The UK's air ambulances respond to thousands of emergencies every year. Air >> ambulance. >> Highly skilled doctors, paramedics, and pilots. >> I've got a horrible feeling I'm going to get covered in clarity here. >> Race against the clock to save lives. >> And at the moment, Steve, we're first. There's somebody else there. >> Unique teams. >> That road is the danger area. Does that mean we're going to get shot at? Probably. >> Delivering specialist care. A lot of intrusion on that side, Joe. >> From the roadside to the hospital, >> might be unsafe. >> These are their stories. >> Send them through. >> He's still hosing. So, I'm going to have to do something to it to get the bleed to stop. Okay. >> I still don't have a road name ever. >> All clear and shocking. >> I'm not going anywhere. I promise. Not going anywhere at all. >> Slowly breathing down. That's a big old explosion. >> Just getting you off to sleep now, Susan. You're doing fantastic. All right, bushies in your hands. So, just loading the tube up on it now. >> Can you just get the taskular team at the theater ready? >> 63 Jones [ __ ] over. >> Unfortunately, you've missed the inflight meal. In the heart of Cumbria lies one of the Great North Air Ambulance Services two bases. Two helicopters carrying advanced trauma teams are tasked to around a thousand incidents each year. It never ceases to amaze us what the human body can endure and go through and still come out the other side relatively unharmed. But not only that, the the innovation and advancements in in critical care that can be delivered to a patient nowadays is phenomenal and to be part of that is exceptional. >> Today, Jaime's on shift with Dr. Mike Davidson. >> Come on, where's your stick? And along with pilot Rory Cunningham, they're hoping to fit in a caffeine hit before the first call of the day. >> We're going to have some uh Cunningham Guatemalan family coffee today. >> We don't have a Guatemalan accent. >> Is it a bit like Scout? >> Yeah. Rory's a great guy. Um he's posh but nice. Um his sister lives out in Guatemala so she brings us fresh coffee. There's no supermarket stuff for us. >> We can't go flying until we've had coffee. That is the rule. [Music] [Music] Sim swing. >> A call has come in to the T-side central air desk. >> Yeah, we'll t >> a motorcyclist has crashed into a wall on the outskirts of [ __ ] north Yorkshire. >> We're talking about there. >> The team need to decide which of the two helicopters is closest. >> 758. >> The Penri team is deployed. >> 27y old me. >> Cool. All right, Matt. We're mobile. Charlie Bravo. >> Wind is in the 9:00. Good look out as we lift, please. Okay, clear. [Applause] >> So, Jamie, what we know is the state wall. >> Yeah, apparently. Uh, do you know if he's conscious or not? I >> think he was conscious. There are times where we're racing to get to a job and we don't really know what we're going to find. That can be a challenge. Uh but also can be exciting. >> Yeah, we're going to be there first, aren't we? >> Uh yeah. Yeah. >> With only 11 minutes left to run to scene. The team will arrive before the land crew who are on route. >> With this job, we're traveling about 170 mph to get to this patient, uh which is one of the fastest air ambulances in the country. >> That's it there. That road straight through the middle of the valley. This looks like a motorbike road, doesn't it? >> Yeah, I can't see anything behind us. You'd expect it. >> No vehicle stopped us. >> One vehicle stopped. White vehicle 11:00. >> Yeah, that looks like it. Yeah. >> Yeah, I see a motor bank. Yeah, the wall. That's definitely it >> to cause the damage that was done to the wall. It would take a significant impact. >> You're obviously concerned about how the patient may be as uh walls tend to win these battles. >> Okay, I'm clear of wires on my side. >> And we are clear down this side. >> Guy sitting up. He looks in a good good condition. Really? >> Yeah, that's his bike, not him. Uh, yeah. Fully down, Mike. So, you're cleared out, mate. >> Climate on scene. >> I know from experience that you can't presume anything in this job. Things are almost never as straightforward as they seem. >> Hey, how you doing? I'm Mike. I'm on the dock. She's >> hit the right hand side basically. So, >> what's