:39and we'll take him to Sheffield and get him sorted out from there.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42This path wasn't made for a stretcher,
0:09:42 > 0:09:46especially one carrying a patient who's critically ill.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51A fall up here could be just as fatal as a heart attack.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54At the moment he seems to be stable
0:09:54 > 0:09:57but with these patients, as we know,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59they can go off very, very quickly.
0:10:06 > 0:10:11Farmers go to work in the great outdoors and get to enjoy the landscape like no-one else.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15But every year in the UK, around 40 die
0:10:15 > 0:10:19and 2,500 are injured at work.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24The average farm tractor doesn't look like a dangerous vehicle.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26You'd struggle to break a speed limit.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29But with no seatbelts or airbags, even a low-speed collision
0:10:29 > 0:10:31can be lethal.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35This accident has left a 67-year-old farm worker seriously injured.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38His tractor left the road in East Yorkshire
0:10:38 > 0:10:40and crashed through a hedge.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Which is where Helimed 98 comes in.
0:10:42 > 0:10:47It's a possible spine injury given the mechanisms of injury.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51A doctor on scene has given him some pain relief and the ambulance are with him now.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55We're trying to find the best way to extricate him from the tractor.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Ray Longhorne has now been trapped for more than an hour.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Local paramedics and a fire and rescue team are already hard at work.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05The medics want to assess his condition
0:11:05 > 0:11:09before the firemen release him from the tractor's cab that's become his prison.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15There's little room for manoeuvre in the tiny cabin.
0:11:15 > 0:11:20Paramedic Al Day straddles the bonnet to get a better view of his patient.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23To be on the safe side, we'll treat him as a spinal.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26We'll put him into a spinal extrication device
0:11:26 > 0:11:30so that we can keep him still while we get him out of the tractor.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Ray is a well-known and popular local character.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Concerned friends gather as the rescue continues.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39I was talking to him this morning on the phone.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41He said he had a couple of new jobs.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45That was it. I came home and saw him parked up here.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Ray's injuries are made worse and his rescue more difficult
0:11:48 > 0:11:51because he's a farmer who's enjoyed his share of the harvest.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54He weighs in at over 20 stones!
0:11:54 > 0:11:56I wonder if they're going to cut the cab off.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00It's a big lump to get through that door when he's injured.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02I don't know.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05But many hands make light of the heavy workload
0:12:05 > 0:12:06and Ray is freed.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09There you are, Ray. You're coming down.
0:12:10 > 0:12:15With Ray finally out of the tractor, it's vital he's secured to a spinal board
0:12:15 > 0:12:18to stop his injuries from being made worse.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Without the stability of this special stretcher,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25any broken bones in his back could wear away at his spinal cord.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30He rung me after he'd crashed. I'm only two miles up the road.
0:12:30 > 0:12:35He said, "I'm in a bad way. I've crashed. Come and help me."
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Ray's carefully boarded onto Helimed 98.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44It's the first chance Al has to properly examine his patient.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Anyone who's had a traumatic accident like Ray
0:12:47 > 0:12:49is checked on both sides of their body
0:12:49 > 0:12:51to make sure their airways are clear.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54I'm going to listen to your chest, Ray.
0:12:54 > 0:12:55Deep breaths for me.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00Breathing problems caused by internal bleeding are life-threatening.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Thankfully for Ray, his lungs are in good shape.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Damage to his back, neck and possibly spinal cord
0:13:08 > 0:13:12means Ray will be in hospital for a long time once his flight is over.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17But do those injuries also mean that his life will change for ever?
0:13:20 > 0:13:24Ray was flown straight to the trauma unit at Hull Royal Infirmary.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Three weeks later, he's still there,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30flat on his back.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32I had four cracked ribs.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34That, is it your sternum, it was cracked.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39The second bone in my neck is cracked
0:13:39 > 0:13:41or broken, I don't know.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44And I've got eight bones in my back cracked on this side.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Everything's on the left side.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51Ray's been told it could be a few months before he'll walk again.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54I'm determined to walk out of here one day
0:13:54 > 0:13:57and I'll walk the Humber Bridge for charity for them.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01If this lot in this helicopter hadn't come and picked me up,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03I wouldn't be here today.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21Imagine being trapped beneath the wheels of an articulated truck.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23That's the ordeal faced by a motorist
0:14:23 > 0:14:26who stopped to help another driver who was stuck in the snow.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30But the Helimed team are determined to get him out of it.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35With snow blanketing much of North Yorkshire,
0:14:35 > 0:14:40the Helimed team are involved in a desperate battle to free Good Samaritan Dave Jackson,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43trapped beneath the wheels of a 38-tonne truck.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48He was trying to flag down the lorry when it jack-knifed on black ice and hit him.
