General

With CPR already underway and a defibrillator shock having been delivered at the scene, Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s dispatcher quickly recognised the seriousness of the incident and dispatched one of their Critical Care Team’s to the scene, comprising of Paramedics Terri-ann Lonie and Tom Chatwyn in the charity’s Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV), which carries the same advanced medical kit as the helicopters.

Tom said, “The RRV can sometimes reach incidents in built-up areas more quickly than the aircraft. Cardiac arrests are incredibly serious, if the heart isn’t beating and the patient isn’t breathing, they will die without rapid intervention. Immediate CPR and early defibrillation can make all the difference.”

Arriving at the leisure centre, the YAA team were escorted to the indoor pitch, where Regan was already receiving treatment from a local land ambulance crew. Paramedics explained that Regan had gone into cardiac arrest moments after collapsing, but thanks to the quick actions of his teammates and staff at the centre, who used a nearby defibrillator, had successfully restarted his heart. Regan now had a pulse and was beginning to breathe for himself, but he remained unconscious and in a highly unstable condition.

Ben’s mum, Leanne, who was watching from the sidelines, recalled, “There was loads of dust, you couldn’t see a thing. I was counting the bikes to see if Ben had come around the first corner and he hadn’t. I looked across and saw my husband waving. I ran over and when I saw Ben’s leg, I just knew it was broken. It was completely deformed. It was horrible seeing my child in that much pain.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Critical Care Team, comprised of Critical Care Paramedics Fiona Blaylock and Tammy Williams, were dispatched in the Charity’s helicopter and landed at the scene within minutes.

Whilst en route, Tammy explained, “Motocross events carry a high risk of serious injury because of the speed and terrain. Our primary concern is always whether the patient is conscious and whether they have a head injury, chest trauma, or a fracture to one of the major long bones, like the femur.”

Fortunately, Ben had remained conscious throughout and had already been treated by the trackside medics who had immobilised his leg with a splint before handing over to the YAA team when they arrived.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Nostell-based Critical Care Team, comprised of Dr Tim Moll and Paramedic Tammy Williams, were dispatched and arrived on scene in just five minutes. En route, the team discussed the possibility of a serious head injury and began preparing for which advanced medical interventions could be required.

When they reached Tyler, the signs were immediately concerning. Dr Tim recalled, “When you have a brain injury, patients can show certain characteristic postures. When we saw Tyler, his arms were extended in a way that indicated potential severe brain damage, and I was really concerned. There’s a type of head injury where someone can seem okay at first, but inside there’s bleeding or swelling putting pressure on the brain and if it’s not treated quickly, it can become fatal. That’s what we suspected had happened to Tyler.”

With time critical, the crew began preparing for a Rapid Sequence Induction (RSI), a procedure where the patient is anaesthetised and intubated so the crew can take control of their breathing. This is especially important in cases of traumatic brain injury, where managing oxygen and carbon dioxide levels can help prevent further brain damage.

With the help of a local land ambulance crew, Tyler was carefully moved on a scoop stretcher from the ground onto a trolley at waist height, giving Dr Tim and the YAA medical team space to perform the complex procedure.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Nostell-based Critical Care Team, comprised of Paramedic Tom Chatwyn and Dr David Driver, were immediately dispatched. They arrived on scene within eight minutes, landing in a safe area behind the school to avoid distressing other pupils on the playground. The team were escorted to Esme’s side, where she was being supported by a rapid response paramedic and her mum, Sophie.

Upon arrival, Esme was still actively seizing, unconscious and experiencing violent muscle contractions consistent with a tonic-clonic seizure. Paramedic Tom explained, “When a patient is having a seizure, they’re not oxygenating themselves properly. They’re not taking much air in, and there’s a risk that prolonged seizures could cause brain damage. The quicker we can stop it, the better the outcome.”

With time critical, the team attempted to administer diazepam, a medication that helps suppress seizures. But Esme’s small veins, combined with the physical effects of her seizure, made intravenous access extremely difficult.