your name, sir? >> Peter. >> Peter, how old are you? 82. >> I'm just I just want to see if his brain's working. All right. >> So, how old are you, mate? >> Some were um >> That's all right. If you don't know, >> let's give you a check over. >> If a patient can't answer a simple question, just tells me there's something not quite right. >> That hurts you. Which which which side does it hurt you on? If I press here, does that hurt? >> No. >> Sorry, mate. How about if I press that side? >> That's all right. >> Uh, chest, face. >> So, he's more than likely he's been knocked out in his concuss. >> Have you walked? >> Yes, he has. Come up there. >> He's taken the water. >> I think my good feeling is we get him quickly in the back of the ambulance and have a look if he if he can walk. I think he's sicker than he looks. So Pete looks like he's had a lucky escape. He's sitting up. Um he's talking to me, but certain things didn't add up and I start to suspect that he might be what we call a talk and die patient. From the outside they look okay, but inside they're slowly dying. When I squeezed his chest, his ribs grated and crunched together like a bag of broken bronze. I thought he was struggling to breathe either because he had collapsed his lungs or he'd lost a lot of blood internally. >> Do you feel quite breathless? >> Yeah, I think he's almost certainly got some broken ribs there, but you're breathing a little bit fast. I'm just going to cut this and have a look at your chest. All right. Do you have any pain in your pelvis? >> Yeah. >> Tell you Pete, I'm Jamie. I'm one of the paramedics. >> Tell us how old you are, Pete. >> Bit old. bit. >> Um, okay. >> Do you mind if we cut your jacket off? All right. >> Jacket's had it seen its day anyway. >> I think you've punctured your lung there on your on your right hand side of your chest. All right. Wasn't much um damage to his helmet. >> The inside shell doesn't look too bad actually, Mike. Um, but there is blood on the front from where obviously he's caught his blood. >> The damage to a motorcycle helmet can tell you a lot about the damage that may have been caused underneath. Although Pete's been wearing a helmet, it's clearly obvious that he has sustained some significant injuries to his head forward for us. Fantastic. >> When a patient like Pete has lots of injuries, the bigger problems can be masked by all the smaller symptoms. Now, what we're going to do is just pop a collar on your neck. Okay. I don't think you've damaged your neck, but I can't tell cuz you got a chest injury. >> We've got to examine really carefully and use our experience to make sure we don't miss anything. >> Got blood coming from somewhere abdomen. Pete had lassed his side when he impacted with the wall, but what worried me more was what was going on inside his chest. >> A punctured lung alone could be fatal. Good luck and I'll give you an update shortly. >> Have we got any saps yet? >> It's 85 and I haven't got a I haven't got a strong radio, but he is quite cold. Stoke. >> And now Pete's oxygen levels are dropping dangerously low. >> The oxygen levels in your blood should be 95 to 100%. Pete's 85%. At that level, organs in the body aren't getting enough oxygen. He was white and cold. Signs that his body is starting to shut down. Pete could die >> right here right now. >> You just relax, sir. Okay. >> Preparing for an urgent transfer to hospital, Rory repositions the helicopter. >> Have you got a orange canula? >> Okay. The amount of oxygen in your blood is too low. Okay. When your lung is punctured, air leaks from it a bit like deflating a balloon. This buildup of air collects, becomes pressurized, and crushes the heart and the lungs, stopping them from working. This has catastrophic consequences. >> Pete, what I'm going to do, I'm going to put a needle in the front of your chest. All right. Okay. Cuz your lungs aren't working properly. All right. To release air, Mike will puncture Pete's chest with a hollow needle in a procedure known as needle decompression. >> Right. Sharp scratch. You okay? >> Good. >> I'm sorry. >> Take a deep breath for me. >> Did you get any air entry there at all? >> Couldn't hear very much to be honest. But the hole created in Pete's chest has not been enough to release the air building up in his body. >> Right, Peter? >> Deep breath for me. Okay. >> Mhm. >> Deep breath. >> Right, Peter, you've damaged your chest. All right. >> Unless things improve in the next couple of minutes, I think what I'm going to do is I'm going to drift you off to sleep and breathe for you. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. And what you'll do is you'll wake up in hospital and it'll all be fixed. All right. Mhm. >> You're going to be all right, though. Okay. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Unfortunately, the needle decompression didn't work, so we had to up it a notch and do something more invasive. I needed to get a knife and cut into the right hand side of his chest to release the air pressure. Also, I needed to anisttize Pete, but the problem was he was so shocked that the anesthetic would probably cause his heart to stop. It's a risk, but at least it gives him a chance. >> I think we'll give him blood before we pop him off to sleep. Okay. >> In order to increase Pete's chances of surviving the anesthetic, Mike plans to give him a blood transfusion and the drug TXA. >> Do you have TXA on your on your just you just relax there? I'm just going to give you some drugs to help your blood clotting. Okay. So TX is in. >> After the anesthetic is injected, >> okay, Pete, >> Mike will take over Pete's airway in a procedure known as an RSI. >> So 100 a cat, 100 a rock. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That's fine. >> Normally, Mike would have around 3 minutes to take over a patient's airway. >> That's just some suction. >> Yeah. >> But in Pete's fragile state, Mike only has seconds to get it right. Pete's life is literally in Mike's hands. I bougie >> and tidle >> have we? >> 4.8 4.9 good. >> Okay, it's fine. Sats have come up there. Perfect. Nice one, Mike. Right. Okay, let's get this all cost me done. With Pete unconscious, Mike plans to release the air in his chest with a thoricosttomy, an invasive procedure that's not without risk. >> Now, Jamie. >> Yes, ma'am. >> You'll be ready with just with a chest pain if he starts foring out of this side of his chest. >> Right. I'm just going to pop this. [Music] Soon as I inserted my finger into his chest, I felt lots of shattered pieces of rib. Had to be quite careful not to cut myself. >> Lots of broken ribs, lungs down. >> Also felt his lung was collapsed. Felt the air pressure release and then the lungs starting to reinflate. >> So really tacky. Five sets are good. I'll take the head end again. Maybe >> just need to get set up and get ready for him. sats are really much better that they're like 97. >> He's a much better color. He's actually pink. >> Loads better color. I see both sides of his chest actually moving now. >> Yeah. >> Good. >> Rory, are you ready, mate? >> We deal with people at the most vulnerable stages of their lives. The decisions that we make can be the difference between that patient living or dying. >> Right. Let's go. Let's get all good. Yeah. Watching him change from white to pink, we knew that we'd made the right decisions and we'd made the right interventions. >> Keep moving. Keep moving. Keep moving. And we're in. Okay, we've got a male approximately 30s who was involved in a motorcycle verse wall >> head with brief loss of consciousness we believe at the end of impact >> uh and chest possible spinal we are 15 minutes from Preston >> we're just lifting >> Good afternoon this is Tim from the going there under heel 58 coming into you with a trauma patient. They are asking that you activate your major hemorrhage protocol press ready slide. Okay. Right. Happy to go. H a male in his 30s on motorcycle that went through a dry stone wall. Um initially we couldn't tell us his surname or his age and he was in respiratory failure. We RSI with a 100 a cat 100 a rock. We then did a thorosmy on the right. That was the first blood pressure we got then was about 140. >> Thank you very much. >> Okay. Show you. [Music] >> Every day is different in this job. The one thing that's constant is that the patients experiencing the worst day of their life. [Applause] It's our job to make sure they get through it and survive. >> It was an odd one, wasn't it, Mike, when we got there. >> Yeah, I wasn't expecting it, you know, anything too bad really, but they just told me he just wasn't right. >> If we wasn't transferred by air to the MTC, it was a long ground transfer from there. It would have been Touch and go. >> What a beautiful day for flying is now. Yeah. >> What a beautiful day for being out on a motorbike, more importantly. I think today could be one of those busy days. >> Continue with Benson. Zone 120 decimal niner. 