0:14:49 > 0:14:55Lots of brambles. The chap has been sandwiched between the bramble hedge and the wheel.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57He's trapped underneath the vehicle.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01The difficulty for us, as it's soft ground, is how we're going to raise the lorry.
0:15:01 > 0:15:07Dave's badly hurt but flying paramedic Darren Axe knows it's little less than a miracle
0:15:07 > 0:15:08that he's still alive.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12It's remarkably good, considering, not to have any major fractures.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16But he's got a lot of contusions and crush injuries to one of his legs.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18We can't take any chances.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Paramedic James Vine is concerned Dave's heart may stop
0:15:22 > 0:15:24when the weight of the lorry is lifted off his legs.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28It's a common but deadly problem for the victims of crush injuries.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32- How are we going to get his wagon moved?- We're not.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34- OK.- It's a lot of hassle to move it.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37We're going to take these struts out, get more access,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41and put some airbags down that corner so we can lift the vehicle.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Can we get this gentleman out
0:15:44 > 0:15:46at the extent it is now?
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Will he just pull out?
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Everybody ready? On move. Ready, steady, move.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56DAVE CRIES OUT IN PAIN
0:15:56 > 0:16:00Beautiful. Gentlemen, let's just lift him out as we are.
0:16:00 > 0:16:01Just go flat just over here.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06Everybody get a wee bit. Keep hold of him as well.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Go flat down here and we'll get him boarded.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10And Dave's free.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14The fluid the team have pumped into his bloodstream
0:16:14 > 0:16:16is limiting the effects on his heart.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21But there's no time to waste. His condition could deteriorate at any second.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26He's just ten minutes' flying time from the trauma unit at the James Cook Hospital.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29But even that's too long for James and Darren.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34The potential for what sort of things could be wrong with him after that is massive.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37So we're not going to hang around with him.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Pilot Chris Attrill lives near the scene of the accident
0:16:40 > 0:16:42and often drives down this road.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44He's shocked by what he's seen today
0:16:44 > 0:16:46but pilots must put their own feelings to one side
0:16:46 > 0:16:48if they're to fly safely.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52Helimed 99 will be at full throttle for this flight.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54He seems remarkably well, phenomenally well,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57for someone who's just been run over by a wagon
0:16:57 > 0:17:00and been stuck under it for 40 minutes.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05He just looks like he's got an isolated pelvic injury.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08We'll get him to the James Cook specialists
0:17:08 > 0:17:10and let them do their stuff up there.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25Dave's not the only victim of black ice at the James Cook Hospital today.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27But he's certainly the most serious.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Surgeons are standing by to operate on him.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36They know there's a high risk that his injuries will cause internal bleeding.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41He's been trapped under the lorry for approximately 60 minutes.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44It's left hip and pelvis, isolated injuries.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Unbelievable.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Paramedic James knows the truck has caused injuries that could still kill Dave.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54For their patient, the next hour will be critical.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Bit of a bump, Dave. That's it now. Nice warm hospital.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Now, back to the fight to save the life of a mountain biker
0:18:08 > 0:18:12who's having a heart attack on top of a Derbyshire peak.
0:18:16 > 0:18:192,000 feet up in the Peak District,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22a mountain rescue team has completed the delicate task
0:18:22 > 0:18:25of carrying heart patient Ashley Bailey to Helimed 99.
0:18:25 > 0:18:31He was riding his mountain bike when he experienced agonising chest pains.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Luckily, his rescuers had drugs to help him.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36We've been able to give him some pain relief
0:18:36 > 0:18:40and give him the primary treatment for a suspected heart attack
0:18:40 > 0:18:42so he got aspirin and GTN as soon as we got here.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44We gave him oxygen to help him.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47That needs to be feet first on here.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51We were at base doing some training when we got the call.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54We were told about chest pains on Jacob's Ladder.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58We deployed in the vehicles and were here in about 15 minutes.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02They're taking no chances.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06These pads will be used to deliver an electric shock to Ashley's heart
0:19:06 > 0:19:09if it stops in flight.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13Now paramedic Glen wants to get his patient to hospital as quickly as possible.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17This is one of the highest points in the Peak District.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21Do you want to pass me that shock cable?
