As we slowly but surely transitioned from yellow, to amber and even in some circumstances to red – the most severe of weather warnings, the public were facing a growing consensus not to travel unless it was deemed to be necessary.
That was except for the emergency services teams who are stationed throughout the country. In the face of weather adversity, it was our emergency services teams who were gathering their emergency response equipment and in turn venturing out into uncertain conditions. They were risking their lives to ensure that we were safe or are provided with a helping-hand should we find ourselves in need.
As people inevitably were becoming stuck on roads or in other situations, it was the tireless work of the emergency services who were deploying their equipment to perform their procedures and save lives.
Heroic rescues
For example, a joint operation from Durham & Darlington forces saw emergency response equipment used to rescue the driver of a Mini who had careered off the road as a result of the atrocious driving conditions. Fortunately, the skilled execution that took place as part of this multi-agency response resulted in a successful rescue. An injured woman was flown to a hospital, thanks to the emergency services not allowing themselves to be beaten by the extreme weather conditions. After receiving a call, a double-crewed ambulance and hazardous area response team were sent to the scene, with help from the coastguard, the woman was taken to a hospital in Newcastle. Outlining the all-round effort by the emergency services to keep us safe in very difficult conditions.
Plummeting temperatures
Temperatures over the recent few days dropped in some cases to feel as low as -11 degrees, but this did nothing to halt the tireless efforts of our emergency services. Working through the night in such freezing temperatures is no simple task. But it was our emergency services who worked without rest through the night, using all varieties of emergency response and rescue equipment to suit all different situations faced with.
Snow drifts and motorway chaos
Rescuing people who were becoming stuck due to the developing snow drifts; in some cases, reported as high as five feet. As more and more motorists became stuck, notably on the M62 where around 200 vehicles were stuck overnight, our emergency services were consistently on hand to help anyone in need. Heroic work like this should not go without noticing. It should also not go without mentioning the work of members of the public who also risked their own lives to help rescue people becoming stuck due to the snow, providing hot food and blankets.
At YPO, we have a framework in place for the purchasing of emergency response equipment. Find out more about our Emergency Response Equipment framework or contact us for more information.
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