220 mi south, RAF Benson, base of the Tempame's Valley Air Ambulance. Preparing for the day ahead, team members paramedic Andy Collage and Doctor Sim Shamsudin should be used to putting these on. Their helicopter fitted with night vision technology flies between 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. with the crew rotating on 12-hour shifts. >> You sure you don't want to stay in the dry, doctor? >> Well, why not? I'll get my hair wet. >> I'm lost for words, Sim. >> Today, joining Sim and Andy is pilot Nigel Thompson. >> Nigel, I think you've forgotten something. What? The helicopter. [Music] [Music] Honey 24. Yeah. Give us the grid, mate. 706287. Where's it near to buddy? Staple Clayton. Yeah. Okay. On our way. Good job. A woman has been kicked in the face by a horse in dense woodland and land paramedics are struggling to reach her. >> All right, M1 flyp is all good. Tell left no right about just under 7 minutes. >> Okay to a horse rider right there's no clinical update. They can't get access to where she is. Okay. >> Because the patient was in a rural location, uh the land ambulance can't get anywhere near to where she is. We're obviously very fortunate in the aircraft that we're not affected by traffic and we get a bird's eye view of an incident when we get there. Okay. There's a lot of domestics there. There's also some 250 ft pilots. >> Yeah, got them. Tally, >> this incident is just to the north of Sleeple Clayton. >> Okay. I think it's just going to be an aerial search. >> Yeah, agree. >> Okay. Okay. Okay, it's on the right hand side of the aircraft, guys. Right 3:00 now is the grid reference. >> Yeah, it's an RV on scene and an ambulance on route. >> I can't see an RV just yet. >> Apparently, it took her a while to get to the patient from where she'd parked the car. >> A horse's kick is like the car hitting you at about 20 m an hour. It's quite a significant force and potentially can lead to facial fractures and injury to the brain. So the quicker we can get there and deal with it, the better it is for the patient. >> Smok those trees down there. Yeah, there >> there's definitely no RF down below us. I got him. Tally 12:00. It's right below us now, guys. Surface grass looks like it's within limit slope wise. Oh, yeah. Big set of wires there. >> Yeah, I've seen you. There's someone quite waving in. Can you point to him? See which way which one we go. >> Okay. Exit is 12:00 towards the tree line. >> Okay. And we're down. >> A land ambulance has struggled to get to the location, but a single paramedic has arrived on foot. >> Got you, Karen. So, basically, she was on a horse about 1.8 m up. It got spooked. It's kind of done a rotational movement, flung her off sideways into all of this. >> Bamble. >> Yeah. >> Um that she's then landed on her head and then been kicked in the front of her face as well. >> Hi, my name is one of the air ambulance doctors. Where's Where's the pain at the moment? >> I've got a headache. >> Bit of a headache. >> This all right arm hurts. >> Yeah. Have you got any pain in your neck at the moment? >> No, my head. >> Did you lose consciousness at all? I don't think so. I just Well, if it was momentarily. >> Yeah. >> A blow to the head can cause significant damage to the brain, specifically if it damages one of the blood vessels um that supply the brain tissue that can lead to longlasting loss of function for that patient. >> Is that painful at all? >> That is sort of >> Are you able to touch your chest with your chin for us and stop it if it if it's hurting? But >> Andy is thinking one step ahead. He puts in a call to the control center. >> Yeah, thanks. Just looking at our exit strategy and plan. We can relocate her to a road vehicle. There's a considerable carry to the aircraft. >> That's okay. >> That's received. Thanks. >> Now, are you able to open your mouth for me