Maddie Smith

Two members of an ambulance crew were required to jump over the railings of Ouse bridge in York and into the river to rescue an agitated patient.
The incident occurred at 3am on Saturday the 27th of January.
The crew had been alerted of a situation with two intoxicated women, who had become disorderly and a risk to themselves.
Sean Dooley, the emergency medical technician that was called to the scene, said: “She ran and jumped over the railings of the bridge, when we got there she was hanging over the railings with her friend at her side.
“I stripped off my personal protective equipment, my belt my radio and stuff, and I jumped over the railings to get hold of her friend to try and persuade her back over.” He said.
“We helped the friend back over the railings to a place of safety, then the girl let go of the railings and fell down into the water, so we jumped down after her.”
The two medics brought the patient to safety on a ledge in the river, as the water was too high for them to bring her onto the bank. They waited for an hour before they were collected by a rescue boat.
She was then taken downriver to an awaiting ambulance who gave her emergency treatment for hypothermia before being taken to the accident and emergency department at York District Hospital on Wigginton Road.

Mr Dooley and a Yorkshire Ambulance Service emergency ambulance.

Mr Dooley said: “I’m not aware of why or how the incident happened, all we know is that she was on the bridge at the time and we were called down to help her.”
In addition to the two ambulance crews, also involved were York Fire and Rescue Service, and North Yorkshire Police.
The young woman was treated for her injuries and has now made a full recovery following the incident.