Tuesday 3rd June 2014 – 10.45pm – Claire Brown.
An unconscious woman was given emergency treatment on a narrow boat in Birmingham earlier this evening.
West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to reports of an unconscious woman on a narrow boat on a canal near Sherborne Street in Ladywood shortly before 6.30pm this evening (Tuesday). A motorcycle paramedic, an ambulance crew, specialist paramedics from the Trust’s Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and a MERIT trauma doctor attended the scene.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “The woman, believed to be in her 50s, was unconscious on board the narrow boat when the motorcycle paramedic and ambulance crew arrived. Unsure how and when the woman became unconscious and due to the difficult access and confined location of the patient, the trauma doctor and HART were requested.
“Due to the woman’s condition, the medic took the decision to anaesthetise her on scene. Once stabilised, HART along with ambulance colleagues then began the difficult process of carefully extricating her from the narrow boat and into the nearby awaiting ambulance using specialist carrying equipment.
“The woman was taken on blue lights to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, a regional trauma centre, for further emergency treatment. The doctor travelled in the ambulance to continue observations and treatment en route.
“This case was an excellent example of teamwork between the Trust’s varied and specialist front line roles.”
ENDS