M

Y heroes for the day were station officer Dave Dickens, 54, who has been a paramedic for 30 years and his work partner George Johnson, 48, who has given 22 years' service.

They have been working together for about seven years.

I also chatted to technician John Heath, 28 and paramedic Steve Hall, 36, who were the relief crew for the four-day shift.

They began their shift by washing the ambulance and checking that all the equipment was in working order and they had all the supplies they would need for any emergency. There were a number of other paramedics on site carrying out exercises, as Northwich is also a training centre.

Dave and George's current vehicle is about three years old and is dedicated to Jonathon Hitchings, a former station officer who died from cancer in 2002. There is a gold plaque inside the ambulance.

No sooner was that done then a call came through and we were on our way to Knutsford. I was impressed with the satellite navigation system that helps the crews reach their destination with ease.

At our destination Dave and George brought the patient to the ambulance and carried out a number of checks before treating her.

In this instance Dave was treating the patient and George was supplying him with everything he needed.

They would switch roles for the next job. When the patient was stable we drove to Macclesfield Hospital. When that job was finished the radio went again and this time it was a non-emergency and Dave and George were asked to transport a patient from home to another hospital.

I noticed the calm and professional way the two men operated. They hardly seemed to communicate but knew exactly what the other was doing and needed.

Dave said: "That's the benefit of working with someone for a number of years and getting on with each other."

I was also impressed with their 'bedside manner'.

As well as contending with all the traffic and treating patients they were very polite and considerate and put the patients as ease.

They cover Northwich, Winsford, Sandbach and Crewe so they can be travelling long distances back and forth all day but can also be called further a field.

Steve said: "You could get a call as soon as you come on shift and then be on the road for the whole of that shift."

When they are not on the road there is plenty of administration and ordering supplies to be done at the station.

D

ealing with difficult situations and horrific accidents is all part of a paramedic's job.

Back at the station I spoke to John and Steve about how they deal with these incidents and get on with their jobs and their lives.

It was very interesting to see how they deal with the pressures of the job and to hear about their experiences. There is a counselling service for all staff, which offers support and advice. But it seems that they all offer each other a lot of help and support, which gets them through.

John said: "You do go to bad jobs but you try to put them out of you mind. When you are there you just get on with you job.

"People have different ways of picking you up and helping with any problems. You can sit and talk about it with them."

Steve said: "People are great when you first start. Everyone has been there and has dealt with bad accidents. They bring you through and help you on."

John added: "When you are at a bad job your adrenalin kicks in and you just want to do your job, and it takes a while to come down.

"You put the bad jobs out of your mind, especially when you meet a real character and people like that remind you that it is all worthwhile. It is also funny hearing about the sorts of situations people get themselves into."

But all four of them agreed that it was a great job.

Steve said: "We don't have big egos or anything. Most people in the service are fairly quiet, no-one is in it for the hero status. We don't expect praise because it's our job.

"It is a hugely interesting job and no two days are the same."

George, who was awarded a long service medal for his 21 years but did not go to the presentation, said: "It is a great job, demanding and rewarding. I didn't go to the do as I am not into all that - I just want to get on with my job."

Dave said: "I would highly recommend it and you have got to be a jack of all trades as one minute you are delivering a baby, the next resuscitating a patient, treating elderly people or at a crash site."

John added: "It's about job satisfaction and even after 30 years you could come across something new."

I found my time with the crews to be very interesting and informative and they were very friendly. It certainly showed that they love their jobs.

They say they are not in it for the hero status - well they are all heroes to me.

PARAMEDICS are just a phone call away from saving people's lives.

They get the call, rush to the scene, treat patients and hit the road again.

So who are they, these heroes in green?

Reporter Joanna Driscoll went along to spend some time with paramedics of the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust at the Northwich station in Kenmare Bank.

FACT AND FIGURES

o The Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust serves the population of Cheshire and Merseyside, some 2.4million people in an area of nearly 1,200 square miles.

o There are 1,100 dedicated staff, of whom 900 are operational, and provide high quality care, transport and treatment. There are 336 operational and support vehicles, working from 35 ambulance stations throughout the region.

o Ambulances are directed from the Emergency Medical Despatch Centre in Liverpool and from the Patient Transport Service Control Centre in Chester, which use advanced radio, IT and telecommunications systems to provide effective resource monitoring, despatch and communication.

o The Emergency Paramedic Service responds to more than 250,000 '999' and other high dependency calls received each year.

o In recent years the role of the Emergency Medical Despatch Centre has also been expanded to provide professional care and guidance over the telephone before the arrival of the ambulance.

o The annual cost of providing the Emergency Paramedic Service to the people of Cheshire and Merseyside is £12.60 per head of population.