“As soon as I looked at him, I knew it was bad. The burns were substantial and the skin across his face and chest was already starting to come away.”
A mum from Cumbria has hailed the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) as ‘invaluable’ after her toddler suffered horrific burns following an accident at home.
Beth Smith, 24, from Wigton, and her partner Rob Carruthers were in the kitchen of their home back in January of this year when 17-month-old Rory managed to get through his baby gate.
Beth said: “It started out like any other day, Rory’s dad Rob and I were in the kitchen chatting and having a cup of tea. We put our cups on the side as we were talking and then it all happened so fast.
“Rory had got through the baby gate and had stood on his tippy toes then reached up onto the side and grabbed one of the cups and poured it over his head and all over himself. “
Beth said: “As soon as I looked at him, I knew it was bad. The burns were substantial and the skin across his face and chest was already starting to come away.
“I have never ever heard a scream like it from Rory and Rob was really panicking at this point.”
The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) were on the other end of the phone and guided Beth and Rob on what to do to help Rory.
Beth said: “They told us to prepare for the fact that Rory could potentially go unconscious from the pain or shock and told us to keep him in the shower with the cold water on him.
“Within five minutes the paramedics from NWAS had arrived and they took one look at him and said we needed the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).”
GNAAS’ critical care team comprising of doctor Will Passmore, paramedic Andy Dalton and pilot Mik Kingham, arrived on scene within 15 minutes, landing in a field behind the couple’s home.
Beth said: “We ran from our house with the paramedics, through the neighbour’s house to meet the crew outside where they had landed, and Rob was carrying Rory in his arms.
“We had to try and get over a fence, so we passed Rory to the GNAAS’ pilot and then I climbed over.
“The doctor and paramedic were so calm and made us feel completely at ease as I was so worried about judgement around what had happened.
“It was so traumatic, and Rory was still screaming and very distressed, but they settled him straight away with medication.
The Pride of Cumbria II helicopter flew Beth and Rory to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle where he was immediately taken to resus.
Beth said: “When we got to hospital, it felt like there were 100 people around us trying to help when we got to hospital and that is when the guilt really hit for me and I thought that this is a huge deal.
“The doctors were asking me what had happened, and it was just a lot to take in but they reassured me it happens more often than you would think.”
Rory was in the RVI for a week before being allowed to return home to Cumbria with his parents.
Beth said: “Although Rory was fine in himself he had a special hat on to protect the burns on his face and chin and bandages everywhere but he was trying his best to play with the toys and interact with the nurses.
“The doctors were worried Rory might need a skin graft so we went back to the RVI three days after getting home but they said he was fine and everything was healing as it should which was a total relief.”
Beth added: “We feel so lucky that GNAAS were able to come and help us when we needed them, and we just can’t get over how amazing the team was with us that day.
“We’ve since been told without GNAAS, Rory might have not been able to get to the RVI until the following day and by then the outcome could have been so different.
“The service is absolutely invaluable.”
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