0:19:21 > 0:19:23Ease him in a little for us.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Without the air ambulance,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Ashley's survival would be in real doubt.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32By air, Sheffield's Northern General Hospital is less than ten minutes.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Pilot Chris Attrill is an Aussie.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38But it's not just in the outback that medical care is vital.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42The Peaks are every bit as inaccessible
0:19:42 > 0:19:44as some areas down under.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47We were trying to find somewhere to park up.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49This is the only bit of level ground.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53The people sat here kindly got out the way for us.
0:19:53 > 0:19:59Yes, it's somewhere I can close the aircraft down and stay nearby for the crew.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02A good little spot and a cracking view!
0:20:04 > 0:20:07When we're taking off and landing, we like to keep quiet. No talk.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11If there's any increase in the pain or increase in difficulty breathing,
0:20:11 > 0:20:13let us know.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Soon Ashley will be undergoing surgery.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19A major blood vessel to his heart is blocked.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22'Helimed 99, go ahead, over.'
0:20:22 > 0:20:25We're lifting in one minute ten.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Are they ready for us at that end?
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Family wants transport at the hospital.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34Doctors will soon clear the clot and insert a stent to keep the artery open.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Angioplasty, as it's known, is a life saver.
0:20:38 > 0:20:44Many patients report feeling better after their heart attack than they've felt for years!
0:20:44 > 0:20:49Surgeons are already standing by for Helimed 99's arrival on the helipad.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52He's being taken straight to the coronary care unit.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57The Northern General's doctors find Ashley's been very lucky.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00He was fit, but his heart was struggling to keep up
0:21:00 > 0:21:02with the demands he put on it.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06It was a very steep climb.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10It's obviously knocked him to the ground, really,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13the intensity of the pain.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18He explained to me he was carrying his mountain bike up at the time because it was so steep.
0:21:18 > 0:21:23He'd got the onset of pain and he had to stop there and then.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Lee likes to find out how his patients are faring.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34We brought to you today a gentleman for PPCI.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Yeah. Ashley Bailey.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Just ringing to see how he is, really.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44It's good news. But it turns out Ashley's survival
0:21:44 > 0:21:45was a close thing.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Cheers, bye.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51He's had three stents put in.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53That's quite a lot
0:21:53 > 0:21:56for what's happened.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59But obviously making a good recovery.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02He's back down on coronary care
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and being moved to a different ward shortly.
0:22:05 > 0:22:0924 hours later, Ashley is sitting up in bed.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12He's surprised by his heart attack.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14He takes exercise and eats sensibly.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19I've never had any issues before and it did come as a bit of a shock
0:22:19 > 0:22:21when it happened.
0:22:21 > 0:22:26But it turns out he has one pastime that makes him a candidate for a coronary.
0:22:26 > 0:22:32I do smoke a bit and my wife's always saying if you don't stop smoking you'll have a heart attack.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34I've been trying to stop smoking
0:22:34 > 0:22:39and I've cut down, but I guess they're right at the end of the day.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41So I won't be smoking any more.
0:22:41 > 0:22:47And also there's some history on my father's side of heart disease
0:22:47 > 0:22:50and I may have inherited that as well.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Ashley's now on the mend and determined to get back on his bike.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57But not before he's given up the fags!
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Thanks to these, dialling 999 is a lot easier than it used to be.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14But not all emergency calls are straightforward, especially if you're in a remote place
0:23:14 > 0:23:19and the information you give can make the difference between life and death.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36It's the worst day of this mum's life.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40But 999 operators are trained to hear through the stress
0:23:40 > 0:23:42and get the information they need.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54The details she's given the controller have been passed to Helimed 99.
