Safe to Approach

"25 year old male, stabbed in arm, bottled, bleeding heavily"

"Red base, are the police running on this, obviously we won't approach until they on scene, over"

"Roger, police have been requested, stay back until they arrive"

"Roger, will do, let us know when they are on scene, over"

"Roger, Red base out"

Now this is what I'm talking about. I nice stabbing to kick of proceedings! Not wanting to be cancelled we shot round to the RVP and hit 'at scene' at the earliest opportunity and waited. We donned our stab vests and got our pile of kit ready by the side door. You never know with a stabbing how bad it will be. Puncture wounds are an unknown because you don't know how deep the wound is or what damage has been done inside. Some stab wounds hardly bleed at all, some don't stop bleeding. It really is pot luck. We'd been sat there for about 10 minutes with no word on the fuzz so called up for an update.

"Red base, any ETA for the police? Over"

"Standby one..........Roger, police are on scene and the road is lit up like a Christmas tree, over"

"Rog"

We'd parked a few streets away so trundled round to the road. It was a dog-leg cul-de-sac, as we got near to the end we could see a very large group of people outside the house. I saw a number of vehicles following me into the road so assumed it was more police. It wasn't. In fact, there were no police on scene whatsoever. About 10 people surrounded the ambulance all shouting various different things. Then I heard:

"One of them stabbed him and the other pulled out a gun"

Gulp! We were now blocked in, we were expected by all around us to get out and help their friend yet there was quite a possibility someone was still on scene with a gun. This in a occasion I deemed worthy of the emergency button.

"Red base, red base, there are no police on scene and the attacker is still here with a knife and gun, we are blocked in the road, urgent police, I repeat urgent police"

"Are you safe? Are you in your vehicle, police on way"

"Rog, we are still in the truck but are surrounded by people wanting our help with the patient"

"Police ETA 1 minute, stand by"

Everyone was getting angry that we were not getting out and to be fair, I saw their point. Regardless of blame, they had called an ambulance because someone was stabbed. All they saw was an ambulance arrive and the crew refuse to get out. It wasn't their fault  there had been a monumental cock up in EOC! Speaking out the half opened window, I asked where the patient was. The pointed to a figure sitting on the wall about 20 feet from us. I asked them to bring him to the back door of the ambulance and we'd treat him inside. After a few insults, plenty of swearing and the over use of the word 'bruvs' he was brought over to us, we got him on board and locked ourselves in. Luckily a few seconds later the road was indeed lit up like a Christmas tree as the cavalry arrived and we were able to treat him without fear of getting shot. We ended up taking our patient to hospital who had minor injuries. They were just surface wounds which we dressed on scene and would probably need stitches. It was all a much to do about nothing really but that wasn't the point. We were sent into an extremely dangerous situation with possible knifes and guns without any back up whatsoever. How on earth can that happen?!

"Sorry guys, that message was meant for another crew!"

That snippet was sent down the MDT. Bloody cheek! I didn't appreciate the exclamation mark on the end for starters. I didn't find it funny. We'd It was far to soon to be cracking gags as far as I was concerned. I was told it was safe to approach and it wasn't. What kind of idiots turn up to gun fight with a number 3 dressing and an OP airway?! The LAS! Luckily we'll be putting this one down as a near miss!

A Popcorn moment

"22 year old male, waving gun around, MPS request you meet at RVP"

The area of London I am based in is relatively quiet. Obviously, due to operational demand I'm nowhere near my base for a large percentage of the shifts but today I was. There were three of us on the vehicle today and we were sat, minding our business tucking into a now cold McDonalds breakfast. I almost choked on my hash brown when this job popped up on the MDT, the location was a very nice road and we don't get gun crime round here! We shot round to the RVP and waited for the police. We were joined by one of our DSO's who handed us ballistic vests. Why we needed ballistic vests I don't know. There was more chance of me ending religious feuding than there was me being anywhere near a gun toting mad man. Besides, as is the case with firearms incidents we are there as a 'just in case' rather than to treat. Despite my sarcastic comments, vocal protest and petulant stamping of feet I was shoe-horned into the vest. It was of no surprise the DSO didn't have one on! He would be 'managing' from a far. I sense 'operation human shield' being to into effect. Bloody cheek!

Eventually the cops arrived and they did so in force! Wow! 4 x SO19 (firearms) vehicle, 4 x police cars, 1 x police van, 1 x dog unit and an incident officer of some sort. The tax payers money was hard at work! After a quick briefing where we were basically told to stay in the ambulance unless told otherwise, we headed round to the address. By that, I mean the convoy of 13 vehicles drove the 1/2 mile, on blue lights, reminiscent of a scene from the Blues Brothers! Obviously in my head the A-Team music was playing and I was revelling in the drama of the entire situation. My crew mate thought I was sad act and the student looked terrified but I didn't care. This was all about me and the fun I was having! We weren't going fast but when we pulled up to the road but there were squeals of breaks from most of the vehicles. Lets not kid ourselves, everyone loves it! They all piled out. The armed police head up the path, leading to front door of the building. Everyone else hung back, clearly thinking what we were. 'I ain't getting shot!'

We sat back, slurping on our flat coke like we were watching S.W.A.T at the cinema and watched the the pile into the building. Unfortunately there were no smoke screens, flash grenades, laser sights, zip lines or anything like that. In fact there was nothing. No door kicked in, no screaming and certainly no gun shots! Dullard! About 10 minutes later, out they came. In handcuffs, was a pathetic looking, tubby Indian guy who looked hungover and bemused. He was wearing jog bottoms and flip flops. Not exactly the Cuban crime lord I was hoping for. He was initially put into the police van, and then at the request of the Incident Commander he was brought to our ambulance to be strip searched. We were basically told to Foxtrot Oscar while this happened so stood in the cold with the DSO. I couldn't resist a swipe about removing my ballistic vest! I was desperate to find out the coup but no one seemed free to be interrogated. Eventually I collared one of them!

"So?! What happened?!"

"Nothing! He was sat on the edge of his bed, smoking a fag, holding a 'Gun Lighter'. 

"Awkward!"