Topic: Emergency Rescue (Read 5276 times)

Chris Bower · « **on:** January 22, 2008, 12:22:56 pm »

I'm researching a new primetime BBC1 series provisionally called Emergency Rescue.

I am looking for stories from the last 10 years which match the following criteria:
The story involves at least one person from the UK;
The rescuer is a member of the public, or has to improvise in order to overcome difficult conditions;
The story must NOT involve any fatalities.

If the story is particularly good we can overlook the first 2 criteria, but the must not involve fatalities in any circumstances.

If you are aware of any stories you think may be relevant please get in touch with me using any of the methods below. Please note it isn't necessary for the story to involve caving.

Many thanks

Chris
chris.bower@talkbackthames.tv
020 7861 8295
07736 225 014

SamT · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2008, 02:40:40 pm »

Like '999' Micheal Burke then.

Cave_Troll · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2008, 04:11:23 pm »

but "accidental heros" rather than the fire brigade.

cap 'n chris · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2008, 04:52:42 pm »

Won't this just reinforce the "Caving is dangerous, only foolish people would do it; I'm never going caving, therefore I'm sensible" viewpoint of the TV-watching* populace at large?

* 66% of cavers in our online poll either don't own or watch TV, or don't know what a TV is or failed to understand the question, link here: http://ukcaving.com/board/index.php/topic,5515.20.html

Slov01 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2008, 04:59:21 pm »

How about a programme where people go caving. Nothing bad happens. No fatalities. The end. I prefer those ones.

SamT · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2008, 05:38:04 pm »

Quote from: Slov01 on January 22, 2008, 04:59:21 pm

How about a programme where people go caving. Nothing bad happens. No fatalities. The end. I prefer those ones.

Hear hear - I agree with both Capt and Slov.

I doubt your going to get a meaningful response on these pages I'm afraid.

Cavers tend to be modest bunch, You'll get humorous anecdotes about epics perhaps, but acts of 'heroism' tend to be glossed over - or understated.

They certainly don't like to draw attention to accidents and the like. Our sport is already mis aligned and mis understood by the general populous, and as Chris says - 999/Rescue sensationalised and dramatised TV programs certainly don't help.

Try the local rags, they like mis-interpreting non events into full blown epics.

Getwet · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2008, 05:45:45 pm »

Well said mrT

Andy Sparrow · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2008, 06:32:23 pm »

I have heroically rescued numerous fat and inept juvenile cavers from the bottom of Goatchurch's Trademan's Entrance. Will that do?

Elaine · « **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2008, 07:09:32 pm »

I had to put myself at risk in a rescue situation in Lionel's Hole once. My chocolate bar fell down a crack between two rocks. It took a lot of manoevering etc, but eventually I got it. And no one died, though the chocolate did get eaten.

AndyF · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2008, 07:23:15 pm »

I presume you are a "for profit" company, so what is your budget to pay the people whose help you are seeking....?

Alan Brentnall · « **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2008, 07:36:11 pm »

I once rescued half a dozen ducklings from certain death from the stream above the Golblin Shaft. Had to take my helmet off to carry them out, so I was definitely taking a big risk.

(I think we've probably already had a thread about this sort of thing).

Mind you, I nearly killed them then feeding them bits of meat & potatoe pie ... javascript:void(0);
thumbsdown

SamT · « **Reply #11 on:** January 22, 2008, 07:51:18 pm »

Hang on - we've got it the wrong way round - Chris wants stories about members of the public - rescuing cavers.

I was rescued from almost certain death via thirst following a caving trip by a heroic publican the other night

Les W · « **Reply #12 on:** January 22, 2008, 07:53:33 pm »

Roger Dors has rescued me from a similar predicament many times.

Hughie · « **Reply #13 on:** January 22, 2008, 09:48:54 pm »

Actually, Roger desrves some sort of Heroes reward for his efforts. I find the late night cauliflower cheese (with a bonus slice of ham) particularly heroic!

Dep · « **Reply #14 on:** January 23, 2008, 12:45:15 am »

I saw this post earlier today and made a little bet with myself what sort of response it would get from the general posters on this forum - yup!
Well said all.
The only heroically epic things I have ever done have usually been just after I have just done something heroically stupid - so on the grand clever/stupid scale of heroism I'm still just average. (and highly unlikely to ever disclose just what the stupid things were!)

...and Alan; you don't feed meat and potato pie to ducklings - you put them in it!

Christian_Chourot · « **Reply #15 on:** January 23, 2008, 09:04:36 am »

I think you're all being very mean. I'm not afraid to share a real tale of heroism.

I recently came across a very distressed caver. He was completely illequiped for the subterrainean environment with no helmet, light or warm clothing. He hadn't even rigged a rope to get down the entrance shaft and we think he had been swept at the entrance and somehow survived the fall. My friend and I were worried about moving him but we knew that without our help he'd almost certainly die. We came up with a plan to get him out of the cave, improvising a strecher out of the tackle bag that we had with us. By this time, he wasn't talking, could barely move and so we acted quickly.

Together we hauled him out to the cave entrance, completely surprised that it didn't seem to take any extra/superhuman effort. I guess that's the increased adrenaline from the situation. Once at the entrance he perked up immensely and we knew he'd probably be ok - such a relief!

And here he is today:

http://snipurl.com/cave_rescue_2007

MSD · « **Reply #16 on:** January 23, 2008, 09:11:25 am »

How do you know it was a "he"? Just curious.

ditzy · « **Reply #17 on:** January 23, 2008, 09:26:02 am »

heres one we got from water icicle, came out in the camers bag

wormster · « **Reply #18 on:** January 23, 2008, 09:31:48 am »

Gerr

Another fe$king jurno type trying to make us look bad again,

when will "they" realize that we don't want or need anymore adverse publicity,

NACK OFF

Christian_Chourot · « **Reply #19 on:** January 23, 2008, 10:44:29 am »

Quote from: wormster on January 23, 2008, 09:31:48 am

Another fe$king jurno type trying to make us look bad again,

To be fair, I don't think the intention was to make us look bad. At least they have been open about what they are doing! I doubt that people outside caving actually consider the effects of reporting on accidents in a sensationalist way to be all that harmful - after all, we're all daft aren't we for doing something so 'inherently unsafe', normal people don't try caving do they and couldn't possibly be put off!

It might be nice to have the opportunity to show people that we're a resposible bunch who don't actually drain taxes and waste the time of emergancy services by being perpetually rescued from the ends of the earth! I'm aware that people would never believe it though, it really doesn't matter how you explain it, to them caving must be daft, it's just common sense...

wormster · « **Reply #20 on:** January 23, 2008, 11:24:21 am »

Quote from: Christian_Chourot on January 23, 2008, 10:44:29 am

It might be nice to have the opportunity to show people that we're a responsible bunch who don't actually drain taxes and waste the time of emergency services by being perpetually rescued from the ends of the earth! I'm aware that people would never believe it though, it really doesn't matter how you explain it, to them caving must be daft, it's just common sense...

I have to agree with you on this point, the bbc thingy with Kate Humble *almost* managed to do this. (watched it again the other night, its a bit sensationalist at times, but otherwise a well made tv program.)

bubba · « **Reply #21 on:** January 23, 2008, 11:42:21 am »

Quote from: Chris Bower on January 22, 2008, 12:22:56 pm

The story must NOT involve any fatalities.
....
Please note it isn't necessary for the story to involve caving.

What is everyone's problem with the original post - how is trying to make cavers look bad?

wormster · « **Reply #22 on:** January 23, 2008, 11:50:33 am »

Quote from: bubba on January 23, 2008, 11:42:21 am

Quote from: Chris Bower on January 22, 2008, 12:22:56 pm
The story must NOT involve any fatalities.
....
Please note it isn't necessary for the story to involve caving.

What is everyone's problem with the original post - how is trying to make cavers look bad?

Ok bubba, here goes:

had climbed to the top of ularu for the second time in two years as I was comming down the chains, an old fella was on his way up, looking v. doggy, I stopped and gave him a drink of water, whilst he drank he calmed down enough to carry on to the top and get back down.

does this qualify??

bubba · « **Reply #23 on:** January 23, 2008, 12:07:29 pm »

It's not for me to say - i can't imagine anyone wanting to film you giving somebody a drink of water though.

paul · « **Reply #24 on:** January 23, 2008, 12:27:26 pm »

I know a lot of stuff written by journalists and made into TV programmes are sensationalist and sometimes downright incorrect, but how about playing Devil's Advocate:

There have been TV programmes concentrating on Cave Rescue (and Mountain Rescue) such as "999", "Cutting Edge - Cave Resue", to name a few.

As a result of these specific examples being broadcast, has there been any negative affects on caving? Have there been any positive affects?

Author Topic: Emergency Rescue (Read 5276 times)