0:23:56 > 0:24:01It's a life-threatening condition and we need to get the child to hospital.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05In the circumstances, that will be LGI for this particular patient.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10The boy was playing near his house in Ripon, North Yorkshire.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Helimed 99 now hovering over the scene. Over.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17Thanks to the 999 operator,
0:24:17 > 0:24:21and then more information passed on from the road ambulance,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25paramedics Tony Wilkes and Colin Jones know what they're facing.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27He was halfway across the road,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30a guy was coming at about 40 miles an hour.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Heavily braked. He thinks he scrubbed about 20 mph off it.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Probably impacted at 20.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39The six-year-old, called William, is critically ill.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42William, hello. Can you open your eyes for me?
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Can you open them? Let's see what colour they are. I say!
0:24:45 > 0:24:48His eyes aren't responding as they should.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51There's been a heavy impact on the back of his skull
0:24:51 > 0:24:53and he's bleeding from a head wound.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56He's breathing OK.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59I'm sorry, little love.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02There we are.
0:25:02 > 0:25:03Can you get rid of these?
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Just rest him on that side.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11William's mother, Karen, made the 999 call.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13She's going to come with her son to hospital.
0:25:13 > 0:25:19Do you want to sit on there, sweetheart? We'll put William with mum.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24William's moaning sounds alarming
0:25:24 > 0:25:26but it's reassuring for the paramedics.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29It means he's conscious and breathing.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32When it stops, that means there's a problem.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35He's gone quiet. Is he all right?
0:25:35 > 0:25:38William. William?
0:25:38 > 0:25:42- He has gone quiet. - Can we just reassess?
0:25:42 > 0:25:44William? William?
0:25:44 > 0:25:48- He's blinking, isn't he? - He's having a moan, now. Good lad!
0:25:50 > 0:25:54- He's got a nice radial pulse.- Good. - Yeah.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Mum's here, so we should be all right.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Can you just take this side?
0:26:00 > 0:26:06- Keep talking to him.- You're going in a helicopter! It's bright yellow! - Bright yellow.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09William's mum does a fantastic job,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12reassuring him with kind, familiar words.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16- I'm here. I'm going to be right by you.- You are, yes.
0:26:16 > 0:26:21His heart rate is going quite quickly. We need to get him to hospital as soon as we can.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25He's got a cut on his head that needs looking at urgently.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27The quicker we go, the better.
0:26:28 > 0:26:33There are nearer hospitals to William's home than the Leeds General Infirmary.
0:26:33 > 0:26:40But the ambulance crew made a good call when they asked Helimed to take him to the head injuries base.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42All right. Mum's here.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44You can hold onto him if you want.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Less than an hour after she called the ambulance,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Mum Karen is on the hospital rooftop helipad.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54She's never left her son's side.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00William had a fractured skull and a lacerated liver.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05But he made a full recovery and remarkably, within a couple of weeks, he was back at school.
0:27:08 > 0:27:14There are few places more remote than the windswept fells at the top of Wharfedale.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18You can tramp miles across the moors without seeing a soul.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22You may be surprised to know that 999 operators
0:27:22 > 0:27:27can track the position of your phone by homing in on the signal it puts out.
0:27:28 > 0:27:33Today, emergency services have already plotted the position of one woman's mobile.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54Just got a call to say a gentleman's got a chest pain
0:27:54 > 0:27:56up in the hills, Whernside way.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00His friend's already walked an hour off the hillside to get help.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03We've just got a rough grid that we're heading for.
0:28:03 > 0:28:08Mountain Rescue have been mobilised so we're heading in that direction to see what we can do.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12999 operators have plotted the caller's position
0:28:12 > 0:28:14using tell-tale signals from her mobile.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Many houses up here are holiday homes
0:28:17 > 0:28:21and in winter, locals can go weeks without seeing anyone.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24With chest pains, if it's cardiac related,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26the longer it's left, the more damage it can do.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30The quicker we get there and get back to definitive care, the better.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35Today's emergency call has come from a walker who's trekked miles to get through.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38Her friend has angina and he's exhausted.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42He's three miles and 2,000 feet from the nearest road.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44We've landed in the middle of nowhere here.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46We're really on our own.
0:28:46 > 0:28:51Ray Woodcraft is 67, but his stamina would shame a man half his age.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55Is it yourself or your friend that's called us?
0:28:55 > 0:28:59Each week, he and a friend set off on an 18-mile hike.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03But today his medical condition has got the better of him.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07I was having to stop every five minutes, at the end.
