Well, TV or not, a big thanks to all of you, you do an amazing thing.

Same from me. I’ve only needed you guys once so far, but the guys who came out (also the Police chap who stayed with whilst I lay in a puddle for an hour) were blinkin’ brilliant.

As an aside, when I see ambulance crews around and about (I work on a hospital site), I tend to give them a smile that I hope conveys “I think you rock”. Hopefully they don’t think I’m a weirdo, I just imagine that it would seem weirder if I went up to them as a random and just said “BTW, you guys are great.”

I watched it last night. Amazing people doing a very difficult job with good humour. The 101yr old woman was fab!

It got a bit dusty in our house when the paramedic’s daughter was rushed in.

Chapeau to each and every one of them!!

I tend to give them a smile that I hope conveys “I think you rock”

It’s very kind of you to say so, but ambo peeps are just normal peeps, with ambulances and a bit of training and (mostly) a bit of common sense. Sense of humour is optional 😉.

Hopefully they don’t think I’m a weirdo,

Trust me, ambos meet a lot of really weird weirdos. You won’t even register on their scale…

It’s very kind of you to say so, but ambo peeps are just normal peeps, with ambulances and a bit of training and (mostly) a bit of common sense. Sense of humour is optional .

Indeed. I have met great ones, and absolute bulbs. Just like all industries/services.

Just a heads up; tonight’s episode is going to be especially humdingerous. I don’t normally watch, but I’ll be tuning in tonight.

Cheers V8 I do watch as I’m sad **** there’s some cracking staff working for your trust some really are shining through.

****….. just tuned in.

This one is grim! Respect to anyone wading into that.

I will never apologise for repeating but you folks that do this sort of work, that keep the bad guys off our streets, and that run into buildings on fire when all common sense says run out…. there is nothing I can say that can adequately express my gratitude for the work you do.

This is some program- I’m in awe of what these guys do. A hard watch, but so important. Hats off to everyone involved…

Brutal – every boy racer should be made to watch that. And those who are no longer boys but like to make progress…

couldn’t help but google it.  Not sure how I feel about it.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/birmingham-car-crash-latest-two-victims-named-kasar-jehangir-mohammed-fasha-road-accident-west-a8117651.html

Currently filming series four in Manchester.

I think the coroners enquiry is in the courts at the moment, the audi was doing 100mph or something daft. I just wanted to hug the medics watching that, don’t think I could keep my head cool like that blonde lass did in that situation.

Nothing but utter admiration for all our emergency services.

That 21 year old lass….. just wanted to give her a massive hug.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/what-caused-belgrave-middleway-horror-14719690

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/full-story-what-happened-belgrave-14724670

Details here on the inquest. Hard watch last night – nothing but respect for those involved

Haven’t watched it yet as had a tough week at work so avoided it thanks to V8’s tip off, might put it on while I have my breakfast.

Thinking back the bit I found most upsetting was how damaged the young crew were when they arrived at the base for the post incident debrief. I would hope that they were offered more support than was shown in the admittedly limited shots from the debriefing.

That was a fantastic episode. Brilliant for showing just how tough it is on crews, was great to see so many staff saying “No, I’m not alright”. An ‘advantage’ the younger ones have as they haven’t been told for years that it’s a weakness. That was a very tough episode to watch so glad I waited but utterly brilliant. Thanks to knows above for praising what we do it’s nice to hear. Kilo yes they would be more to it than appeared on there.

I know… higher incidence of PTSD in the emergency services than in the armed forces, was a statement on the program.  And yet, with old ladies with fractured hips lying on the floor for hours on end waiting for ambulances to come free, there was clearly also a ‘reasonable’ amount of pressure that needed to be applied to have a quick debrief and get out there again.

Actually thinking back on it, and reading the links above, I’m actually welling up right now. My daughter’s school friend’s dad is an Trauma Care doctor, who came over on secondment from overseas and stayed. He’s one of the guys who when this happens puts on a jumpsuit and goes out to provide specialist care, as well as being an A&E doctor when the shit hasn’t totally hit the fan.  He must see this every week…… and just keeps on keeping on, while I claim to be stressed as hell because someone doesn’t quite have as much sunscreen raw material on their delivery as they think they need.

No words for the gratitude.

V8ninety – how did you know what was coming this week, and you also in the trade (I know Drac is)…. if so, thanks for all you do.

And yet, with old ladies with fractured hips lying on the floor for hours on end waiting for ambulances to come free, there was clearly also a ‘reasonable’ amount of pressure that needed to be applied to have a quick debrief and get out there again.

Part of my role now is to do these welfare checks, yes there is some pressure but we will not send them back out if we think they are not ready. We will even send them home if necessary, a hard balance but unless our staff are well they can’t function to provide the care.

I was off at the end of last year for a few months, it’s only recent weeks I’ve actually felt being my normal self again. I’ve been in along time so exposed to a lot without support, I won’t let that happen to others. I received amazing support once I turned around and asked for help, I was offered before that but being a male who also comes from as I say an era off ‘toughen up buttercup” I said I’d be fine. Never again will I do that.

