Shropshire Star

Video: Flying Shropshire paramedic Tom a humble hero

He is one of the heroes of the Alton Towers tragedy – but for paramedic Tom Waters it was just another day at work.

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The 27-year-old today spoke of the drama and how it has heightened awareness of the Midlands Air Ambulance as it celebrates its 25th year.

Mr Waters was sent out to the scene of The Smiler crash in June, where 12 thrill-seekers were trapped on The Smiler rollercoaster after it crashed into the back of an empty carriage.

The paramedic, who is born and bred in Ludlow, was one of the first medics on the scene after he arrived by air ambulance from RAF Cosford. For hours he worked tirelessly to help rescue the victims, including Leah Washington, Joe Pugh, Vicky Balch and Daniel Thorpe, in tricky surroundings as the carriage was suspended 25ft above the ground on its tracks.

From this rescue mission Mr Waters was given a Pride of Britain award in October along with crew members Ben Clark and David Cooper.

The critical care paramedic said he was "humbled" to be given the award, but it was just a normal day at work.

He is reluctant to speak in detail of the rescue, but says it has helped Midlands Air Ambulance by showing the public just how valuable it is in the event of a major emergency.

"It was great to be given the Pride of Britain award," he said. "But I was just doing my job. The best thing to come out of winning was that it helped raise the profile of the charity, which is great.

"I was very humbled to be given the award, it really was something."

Midlands Air Ambulance is not funded by government and relies on £7million in donations each year to carry out its work.

As well as working for the air ambulance service, Mr Waters also works for West Midlands Ambulance Service, which is how he got involved with the charity.

After hearing Midlands Air Ambulance was recruiting he decided to give it a go despite being the youngest to put his name forward.

He said: "I have been with the air ambulance for about four to five years, and even now I still get that buzz when then you take off in the helicopter. It really is a privilege to be able to do that.

"But before I started here I was just at West Midlands Ambulance Service, who I still work for now.

"We were told that the air ambulance were recruiting so I had to put my name forward. I was told it was very competitive and that it would be tough, and despite being the youngest, I managed to pass all my training and I was chosen to join.

"It is a very challenging job, but it does have many rewards.

"The job various so much, as we never know what we are going to be called out to.

"But you always know you are going out to someone who really needs your help and you know that you can deliver a high standard of care to any patient. What we do saves lives and that is just amazing to know."

Despite the air ambulance helping more than 43,000 people since it launched in 1991, Mr Waters says it's rare they keep in touch with casualties they've helped.

He said: "What we do is get to the scene quickly where a land ambulance may not be able to reach. Then we give them the care they need before taking them to hospital.

"So we rarely hear of any patients we have helped, but I have recently met someone I helped and that was great."

Two months after the Alton Towers accident Mr Waters, who now lives in Birmingham, met 18-year-old Leah Washington at her home in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, where she thanked him along with Ben Clark and Philippa Gibbs, from the air ambulance, for saving her life.

Miss Washington lost half of her left leg after the crash, and recently donated almost £7,000 to the nurses who helped her recover at Royal Stoke University Hospital with her boyfriend Joe Pugh, 19.

As well as working for both emergency services, Mr Waters spent time on Sierra Leone in 2014 helping to fight Ebola. His time out there was spent with Newport doctor Martin Deahl, as well as Glaswegian nurse Pauline Cafferkey who caught Ebola.

He said he enjoyed the challenge he faced out there. "The government wanted to send out British medical staff," he said. "As I had previously spent time helping people with Denga flu in other countries, I knew what I was getting myself into.

This year the charity turns 25 and there will be a host of activities taking place throughout the year to celebrate.

  • For more information on the charity visit www.midlandsairambulance.com

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