0:29:07 > 0:29:13Normally I'm OK. I have a bit of angina but I didn't feel anything today. It's more my legs.
0:29:13 > 0:29:18- You were getting pain in your legs? - I just felt I couldn't walk.- OK.
0:29:18 > 0:29:24Ray sheltered in a survival bag for more than two hours as his walking companion tried to get help.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26You'll need to go for a visit to the hospital.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31Because of your condition, there are certain things we need to do.
0:29:31 > 0:29:36You've had no chest pain, but we're unsure as to what's causing the dizziness.
0:29:36 > 0:29:41We need to stay on the side of caution and just look after you.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44He's currently got no chest pain.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48He just felt dizzy and weak so we'll treat him as cardiac
0:29:48 > 0:29:50cos he's got a history of a cardiac problem.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54I'm just doing some observations, then we'll go from there.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59We're just going to take a steady plod down the hillside and see how we get on.
0:29:59 > 0:30:04And then see how we're going to negotiate this little brook!
0:30:04 > 0:30:08Lee's puzzled by Ray's symptoms. He's not in pain.
0:30:08 > 0:30:14Eventually, he decides it's not the angina but his medication that made him ill.
0:30:14 > 0:30:20Taking your puffer spray, OK, without any chest pain,
0:30:20 > 0:30:22will make you feel weak and dizzy.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25When you get chest pain, that's when the arteries have narrowed
0:30:25 > 0:30:29and it expands them to allow more oxygen through.
0:30:29 > 0:30:34- So I should wait until I actually feel something?- Yes. Wait till you've got pain
0:30:34 > 0:30:38- before you take it. You don't need to take it before a hill.- Right.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Nearly three hours after the onset of his illness,
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Ray's at last on his way to hospital.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48He'll be released after a check-up. But it could easily have been more serious.
0:30:48 > 0:30:54No wonder some walkers now take satellite phones when they set off into the dales.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01The trouble with mobiles is, just when you want them to work, they won't.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05And it's the same with the triangulation technique 999 op use to track them down.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08Especially if your signal is weak.
0:31:32 > 0:31:39Today's patient doesn't know exactly where she is. But the crew of Helimed 98 already have a good idea.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Using the few local place names she's given,
0:31:42 > 0:31:47and an electronic map, ambulance controllers believe they've narrowed down the area
0:31:47 > 0:31:50to these woods.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04She may be able to hear them, but finding her is a different matter.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Down at the bottom, on your right, there's a bridge.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10It's the other side of the bridge, apparently.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Luckily,
0:32:12 > 0:32:16a ground ambulance crew has narrowed down the area where she's lying.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26Cheers. Thank you for everything.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34- What's happened?- Basically, me and horse have parted company.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38- I've tried to stand up and hold that, but I can't stand on it.- OK.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41- Where is it sore when you stand on it?- My knee.- Just your knee?
0:32:41 > 0:32:47Gill Stevenson was out for a ride when her horse bucked at the sight of some logs and threw her.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50She's in severe pain,
0:32:50 > 0:32:54but still chatty despite more than half an hour on the phone to 999.
0:32:54 > 0:32:59I just came out for a nice ride and we parted company.
0:32:59 > 0:33:00Basically.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02- Good place to do it!- No.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06I've landed on my kneecap and it's gone cracked.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09The woods cover several square miles.
0:33:09 > 0:33:14It's lucky she had her mobile with her. She could have lain here for hours undiscovered.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18I tried to ring friends but my phone wouldn't let me. It would only give me 999 calls.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22It was only when Gill's horse arrived back at the stables without her
0:33:22 > 0:33:25that her riding friends realised something was wrong.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28So have you actually landed on the knee?
0:33:28 > 0:33:31We parted company
0:33:31 > 0:33:36and I've literally come down and my knee's gone...
0:33:36 > 0:33:37And I felt it go.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42- This leg's OK?- Absolutely fine. Look.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45I think what we'll do is get a splint on that leg
0:33:45 > 0:33:49and it's just going to be getting you out of here.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51James fears Gill's leg is broken.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55And all because of a small pile of logs that spooked her horse.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Just lift this leg up for us. There we are. That's it.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06- Oh, they're bringing a stretcher. - They're on their way.- Smashing.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10- The trolley will go down there? - It's quite flat and you go over the bridge.