as wide as you can? I'm just going to have a quick look just to make sure you haven't lost any teeth. So got a bit >> like it where you know my teeth have been knocked into the top of her head feel numb just sort of >> so we're checking to make sure that the blow hasn't um loosened any of those lower teeth specifically where a tooth could dislodge easily and go to the back of the mouth that could be inhaled. It could potentially stop this patient from breathing. >> Keep your lips close for us. Lucky you were with some people when it happened. >> It's just stupid. >> No, don't be silly. >> These things happen. >> Ready, steady, lift. Perfect. There you go. Off the cold floor. [Music] Are you um >> I'm a partner. Yeah, >> partner. I'm Sim one of the air ambulance doctors. Well done. >> She's um probably a little bit more in shock. >> The worst thing is this laceration to her lip which will probably need a few stitches, but otherwise really hard to assess and make sure that she hasn't got anything wrong with her neck. They'll look at her in hospital. [Music] When we meet family on scene, you can see the anxiety within their face, everyone seems to think that it's the worst um situation possible. And that's not necessarily always the case. So, when you can reassure them, it makes a massive difference. >> Karen will undergo a head and neck scan in hospital, but for the air ambulance, it's back to base. My only experience of horse rising was um in the Breham Beacons and um it took me a week to recover with the sore bottom and I think that's it for me. I would never get back on a horse after that. I was walking funny for days. We're clear and uh just lifted on route back to Benson. [Music] >> Echo Frankly, we do require a back. >> 21 taxi holding point. >> Taxi holding point. >> Norwich International Airport, home to one of the most advanced medical helicopters in the world. The H145. This 4-tonon twin engine helicopter transports the East Anglian Air ambulance team anywhere in their almost 5 1/2,000 square mile patch in under 25 minutes. Heading their crew of four is Dr. Sophia Dearia. >> Okay. Bougie, size five. >> Yeah, >> I love my job. It can be very challenging. It can be very time consuming, but ultimately it's hugely satisfying. >> I could never see myself sat in an office doing a 9 toive job. All done. >> Yeah. Good. >> So, we're finished. >> Just need a job. >> Yes. >> And paramedic Ben Kaine has a hunch for what their first job will be. >> Cardiac arrest. >> I don't know. It's always impossible to say. We're just ready and waiting when it turns up. [Music] Hello, Norwich. >> Yeah, >> every time the phone goes off for the job. >> Okay. >> There is always that slight sense of um skip of a heartbeat. Just wondering what the next job's going to be. >> Says Tango Lemur 923820. The crew of Helmat 85 are heading to the scene of a road traffic accident 30 m away. At the controls are pilots Sam Tomkins and Richard Anderson. >> Right, go continuing. It's a rollover RTC car upside down in a >> ditch. Ah, >> roger two truck. >> Yeah. So, it's this road here. >> What I might do is stick it in the in the right. >> Did you say stand down over? >> Yeah, that's stand over. >> If we stood down for a job, it can mean a couple of things. either the job wasn't as serious as was first thought or sometimes it can mean that actually the patient has unfortunately already died and it's just a question of just accepting what has happened. If we're not needed, we're not needed. >> Okay, back in the box >> Alpha Anglia one. >> Oh, hang on. Stand by. >> Don't cancel. Please go back. >> Anglia one, go ahead. >> Anglier one, thank you. I've got a further call for you in Hatum. Give us the details of us. >> Yeah, go on pass details. >> Nation Road in Hum. Can I get the rest of us? >> The team is deployed once more. This time to a GP surgery in West Nory male had chest pain. >> A cardiac arrest is essentially where somebody's heart has stopped beating. And if you think of it cardiac, an arrest essentially means heart has stopped. So at that moment in time, while the heart is not beating, the patient is essentially dead. >> Oh, I think I'll buy an ambulance. Someone stood. Yeah, someone stood flag down. Okay, please good on the right. All clear coming