Dr Dave commented, “Children’s veins are really small and incredibly tricky to access in situations like this. You’ve also got a distressed parent, a busy environment and a child who’s actively fitting, it can be technically very challenging.”

To avoid wasting time trying to insert a cannula at the scene, the crew quickly moved Esme into the back of a land ambulance and began the journey to hospital. While en route, Dr Dave and paramedic Tom made the decision to administer the medication via intraosseous access, by drilling directly into Esme’s bone to deliver life-saving medication into her bloodstream.

Speaking of the procedure, paramedic Tom said, “When you can’t get access to a vein, we use a technique called intraosseous access. It involves drilling a needle into the bone, which contains blood vessels that link back to the circulatory system. It works really well in cases like this. It looks worse than it is, and while it sounds dramatic, it’s not as painful as people might imagine.”

Once the medication was safely administered, Esme was transferred by land ambulance to Bradford Royal Infirmary, where she stayed overnight for monitoring by the paediatric team. Incredibly, just three days later, she was back at school.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Topcliffe-based Critical Care Team, Paramedics Tammy Williams and Andy Armitage, were immediately dispatched to the scene, flying approximately 30 miles, to reach the remote stretch of canal near Silsden.

Andy said, “We didn’t have much information, only that this patient was really poorly and on a barge in the middle of nowhere. We had to be ready for anything.”

The crew landed in a field beside the canal and made their way to the boat, where Stuart was being cared for by a local first responder and his wife. Still inside the narrow corridor of the boat, Stuart was visibly shaking and sweating, prompting immediate concern.

Andy explained, “It’s a massive red flag when someone has a seizure, especially if they don’t normally suffer with epilepsy and aren’t on any medication. Stuart looked really unwell, and the space inside the boat was so tight that if he’d had another seizure, we would have struggled to treat him effectively.”

To ensure better access, the crew carefully moved Stuart outside onto a chair on the riverbank. This gave them more space to carry out vital assessments, to determine the cause of his seizures, including an ECG to look for any signs of abnormal heart rhythms or cardiac issues. When the ECG results came back clear, the team began considering other possible causes for his symptoms, such as a brain bleed or underlying infection.

Andy added, “Stuart didn’t show the typical FAST symptoms we associate with stroke such as facial drooping, arm weakness or speech problems, but the way he was presenting was still very concerning.”

Unable to determine the exact cause on scene, the crew accompanied Stuart in a land ambulance to Airedale Hospital to allow for ongoing monitoring and further tests.

Scans later revealed Stuart had suffered a life-threatening brain haemorrhage and a mass bleed. He underwent emergency open brain surgery to clip the haemorrhage and remove the bleed. He spent nine days in an induced coma in intensive care and developed pneumonia and fluid on the brain. Stuart also developed a serious infection at the surgical site, which caused concern for doctors. He remained in Leeds General Infirmary for eight weeks.

Stuart does not remember the first three weeks of his hospital stay and is continuing to receive weekly outpatient rehabilitation. Doctors expect his recovery to take a year, and he says he may never fully feel like his old self.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Nostell-based Critical Care Team, comprised of Paramedic Stew Ashburner-Mcmanus and Dr Alex Bell were immediately dispatched, arriving at the busy scene within five minutes. While on route, the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) were also dispatched to assist with Darren’s extraction due to the steep and challenging terrain.

Stew said, “Leeds Urban Bike Park is somewhere we do attend often. It’s set back from the road and doesn’t have great vehicle access. It’s hard to get patients out of these types of locations, so that’s where a big team effort comes in with some of the other specialist teams. We asked for support from the Hazardous Area Response Team because they’re experts at getting people out of these places quickly.”

Upon landing the crew were guided through the woods by land ambulance paramedics to where Darren was lying on the ground, struggling to breathe.

Dr Alex began to conduct a primary assessment of Darren’s injuries and quickly identified signs of serious chest trauma, including rapid breathing and chest crepitus, a crunching sensation caused by broken ribs.