0:34:10 > 0:34:11Even better.
0:34:11 > 0:34:16Despite her injury, Gill is still thinking about the welfare of her horse.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19I've made feeds up for the horses.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22Don't worry about them. They'll get sorted.
0:34:23 > 0:34:30There's only one way out of the woods. This time, the ambulance team is providing the horse power!
0:34:30 > 0:34:34Which way were you going on the horse? We'll do one lap and pop you round!
0:34:34 > 0:34:35Fancy a round.
0:34:35 > 0:34:40Their patient's injury is painful, but not life-threatening.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42So she'll go to hospital by road.
0:34:42 > 0:34:48If it hadn't been for smart work by 999 operators, she could still be waiting for help.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51Ambulance. What's the address? What's the emergency?
0:34:51 > 0:34:53What part of his body is injured?
0:34:55 > 0:34:59If you dial 999 these days, they'll expect you to become a medic.
0:34:59 > 0:35:04Thanks to a very advanced computer system, controllers will take you through the first aid
0:35:04 > 0:35:05your patient needs.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40Helimed 99 is on the way to the Dalby Forest in North Yorkshire,
0:35:40 > 0:35:4230 miles from its base.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45The emergency caller is still on the line.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47SCREAMS IN PAIN
0:35:50 > 0:35:52While he's still talking to the control room,
0:35:52 > 0:35:56the chopper is already circling over the mountain bike track.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59Hello!
0:35:59 > 0:36:00How we doing?
0:36:00 > 0:36:03This track has claimed many victims.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06It's used in world class mountain bike events.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09It's the ambulance service. Tell them to keep it running.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17Finally, the man who made the emergency call can hand over to the paramedics.
0:36:17 > 0:36:22We're on scene. If you could leave the ambulance running while we assess the patient.
0:36:22 > 0:36:23We'll keep you updated.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Ten-year-old Dylan Bridges has launched himself over a jump,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31off his bike and face-first into the dirt track.
0:36:31 > 0:36:37He was just playing with other kids and it was an accident.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41- Least he's stopped himself crying. - You're doing really well, OK?
0:36:41 > 0:36:43He's in a bad way, but in good hands.
0:36:43 > 0:36:48- I'm an A&E consultant from York. - We've met before, sir!- Have we?
0:36:48 > 0:36:51The mountain biker that stopped to help him
0:36:51 > 0:36:54is an Accident & Emergency consultant.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56- Is it hurting when I'm touching you, Dylan?- Yes!
0:36:56 > 0:36:59Take a nice deep breath for me.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02- Take a nice deep breath again. - I don't like it!
0:37:02 > 0:37:05We're not doing anything, mate. Take it nice and easy.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08Consultant Mike Williams has already examined Dylan.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13Your head seems OK. I think you've smacked your face more than anything.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15He's ruled out spinal damage
0:37:15 > 0:37:18and knows that his injuries are restricted to his face.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20No pain in your belly?
0:37:20 > 0:37:22Lovely.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24Stay where you are now.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31Paramedic Darren Axe's diagnosis pulls no punches.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35You've busted your nose, mate!
0:37:35 > 0:37:38It's a very traumatic situation for a ten-year-old.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42Listen, mate. You've banged your head and bit your lip.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46We need to go to hospital to let the doctor have a look.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50- All right?- Yeah.- I'm coming with you, darling.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53Because his patient's jaw took much of the impact,
0:37:53 > 0:37:56Darren's worried he might need a trip to the dentist
0:37:56 > 0:37:59after he's been to A&E.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01Can you open your mouth? I want you to.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04- Open your mouth.- No.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Your teeth don't feel loose with your tongue, do they?
0:38:07 > 0:38:09No.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12Dylan's younger brother has watched it all.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Understandably, he, too, is getting upset.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17Come on, buddy.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20I'm glad you had the helmet on.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23We're nearly there, mate. Nearly there.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26He's got a little laceration to his top and bottom lip.
