A Welsh paramedic who risked his life to save a casualty who had fallen 30 feet down a cliff into a rocky cove, an East Midlands 999 operator who instructed a distraught father how to perform CPR on his one year old child when he was convinced he had drowned, and a paramedic who has delivered 18 babies during a 17-year career were among the winners of the high profile BBC 999 Awards, aired on TV on 16th August 2012.
The BBC 999 Awards, presented by Lenny Henry and Kirsty Young, were set up to acknowledge the heroic acts that members of the emergency services have performed on a daily basis since the 999 Emergency Number was established 75 years ago. Awards were presented to each part of the Emergency Services including the ambulance service.
The Department of Health’s National Ambulance Advisor Peter Bradley attended the BBC 999 Awards and said: “I am extremely pleased to see that the dedication and commitment of ambulance staff has been so publicly acknowledged by these excellent Awards. Despite tough competition the winners were all worthy of special praise and I was extremely proud to have been there to see them receive their awards.”
The awards were presented as follows (information from BBC media release):
Paramedic Award
A casualty who had fallen 30ft down a cliff into a rocky cove, sustaining spinal and pelvic injuries. With the tide coming in fast, Aneurin Heath from Wales Air Ambulance stayed in the turbulent water, with a heavy medical kit using themself as a shield against the full force of the tide to winch the casualty and partner to the safety of an air ambulance.
999 Operator Award
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust operator Lisa Harrison talked to a distraught father, who was convinced his child had drowned in the garden pond. Lisa instructed him how to perform CPR and persevered despite the father’s conviction that there was no hope until the emergency services arrived.
Volunteer Award
A factory worker had their arm trapped in machinery at the top of a 100ft gantry: 17 fire fighters and 14 medical staff had unsuccessfully tried to free the casualty before Dr James Hickman of BASICS (British Association of Immediate Care) took the extraordinary decision to amputate the casualty’s arm, thus saving their life.
Police Award
PC Hayley Howes was called to a fatal collision between a car and a van and, undeterred by intense heat and flames, saved the life of the trapped driver assisted by 3 colleagues (PC Jon Cann, PC Stuart Dudfield, PC Simon Wilson, Gloucestershire Constabulary).
Fire & Rescue Award
The Northamptonshire Line Rescue Blue Watch team, Jamie Manning, Karl Doy, Jack Nicholson, Gary Welch, Robert Clarke, received a call about a hot air balloon which crashed and become entangled in high-voltage overhead power cables. It required a daring rescue in an operation that took five hours before saving the passengers hanging 40 metres above the ground.
Coastal Rescue Award
Garry Clark from Dungeness RNLI battled to give the crew members of a crippled yacht medical attention in high seas and against the odds managed to tow the pitching yacht back to the safety of the harbour.
Mountain Rescue Award
The Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team were called to help a walker who had slipped down a sheer mountain drop sustaining head injuries. A dangerous rescue in a precarious position calling on 30 of the 43 mountain rescue team available at the time.
Local Hero Award
Ashraf Uddin of the St John Ambulance has helped to save countless lives during his 13 years’ work with the charity, spending more than 5,000 hours as a stand-in medic. He also works tirelessly within the community as well as helping to spread first aid skills amongst the young generation encouraging them to volunteer for the St John Ambulance organisation.
Special Recognition Awards
Special Recognition Awards are presented to those who have gone above and beyond in their commitment, endeavours and duty to the emergency services. These include a paramedic who has delivered some 18 babies across a 17 year career (Giovanni Riva, Welsh Ambulance Service), a fire and rescue member who founded and set up an international search and rescue team since deployed to many of the Earth’s natural disaster zones and the resuscitation team behind the high profile story of White Hart Lane cardiac arrest for footballer Fabrice Muamba.
- Neil Fritzsche, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service
- Giovanni Riva, Welsh Ambulance Service
- Dr Andrew Deaner (London Chest Hospital)
- Dr Sam Mohiddin (London Chest Hospital)
- Peter Fisher (Paramedic)
- Dr Jonathan Tobin (Team Doctor, Bolton Wonderers FC)
The One Show Award – Ben Hudson
On 1st April 2011, schoolgirl Chloe West was walking towards her high school in Stourbridge when she was viciously attacked by a man with a knife and stabbed in the head and neck 11-13 times.
Ben was walking to school with his friends when he encountered younger students running and screaming. Further up the road, he saw the young girl, being attacked by the knifeman. With scarcely a thought for his own safety, Ben launched himself at the assailant hitting him with a rugby tackle and knocking him off the young girl. He continued to wrestle the knifeman to the ground until staff arrived to help.
Ben then alerted the emergency services who sent out the air ambulance. Ben received commendation from senior police officers who were of the opinion that his actions that day saved the young girl’s life. Ben was nominated for the award by his aunty, Kirstin Bullock.