down. Okay, so your tail's not clear. You got the golden. >> Okay. [Music] >> All clear on the right. >> [ __ ] They weren't on the ground. >> When somebody's had a cardiac arrest, it is a race against time. The chances of surviving drops by 10% every minute. So ultimately after 10 minutes, the chances of surviving are pretty minimal. >> We got the surgery this way. >> Oh yeah. Cross that road on the left. >> Yeah. And it's the first lesson. >> Hello. >> Right. This is Robert. He came in this morning for some blood tests. Yeah. >> Um felt unwell. Um they did a blood pressure. It was 80 systolic. Um basically clutched his chest and arrested in front of them. >> Um they started CPR. They gave him 1 millig of IV adrenaline. >> And I just like one cycle of CPR. It's all right, Robert. >> Three cycles. >> Yeah. So, one one two minute cycle. >> By giving CPR, the GP surgery staff and the ambulance crews have more than doubled Robert's chance of survival. However, there is still a risk that he could go back into cardiac arrest. >> Mr. Jackson. Hello, sir. >> My name is Sophia. I'm one of the air ambulance doctors. How you feeling? >> Tired. >> Tired? Have you got any pain? >> Yeah. >> Whereabouts is the pain? >> Right in the middle of your chest, is it? Have you had this pain before? >> Angina. >> Angina. Is it like your angina pain but worse? Is it? >> I think you might be having a heart attack. >> How old are you, sir? >> 71. >> Robert had been having a heart attack when he actually went to the GP practice. Whilst he's in the GP, this led to a full-blown cardiac arrest. He had three rounds of CPR and some adrenaline which restarted his heart. Robert's heart was under a huge amount of strain at this point. >> Has he had any aspirin or nothing like that at all? Fine. Okay. Can we get 300 of disposable aspirin? Just um break it up and we'll see if we can get at least get that into him. >> Aspirin will help to thin Robert's blood and make a second attack less likely. >> Robert, can you just lean over to your left hand side for a minute? >> I'll leave you guys to load him up. I'm going to give I'll give Norwich quick. All right, Robert, just roll over to your left side again a minute. >> Hello. Um, it's Anglia 1. So, it's a 71y old gentleman arrested in front of the um GP, non-shockable rhythm, three cycles of CPR, one lot of adrenaline. >> Right, if I hold his arms up, we can get the Lucas in >> just in case. >> Sorry, Robert. >> Robert is at high risk of his heart stopping again and going into cardiac arrest again. So, we use a piece of equipment called the Lucas, which is a mechanical device that does the chest compressions for us. is absolutely essential if we're going to be able to save somebody's life. >> All right, Robert, we're just going to go down to the helicopter and we're taking you to the North Norwich Hospital. Okay. >> Okay. All right. >> Ready? Race lift. >> Hi, Sophia from Anglia 1 again. Yeah, we're just loading now. If anything happens on route and he rearrests or whatever and he's unstable, then we'll go to ED. >> How's the pain now, Robert? >> Robert, do you still have pain? All clear on the right and left one lifted from seed tower. >> In the air, it's always a slightly tense time. It's essential that we keep a very close eye on Robert. His heart could potentially stop at any time. >> Robert, can you hear me? >> Can you squeeze my hand? >> Excellent. It's quite cold. [Music] chance to desend 500 ft. Okay. The cardiology team are here to meet you. Okay. So, we're going to take you straight upstairs. So, you're at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital now. Okay. We have this 71-year-old gentleman collapsed, arrested, one lot of adrenaline, three rounds of CPR. >> Robert's a similar age to my parents. And I think when you've seen something that's particularly close to home, it does very much make you think of your own family and you want to make sure that they're okay. It does make you very aware of the fragility of life. [Music] field got 55 minutes at class 2 [Applause] [Music] >> Durham Tease Valley Airport. The team of the Great North Air Ambulance are 10 hours into their 12-hour shift. When they're not out on a job, pilot Keith and paramedic Sarah help to keep base clean. A responsibility shared between the team. >> Two, right? Yes, definitely. Even the boss. I'm a pilot. >> Yeah. Everyone's a job. [Music] >> Key. >> What's up, I've lost my mop head in the book. >> But paramedic Andy Morrison and Dr. Phil Godfrey have other ideas. >> That's my wife watches this and I always tell her I'm busy. [Music] >> Hello buddy. How's it going? A motorbike has crashed into a van on the A66 12 mi west of Penri. >> Yeah. >> The Penrib based crew led by Dr. Scott McGregor are returning from a call out and are only a few minutes from the scene. >> Yeah. Can you start making to grid reference November Yankee >> 26 niner over? >> Yeah. Whereabouts is that please? >> Yeah. A66 Kzik area we believe. Phil >> versus car. >> Motorcycle versus car. Crew request major trauma. >> Uh they're saying it's uh trauma. The problem is I could probably get the guys there but we wouldn't have gas to get to an MTC looking at the weather. >> We can't afford to make mistakes on the control desk because it's the difference between life and death. The option that we took was for the pilot to take the aircraft, refuel, and get back to scene. It's a risk as Phil will need to get back in time to transport the patient to hospital. >> Uh Scott, >> yeah, it's going to be a hot unload, so we're going to get off and uh Bill's going to go away. >> Yeah, fair enough. >> Need a blood as well. >> Uh yeah, >> the accident is on the A66 just off the M6. >> You're starting to get standing traffic to the front, mate. I've got it right 1:00 now, man. Okay, clear out. Left towards the wall now at the top. Okay, opening doors. >> Hot drop complete. Phil begins the 20 mile round trip to refuel. >> 58 pilot. That's me rooting back to for a refuel. >> Hi there. I'm Scott, the doctor of the helicopter. Tell us what's going on, boys. Tom who's 19 years old on his motorbike came down here. >> So I packed the vehicle you see here. >> Yeah. >> He's been propelled over the vehicle that you see >> landed as you see him landed here. >> Yeah. When we arrived airway patent fine freely moving his neck. >> Luckily for Tom an offduty doctor was there who witnessed the accident and was able to help and begin to assess him even before the land ambulance arrived. Evident trauma. He's got bilateral mid forearm fractures. >> Very deformed. >> Okay. >> Very obvious. Fal fracture. Yes. 2 milligrams of K. >> Oh, you got Kamine out already? >> Yeah. >> He's got already had K. >> Lovely. Okay. Does it look femal as opposed to pelvis? >> Yeah. I don't know. >> It looked like he'd broken his femur. That's his thigh bone. And that's one of the largest bones in the body that stretches from the pelvis down to the knee. And it takes a lot of force to break that bone. He could easily have died in this crash. >> Hi there. >> You've had quite a nasty crash for the looks of things. Do you remember it happening? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. Were you knocked out at all? >> No. >> No. Okay. That's going well. What we're doing just now, we're giving you some very strong painkillers cuz it looks like you've broken your leg. >> And at the moment, it's lying at a funny angle and we need to straighten that out for you. Okay. Should we try straighten his leg out just now while he's while he's got the ketamine working on board just now? >> Okay. Keep going, mate. >> Keep going, mate. >> Fantastic. >> Broken femur is a very, very painful injury. But by straightening it out and putting it in a splint, we can reduce that quite significantly and hopefully avoiding the sharp edges from causing any further damage. Then the real concern that he may have other life-threatening injuries in particular to his spine and to his pelvis. >> You'll feel us sliding the board behind your back. Just you lie nice and still and we'll do all of that. >> Keep pushing. >> Y got it. >> The team use a Kendrick traction splint to keep Tom's thigh bone secure. >> Scott. Yep. >> Traction going on, buddy. >> But now Scott is growing increasingly concerned about Tom's pelvis. When we suspect somebody has a broken pelvis, particularly with other injuries, it's paramount that we get them to hospital as safely but as quickly as we can. >> The pressure is on for pilot Phil. >> 58 pilot lang. >> Now at base, he needs to refuel and return in time to transport the patient. >> Okay. Tom, what I'm going to do, your wrist that's hurting, >> I need to move it very, very briefly so I can put a splint around it and keep it nice and still for you. >> Okay. >> We're going to start with your left one. Which one? >> Right. Well, they both I think you've broken them both. Can you feel me touching on the on the left here? >> We're just going to lift it very gently till we slide this splint in underneath. I was concerned that he was unable to feel me when I was touching. This could simply be localized damage to the nerves. But could this be something more serious? Could this be spinal damage? >> You got the pump there, mate. >> Yeah, it is like a lie. >> That's it. >> Fantastic. There's a very real risk that he could bleed into any of his multiple injuries. So, it's extremely important that we continually assess him. >> Tom, I'm going to have a little feel of your tummy. Let me know if anything hurts. >> Right, Tom? I'm going to listen to your chest there. Can you feel a pulse on that side or is a splint in the way? >> With Scott happy that Tom is stable. The priority is now getting Tom to hospital. Phil has refueled and is less than 5 minutes away. >> Anything slower there, Tom? I think let's get the scoop on. Okay, it's on your account. >> Ready, race, roll. Go ahead. We have a 19year-old now. >> Yeah. Bilateral wrist injury just the aircraft return. >> Yeah. Phil has just lifted Langwasby and inbound to yourselves. >> We're going to lift on three. 1 2 3. >> We'll try our very best not to. Going back to base and filling up to 400 kilos of fuel takes a little bit of time, but I was back in time for the patient to be loaded. [Music] Facing potential spinal damage and a life-threatening pelvic fracture, the crew have flown Tom 70 mi to hospital in just 22 minutes. I'm actually ketamine. >> Yeah, actually stuff up. Take record. >> It is >> ready. Race line. >> How's your pain at the moment? >> When we administer drugs such as ketamine, it often makes the patient much more relaxed and they don't realize how badly injured they actually are. He could easily have died in this crash. Even having survived it, the risk of having very severe injuries, potential nerve injuries could be life-changing for him. >> So, this is Tom. He's a 19-year-old lad who was riding his motorbike, >> hit a van coming the other way, thrown over the bonnet of the van. However, he hasn't lost consciousness. He remembers everything that happened. Um, he's at 10 morphine. He's at 40 ketamine. It's very upsetting when we see somebody so young as this who's clearly been enjoying themselves out riding his motorbike and then the next minute he's critically ill and his life's at risk. But I think people are always going to do things that they love and people still have to live their lives. Tom's only 19. It's important that we can give him the best chance to live a full life. [Music] [Music] Well, I think there are lots of good things about my job. I get to ride in a helicopter for a start, but certainly, you know, it allows me to go and help people when they need it the most. You get a real sense of satisfaction knowing that you've helped somebody under those circumstances. [Music] [Music] Come on. This way. Come on. I got the phone call to say Karen's come off a horse. She's been kicked in the head. And the air ambulance was coming. But until you get there, you just think, "Oh my god, you know what's happened?" Do you know? >> Come on then. Most of the damage was in my mouth. My teeth moved slightly. My gums were all um broken open and my lips were all split. >> Cup of coffee, darling. >> Yes. Thank you. >> If I'd have had a major head injury, um to get to hospital as quickly as possible is so important. >> Ready, steady, lift. >> Without the air ambulance in places like that, you you're really really in trouble. I do think it could have been a lot worse, but in the end, I'm absolutely fine now. >> Gently. Good girl. >> I got back on a horse just over a week after my accident. I love riding horses. It would take an awful lot to put me off getting back on. >> Yeah, this 58 back. Good night. >> Good night. Well done today. Good day's work. [Applause] >> I'm tired. [Music] [Music] [Music]