Commenting on the injuries, Dr Alex said, “Darren was in considerable pain and demonstrating classic signs of blunt chest trauma. The presence of crepitus over the sternum raised concerns about multiple rib fractures and possible sternal injury. This area of the chest plays a vital role in protecting the heart and lungs, and when compromised, can severely affect a patient’s ability to breathe effectively. It’s a painful and potentially dangerous injury pattern that requires quick intervention.”

To safely move Darren, the team gave strong pain relief including intravenous fentanyl and ketamine, which has dissociative properties, commonly used in emergency medicine, to help make the transfer less distressing. Some of Darren’s friends were also on hand to help, assisting the crew in carefully moving him onto the scoop stretcher under Dr Alex’s careful instruction.

With help from the HART team, Darren was carried up the steep woodland slope using a specialist brand carrier, a stretcher design originally developed in WWI to transport patients across rough terrain.

He was flown to Leeds General Infirmary in a vertical take-off manoeuvre, with the flight taking just two minutes, where trauma teams were standing by. Darren was found to have a punctured and collapsed lung, seven broken ribs, a broken collarbone and significant bruising.

Darren spent a week in hospital recovering from his injuries and has since returned to work, although he is still managing the long-term effects of the crash.

Despite being in pain and unable to free herself, Kim managed to call 999. She was in significant distress and reported head, facial, and leg pain, and was uncertain about possible bleeding.

Due to the risk of crush injuries and the limited access to the scene, Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Topcliffe-based Critical Care Team, comprised of Paramedics Darren James and Leanne Davis, were immediately dispatched. They arrived on scene within five minutes, landing in a nearby field and quickly making their way to Kim’s property.

Paramedic Darren, said, “Given the weight involved and the way she was trapped, we had to proceed with extreme caution. Situations like this can involve serious complications, so every step of the rescue had to be carefully managed. We worked closely with the fire service, who played a vital role in helping us lift the boards safely without causing further harm, it was a real team effort.”

It took four firefighters to safely remove the panels before the team could conduct a thorough assessment of Kim’s injuries. After evaluating her for internal trauma, potential fractures, and closely monitoring her vital signs including blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation, it was determined that she had escaped with bruising but no broken bones or serious injuries.

Although Kim initially declined hospital treatment, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance team stayed on scene until they were confident she was stable before handing her care over to local land ambulance paramedics. The land team continued with further assessments and the necessary documentation, allowing YAA’s critical care team to become available for other emergencies across the region.

A few days later, Kim developed painful trauma blisters and sought further treatment. She was referred to the trauma outpatients team at James Cook Hospital, where she continues to attend fortnightly appointments. Doctors are monitoring a large hematoma on the back of her leg, caused by the crush injury, due to the potential risk of complications such as blood clots. Despite the ongoing pain and regular treatment, Kim remains positive and determined.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Topcliffe crew reached the scene within seven minutes. The dense woodland made it difficult to spot Ben from the air, but members of the group who found him helped flag the aircraft down. While on route to the scene, Paramedics Sam Berridge and Andy Watson reviewed the limited information available and began considering possible treatment plans ahead of arrival.

Sam explained, “The details we had were quite limited at the time, but when you hear someone has a head injury with noisy breathing, you start to worry that this could be a devastating head injury. Dalby Forest is a huge area, with thick trees. Even though we fly there quite regularly, there are some parts of those bike trails we’ve never been to before, so finding the exact location can be a challenge, even for us.”

After landing in a nearby field, it was a short walk to reach Ben, who was conscious but extremely confused. He reported no pain but had little memory of what had happened.

Andy conducted a primary assessment for any internal injuries and monitored Ben’s vital signs, but no treatment was required at the scene. Sam added, “He had a really nasty head injury. The swelling to his face and eye told us he’d taken a big hit. We needed to get him to hospital quickly before his condition potentially deteriorated.”

As the team prepared Ben for transfer, they found his phone at the scene and attempted to contact his wife, Helen, but were unable to reach her. Concerned she may also have been injured elsewhere on the trail, the crew began piecing together the puzzle while keeping Ben stable.

The group of riders who had found Ben reported the incident to staff at the Dalby Forest Cycle Hub, who then coordinated a search of the trails to locate Helen and inform her of what had happened.

With no immediate medical interventions needed, the team carefully escorted Ben, who was able to walk, to the helicopter and flew him to Scarborough Hospital for further assessment and urgent scans.

Fortunately, Helen was later located safe and well. She had been out running in another part of the forest and had lost signal. She said, “It was a beautiful day, and I was out running in a different part of the forest when I noticed the air ambulance flying overhead. You never think it’s going to be for someone you love. I remember joking to a forestry worker that I should check in with Ben, just in case, and when I told her my name, she said, ‘Oh no, it is for your husband. He’s in the helicopter.’ I was so relieved to hear his injuries weren’t life-threatening.”

Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s (YAA) Nostell-based Critical Care Team, made up of Dr Steve Rowe and paramedic Tom Chatwyn, were dispatched immediately in one of the Charity’s Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs).

Reflecting on the incident, paramedic Tom explained, “When we attend motorbike incidents, we prepare for a range of injuries, from minor grazes to life-threatening trauma. When we arrived, Richard was conscious and talking, which was reassuring, but he was clearly in a lot of pain and very anxious about how serious his injuries might be. With falls from height like this, there’s always the potential for spinal injuries, internal bleeding or broken bones.”

After carrying out a primary assessment of Richard’s injuries, the team administered ketamine, the strongest pain relief drug carried by YAA and commonly used in emergency medicine, to ease his discomfort and allow them to move him safely.

A local land ambulance crew arrived shortly after and assisted with carefully transferring Richard from the sofa onto a stretcher. He was also placed into a thermal sleeping bag, commonly used by critical care teams to help maintain body temperature and prevent shock in trauma patients.

Incredibly, despite the force of the impact, Richard had not broken any bones. He suffered a torn knee ligament, wrist swelling, and an abrasion to his collarbone, but was discharged the same evening.

YAA’s dispatcher immediately deployed the critical care team, comprised of Doctor Dave Driver and Paramedic Matty McCabe, who were responding in one of the charities two Rapid Response Vehicle’s (RRV’s) that day.  

Dr Dave explained, “The information we had was limited, just that a lady had fallen from a horse and had potentially fractured her leg. While en route, we received updates that the location was inaccessible by road, so we also deployed our Topcliffe-based helicopter to the scene.”

As the crew arrived at the edge of the woodland, they were joined by Anne’s husband, Kevan, who she had managed to call before losing signal. Together, they followed fresh hoofprints to reach Anne’s location. Upon arrival, the crew found Anne crouched and unable to move, with the landowner attempting to control the startled horse, which was blocking access. Kevan stepped in to help manage the horse, allowing the medical team to assess Anne’s condition.

Anne was in severe pain, particularly in her left leg. As the team gently moved her to examine the injury, Matty felt crepitus, a telltale grinding sensation that often indicates broken bones. Dr Dave explained that, given the height of Anne’s fall and the severity of her leg injury, they could not rule out internal bleeding. He said, “Injuries like this can be so distracting that patients may not realise there’s something else going on”.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Topcliffe-based crew were dispatched from just five miles away. Reaching Katie within minutes, Pilot Harry and Technical Crew Member Will used night vision goggles to safely land the aircraft in a nearby field, while Doctor Dan and Paramedic Stew prepared to begin treatment.

Katie had already been lying in the road for over 20 minutes when the air ambulance team arrived. Land ambulance crews had started a primary assessment to examine her injuries. She had suffered a serious head injury, broken her pelvis on both sides, fractured her wrist and sustained a bruised liver. But the greatest concern was the possibility of a traumatic brain injury, something that can quickly become life-threatening without urgent intervention.