0:38:26 > 0:38:31He's busted his nose. He's not been unconscious at any time.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35He's not very happy because he's cold and he's wet.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37We've popped him into the nice warm ambulance.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41Our colleagues will take him to hospital to get checked over.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46Dylan's going to hospital by road. He's soon feeling better, as is his brother.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51It's a successful outcome to one of 2,000 emergency calls made in Yorkshire today.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54- Feeling better now? - Yeah.- That's good.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57If you're ever dialling 999,
0:38:57 > 0:38:58remember to keep calm.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03Ambulance service. What's the address of the emergency?
0:39:05 > 0:39:10Thanks to someone's cool thinking, the air ambulance got to an accident near North Allerton
0:39:10 > 0:39:11within minutes of the impact.
0:39:11 > 0:39:16But the survival of a pedestrian knocked down by a truck is in real doubt.
0:39:16 > 0:39:22Dave Jackson survived being crushed by a 38-tonne lorry carrying animal feed
0:39:22 > 0:39:25after it skidded on black ice in North Yorkshire.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28That's it, now. Nice warm hospital.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31Now, after a desperate half-hour operation to free him,
0:39:31 > 0:39:36he's arrived at the trauma unit of the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough.
0:39:36 > 0:39:42Surgeons will spend the next 24 hours trying to piece together Dave's shattered pelvis.
0:39:42 > 0:39:48For several hours, it's touch and go, but finally Dave pulls through.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52Pelvis. Not a lot left, apparently.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55And there's a big break in the middle.
0:39:55 > 0:40:01And the sockets, on one side, one's there, and one's sort of there on the other side.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05And it's all pinned together with a plate across the front
0:40:05 > 0:40:07and two screws.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11For a man crushed by an articulated truck, he's been very lucky.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15But for an act of kindness, he might never have been injured.
0:40:15 > 0:40:20He was driving to work when he came across a female motorist who'd skidded into a snow drift.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23I thought I was dead when that wagon hit me.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25Yeah.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29I mean, I hadn't even tried to keep running.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32I was not going to let that wagon hit me backwards.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36Maybe that is what saved my life.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41Dave faces a long and painful three months in bed
0:40:41 > 0:40:43as his shattered pelvis heals.
0:40:43 > 0:40:48Even then, doctors have warned him he may still face difficulty walking.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51No matter how much we do for patients,
0:40:51 > 0:40:55if they don't want to rehab and get themselves up and walk again
0:40:55 > 0:40:58they won't do it. We can't work miracles.
0:40:58 > 0:41:04The patient's outlook is probably the most important single factor in everything we do.
0:41:04 > 0:41:09It doesn't matter how much we can do with clever plates and screws,
0:41:09 > 0:41:14if we don't have the co-operation of the patient, they won't get better.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16The doctors say, "You can walk out of here."
0:41:16 > 0:41:20But it's only my effort to do the work
0:41:20 > 0:41:23that's actually going to make that happen.
0:41:26 > 0:41:2912 weeks later and Dave is mobile.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Soon as I got the wheelchair, I jumped straight in it!
0:41:32 > 0:41:37Well, I got Health and Physio to show me how to do it without falling over!
0:41:37 > 0:41:40But I was straight in and moving around.
0:41:40 > 0:41:47He can't walk yet as one half of his pelvis isn't strong enough to take any weight.
0:41:47 > 0:41:55This was the one that was disconnected from my pelvis and shoved into my rib cage.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58But it's a lot better than it was.
0:41:59 > 0:42:04The driver who Dave went to help before the truck hit him has been to visit several times.
0:42:04 > 0:42:09Dave knows seeing him like this has taken its toll on her, too.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13She wanted to see that I was all right and getting better.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18I think she did feel sort of a bit responsible.
0:42:18 > 0:42:24Which she wasn't, but fair enough, she felt that way.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27So she was happy that I'm getting better
0:42:27 > 0:42:31and she gets in contact to make sure I'm OK.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34Dave's had several months to dwell on the accident.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37He knows that he's been lucky to survive.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41And despite his injuries, he's determined that he will walk out of hospital.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46Talking about it is sometimes hard work.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50But when I'm not thinking about it, it's not a problem.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54I just get on with it.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57I mean, you know, it's tough it's happened.
0:42:57 > 0:43:03You've got a choice. You can either get depressed about it or just get on with it.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06The great news is that David is now not only back on his feet,
0:43:06 > 0:43:08but back at home.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd