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Tuesday 23 September 2014

BLIZZARDS THREATEN VITAL AMBULANCE JOURNEY




It was a cold winter's day and overnight it had been snowing very hard and Bristol awoke under a thick blanket of snow.

Roads were deep in snow and driving was very difficult since the gritter lorries were caught completely unaware.  We knew it was going to be a very difficult day for our ambulance duties. I managed to drive to the station armed with a snow shovel and two 2 ft wide and 6 ft rolls of carpet so if we were to get stuck we could use the carpet to gain traction. I had used them before to good effect.

Mike and I were scheduled to drive an ambulance to Weston Super Mare General Hospital 25 miles away but collecting 6 patients situated in several small towns around our destination, which meant a 40 mile round trip to the renal dialysis unit.  These renal patients have to have this treatment three times a week to stay alive and to get them there was essential and we would do whatever it might take to do it.  The world of the renal patient cannot stop just for a bit of snow.  Normally I drove the journey myself but that day no-one went solo - an extra person was assigned to every job in case we ran into difficulties. 

We set off with me driving and we had loaded the carpet strips and shovel just in case.  The roads were very slippery but manageable.  However cars were sliding about all over the place and we hoped one would not crash into us because we did not want to be delayed because of the patients. 

Fortunately there was not an excessive number of vehicles on the road since a lot of people had stayed at home, wisely heeding warnings given by the met office over the local radio. Even so the roads were pretty congested. We managed to get onto the main Bristol road south and at first we made some headway.  Our progress was short-lived because as we rounded a bend we were alarmed to see an articulated lorry blocking the entire road in both directions - it must have just happened.  We stayed for a few minutes and could see the driver's efforts to reverse were futile.  There was no way round it so we had to backtrack all the way to Bristol.

Mike rang the police asking if they knew a way through but they said all routes were impassable.  I said to Mike. "Blow that! - I know a way!"


Clifton Suspension Bridge engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, opened 1864 

The snow conditions were much worse than this picture shows but for illustration purposes the road we wanted was a little further back to the left and across the river to the left.  It runs up the hill not too steeply and climbs 200 feet to the road we wanted.   I figured if we could make that hill we stood a good chance of getting round that lorry the long way.  

Fortunately there was nothing on the road and we did not meet anyone so I charged at the hill and was relieved when we maintained traction but skidding a little here and there. We could see the top of the hill but horror of horrors, a tree had come down and was three quarters blocking it so I had to go onto the wrong side of the road so we could maintain our speed. Fortunately nothing came the other way but by this time we were slipping all over the place but we just. and only just,  made it and from then on it was much easier.  We cut through and made our first pick up and managed to get the others one by one, with several adventures along the way.  I got Mike to ring the renal unit to say we were on our way and by the time we picked up the last patient we were only half an hour late, and forty minutes late at the unit, which was totally manageable for the nursing staff.

We got them all inside and were treated to a nice hot cup of tea and biscuits by our friends, the nurses who we knew well.

The return journey was much easier and when we got back to the station, control was very relieved to see us although we informed them of events from time to time during the day. Several of our ambulances had gone off the road and had to be towed back onto it but everyone was safe and most of the journeys were completed to plan . . . but not on time, which was entirely understandable.

Although our adrenalin was flowing pretty quickly I thoroughly enjoyed that day and felt a sense of achievement.



55 comments:

  1. That must have been a nightmare. I don't think I could have done that, but as you say, it's a matter of life and death to those patients, so I would have had to try, as you did.

    You do have some adventures don't you?

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    1. Yes it was quite a day - had a few like that . . . :)

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  2. Winter driving just plain sucks a ton
    But good all ended well for everyone
    Other than a few tow truck bills
    Which I bet brought no thrills
    As you made it on through
    Persevering over the snow that came due

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    1. I don't mind driving when it's snowing
      As long as the ambulance will keep going.
      But if I ever did get stuck
      I'd shrug my shoulders and say hard luck
      And get out my spade and dig
      And get myself out of trouble big . . . . lol

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  3. You should have called me and my trusty snowblower..I would have cleared the roads in a flash!
    Jane x

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    1. Now that would have been a great solution . . . . . forward, wagons roll . . . . :) Eddie x

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  4. Here I am spinning on your globe with Pat and Keith! It's like a disco ball! haha. Oh darn, they commented before me!

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    1. So you drove on the right side of the road like an American for a few minutes! It was fun and felt right, didn't it? ha.

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    2. May I have this dance, Betsy, we are on top of the world.
      Yes, you were a bit slow today as you were at Gloria's . . . . lol

      Yes, I drove on the correct side of the road . . . but my steering wheel just somehow felt wrong and I had that awful feeling some guy coming the other way may not agree . . . . rofl

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  5. Eddie, that is quite the adventure! I am not much of one to drive on very snowy roads, so I admire your fortitude!

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    1. Thanks Michelle . . .. we really didn't have any choice . . .we had to get the patients there . . . and I actually enjoyed the buzz of a day like that . . . . :)

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  6. Hi Eddie...
    Kudos to you....quick thinking.....nerves of steel!
    Joke teller?
    Hardly.......
    Hahaha!
    Another great adventure...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. Thanks Linda . . . pleased we got them there and had an adventure to boot.
      Sorry you didn't like the joke . . . . . rofl
      The only one I could tell in public . . . lol
      I'll post another adventure soon . . .
      Cheers ~ Eddie :o)

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    2. Better get writing then hadn't I?
      Can't keep a nice lady waiting

      oh and by the way, Jane did laugh at my joke and here is the evidence, exhibit A . . .

      I did laugh...forty years ago...when my Dad told me the joke!!
      Jane x

      There!! QED . . . . lol cheers, honey!! lol

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    3. Since it was almost a dead heat I am emailing you another joke guaranteed to make your b/f fall of his chair . . . . lol

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  7. You are my hero, Eddie


    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^= . <3 . >< } } (°>

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    1. Aww . . .thank you Cloudia . . . I will come and rescue you any time !!!! x

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  8. It really was quite an achievement for you. I don't enjoy driving and don't venture out when the weather gets bad. Of course an ambulance driver doesn't have that option.

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    1. Hi Stephen . . . . well we just had to do it . . . . we felt the worst that would happen would be that we might get stuck so we had lots of warm clothing and wore bobble hats to keep us warm . . and had a flask of hot coffee with us . . . :)

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  9. How wonderful, Eddie! Kudos to you, my friend. :)

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  10. A few years ago I was visiting my parents in Green Bay, Wisconsin, US. In the winter time -- very snowy and very cold there. An ice storm hit. Short story - needed an ambulance for my dad. I rode with my jim in the ambulance and talked with the drivers as they maneuvered through the icy streets where no others vehicles dared to venture. I admired their bravery and their dedication. Made certain I told them so.

    So I appreciate this story, Eddie -- and your dedication. Also, just noted that you are in Bristol although I'm certain you have stated that before. One of my Bunco friends has a daughter living there right now. Fell in love with a boy while getting her Masters Degree at university there. She loves it in Bristol.

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    1. You can see why I loved the ambulance work . . . .

      Fancy that . . a friend's daughter at Bristol University. And it is not surprising she fell in love with the boy . . .we are all lovely here . . . .lol
      Bristol is a beautiful city but not nearly as so as Bath, a Georgian city 7 miles away - I live mid way. Cheers ~ Eddie

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  11. Oh Eddie, that sounds like a pretty hair raising trip, but I am sure that your patients and your bosses appreciated your efforts in getting there and staying safe. You really have had some adventures in your day haven't you. I'm not ready to think about snow just yet though!

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    1. Thanks Amy . . . . it was not like that all the time but we did have a few surprises . . . of course I am not in the service now so I miss the buzz of it all . . . . . I get a little taste sometimes of that life when working for our local Dial-a-Ride . . . .one or two days a week . . . :) cheers ~ Eddie :)

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  12. I went to college to be a TV reporter and they always emphasized that when you enter that field, you have to be prepared to go out into the elements. You'll work during blizzards, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes... Of course, a lot of stations send someone around with a good vehicle to get reporters who can't drive in it. One guy I went to college with was the morning reporter for our local Fox affiliate and he posted on Facebook a couple of years ago that he was spending the night in a hotel across the street from the station. Then he'd be ready to go the next morning. That made sense! Of course...it was a false alarm and didn't snow... We have a lot of false snow alarms here in Nashville.

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    1. How very interesting, Stephanie.

      I can just see you as a TV reporter before you became a writer. Did you ever enter that profession for a while, I wonder?
      Quite a hard job I expect and of course the brief to drive in all weathers must hold true because the news can't stop for the weather just as the patients can't stop being ill when it snows. So I see the comparison.
      Yes I see that you'd get false alarms but snow forecasting is a very inexact science and I suppose they have to err on the side of caution. Cheers ~ Eddie . . . :)

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    2. I did it in college and I interned at the local TV station, but I didn't want to move away from home. So I chose to stay in Nashville and work in public relations, which led to IT...and now I'm doing what I should have been doing all along...writing!

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    3. So pleased you found a vocation you really love and in which you excel - that in this life is worth a lot . . . :)

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  13. Hi Eddie .. good for you is all I can say ... but my father used to make sure we were always prepared ... carpet, shovel and no doubt supplies in case .. and we did need it one year ... and that really bad storm in the 62/63 winter was terrible, but I wasn't driving then ... my parents did the 30 mile journey from Chobham to Oxford ... and back - that wasn't the best for them!!

    The renal patients must be so relieved ... it's good to know people care ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Thanks Hilary . . . and interesting to hear about that bad spell in the 62-63 winter. If anything, things were tougher then. I had just started driving then and when I passed my test I went onto a derelict road and taught myself how the get out of front wheel and back wheel skids and generally how to handle a car in snow. Very useful experience for later . . .

      With renal patients they have to have the dialysis three times a week which equates to 12 hours and that just about keeps them going - but they live only about 5 years . . . . which is sad. On the flip side two of my patients had transplants and are doing very well which is wonderful news . . . :) Cheers ~ Eddie

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    2. Hi Eddie - I know renal patients don't have an easy life, nor perhaps a long one .. though so much has changed. In fact when I did turn 17 a few years later ... we had awful snow in January, February, March and April and most of my learner driving was in snowy conditons - down to Cornwall and up to Rutland and back from Chobham area .. I gave up occasionally and had a cri de crisis: 'Mum.. take over!!' ...

      I don't think I'd have really been able to help myself back then .. but way better than I can now - and I'd have given it a go ... now I just don't venture out (usually) ... and living in SA for 15 years rather threw any mantle I had away ... and it snows I stay put ... cheers H

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    3. I think we all are braver of perhaps more fool hardy when we are younger so caution comes to the fore. Today I would not venture into the snow as I used to but the ambulance situation made me do it because I had to . . . you lucky thing living in SA where snow probably never exists - I hate the stuff and would much rather be warm at the risk of being eaten by a lion. . . . Cheers ~ Eddie

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  14. If the Queen was to read this post (very unlikely) she would mention you in the Honours List (even more unlikely) and give you an MBE (if her porridge wasn't lumpy that morning, and she was in a good mood). Then we would come out onto the balcony of the Palace and watch the herd of pigs do a fly past in your honour.

    Seriously though Eddie, you are one of lifes unsung heroes for your unselfish acts and you deserve some sort of recognition. You may not have realised it at the time, but you put your own life in danger to help those patients.

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    1. Why is it unlikely the Queen will read my post??? . . . lol. Prince Charles is bound to to tip her to visit. . . . lol. Of course I would accept the MBE only if the pigs flew in formation and did a victory role and dive bomb you . . . . lol

      Seriously, look my very good mate, I did nothing special and don't deserve anything other than a packet of smarties. I think you exaggerate my bravery . . . . at no time did I ever put my life at risk, or any of us . . . . you are too kind . . . :)

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  15. You have a better reliability record than the U.S. postal service would have the world believe. That's one nerve-wracking experience but I'm glad that your patients had you as their driver. And I don't doubt they all felt the same way.

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    1. Well - nothing special about my driving compared with anyone in our ambulance station - any one of us could have done it . . . . thank you Hilary . . . :)

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  16. Yikes, that's living on the edge. I can feel the adrenalin. Glad you made it!

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    1. Hi V :) Yes, glad we made it too. Fancy a ride in my ambulance? Champagne and caviar could be arranged . . . . lol

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  17. Here in Maine, winter driving can often be a nightmare. Kudos to you for getting those patients to and from dialysis safely!

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    1. Thanks Eva ~ Loved doing it , , , and playing snow driving . . . . and having a bit of a challenge . . . :) . . . cheers ~ Eddie

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  18. ha. that will def get your adrenaline pumping a bit...i was coming through atlanta one night on the bridges and kept watching cars just peel out around me and crash because they were going to fast or just did not know how to drive in the snow and ice....it was rather terrifying....

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    1. Hi Brian - yes it is rather frightening, since a lot of people haven't a clue how to drive on snow and ice. When I passed my test I taught myself on local empty snowy roads how to deal with various skids . . . . and later had special training which is very useful . . . The main problem is people drive much too fast . . . . and too close to the car in front . . .

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  19. Mother Nature shouldn't toy with the ambulance peeps! Glad it al worked out for the best.

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    1. Yes, mother nature should not interfere with ambulance duties . . . lol
      Yes you and me both ~ glad we got the patients there and back home safely . . . . . :)

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  20. Well done Eddie for getting your patients there safely. Sounds like you earned that hot drink and biscuits!

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    1. Thanks Mary - next day I got some cake !!!! . . . . lol

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  21. Wow - scary and also exciting - nicely done!

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    1. Thanks S.A.M. . . . and again Happy Birthday!! . . . :)

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  22. That WAS an achievement, Eddie. You sound like My Dad used to be. He was a man who never let anything stop him when he drove. Rain, snow, hail, plagues of frogs - none of it mattered to him. If he had somewhere to be, he got there. And you were doing it to save people's lives, whereas he was usually doing it to make first post :-)

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    1. Thanks Jim ~ Your dad sounds like he was a remarkable man . . . :)

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  23. Only half an hour late... I raise my hat for you, Eddie. That must've been quite some journey.

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