I don’t know how to balance that. I mean, I remember clearly from my First Aid training, the first assessment is to not become a casualty yourself and this is the same; no point sending someone back out if they then can’t provide the care or cease to be functional at a later date. But equally, there are people out there that need someone, and need them ‘now’*. I’d hope that if you have a shitty call like that, that the control room can find you a lovely old lady who’s just pleased to see you for the rest of the shift, but I also suspect it’s pretty much next cab off the rank at times.

* I don’t mean the guy who’d been shot in the arse and was shouting the odds at the crew. I might accidentally have bumped that trolley a bit on the way to the ambulance a few more times than they did.

Bloody hell watched that episode last night, Horrendous for all, the staff, the casualties , the call takers etc, and thankfully the swear bleep machine had broken, it showed the real life  stuff we dont usually see, human life and emotion from the staff.

One thing i did notice was the incident commander , said thankyou to his staff a few times, something all mangers should say to all their staff every day.

So from a bloke who rides a bike, big thanks to all those involved in front of the camera and behind producing such a great programe.

In contrast to Drac i’m a cynical old c**t, congratulations to him within his service for making a stand on staff welfare. In my experience it’s a f*****g joke. Its all there on paper for the CQC to be impressed with, but the stark reality is damaged staff with work induced mental health issues. I’ve pursued this at CEO level & tbh they just don’t give a ****. Staff working life expectancy is 5 years, get ’em in young, burn ’em out and get rid of them before they hit their Band 6 pay grade & replace with more youthfull, cheaper, cannon fodder that won’t challenge poor staff management. Their TRiM process is a pared down version of what Roy Scott MBE set out to deliver, management deliver it in a way to reduce uptake in order to maintain operational cover. Life’s cheap, MH is cheaper.

Well that is far from what actually happens qwerty but you’re entitled to your view.

Drac, we’ve clashed on this before. As I said above I genuinely congratulate you on your efforts within SAS. Do you really have insight into LAS & SWAST to make your above comments?

I’m not gonna argue with you, but I will leave you with this comedy gold moment from yesterday’s shift:

A long standing member of staff, who doesn’t take the piss, comes in and gets on with it quietly, he’s got some “abnormal” results back from the GP, it’s unconfirmed but the big “C” is the first thing to rule out, he’s obviously worried. GP arranges some further tests rapidly. The test date clashes with a shift. Management won’t allow it or make allowance for it (it’s 1 shift), so he’s stressed, back to GP = signed off sick as stressed for an initial two weeks. So instead of one dropped shift, they now have 6 to cover and a disgruntled employee.

I suggest to you that life down south is different.

Over & out.

I’m not SAS but that really sounds rubbish I have heard tales from other guys in other services too, it’s also not that many years since we didn’t offer such welfare as we do now. You’re right it’s partly to do with the CQC identifying this that changes were made but also a change in upper management. All I can say is there’s a big effort to try and look after staff after such jobs, their health and mental state too. I can guarantee that would not happen with us, they’d get the shift off.

It’s back.

I was crying within 6 minutes.

“How’s the car?”

Oh dear ha ha

I was crying within 6 minutes.

I bust into tears and left the room on the intro due to a few words that I heard.

I was crying within 6 minutes.

Bit of T-cut it’ll be fine.

^unfortunate misquote 😂😂

Haha!

Wtf?

Was interesting watching the one with WMAS as some of it was filmed where I used to live, and some of the technicians / paramedics are people I’d been at school or worked with.

Such a vast amount of mental health and some very sad lonely people who have no-one else for support or just to talk to. It’s sad. Also sad the number of attacks on staff by people fuelled by drugs and alcohol or under/non-medicated mental health clients.

Mental health is really badly supported especially out of hours.

Watched first of new series last night.

Most baffling thing was the security guard/night manager at the hotel hanging around when the girl gave birth in one of his rooms. And then he called a mate in to have a look too. Poor kid, she was shocked, hemorrhaging and trying to cope with an unexpected baby. Last thing she needed was some bloke with a walkie-talkie peering in the bathroom and tutting. I would be having words with my GP if I were her – they’d told her she wasn’t pregnant *that day*!

Other than that – as ever it shows that cutting social services and care budgets just pushes more work onto the emergency services and NHS which is more costly in the long term.

Yeah that was a bit odd the guy hanging about so much.

It was odd but given that she consented to it being broadcast to millions on BBC1 I suspect privacy is not the top of her agenda

Given that it was edited so you couldn’t see too much among other reasons I’d say that’s irrelevant. He’d been asked to wait outside the door if I’d attended.

In fairness to the woman I think that giving birth would be the only thing on her agenda at that time, and really the onus is on the guy to have done the decent thing and given her a bit of respect and not the woman who is in shock and labour.