'People don't realise how at risk they are': A day with an ambulance service in a heatwave

Image caption, Fifty-five-year-old Andrew was the crew's first call-out of the day By Chloe Hayward , Health reporter  and  Hugh Pym , Health editor Published 26 minutes ago Suffering from asthma and a chronic lung condition, 55-year-old Andrew is distressed, overheating and struggling to breathe or talk. Exeter paramedics Connor Gilronan and Charlotte Sherston give him medication and oxygen, and remind him to stay cool and hydrated. This is a typical callout for the ambulance crew in South West England, who in one of Britain's longest-lasting heatwaves , are tending to cases from heat exhaustion to stroke patients. The BBC joined them on one of their shifts. Once Andrew's medication kicks in, his breathing eases and the paramedics decide he is safe to stay at home. Major emergencies are rare for ambulance services, whose visits are largely spent caring for the elderly or those with chronic health conditions, the paramedics told the BBC. Both Charlotte and Connor were also on shift in the record-breaking heat last month and say the health risks of heatwaves are often misunderstood. Image caption, Exeter paramedics Connor Gilronan and Charlotte Sherston on their shift during one of Britain's longest-lasting heatwaves "Winter pressures are nothing compared to heatwave pressures," says Charlotte, who is working alongside colleague. Connor agrees. "People die in heatwaves. Not because they were out running around or taking risks, but because they're elderly and don't realise how at risk they are," he says. As they finish paperwork between callouts they tell the BBC of visiting houses where people were wearing jumpers or even had the heating on because they didn't know how to turn it off. To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, Top tips from paramedics as temperatures soar The very young as well as the elderly are less able to thermoregulate their bodies, meaning complications from getting too hot can be very serious. Those with chronic conditions are also at elevated risk, as symptoms from existing conditions are intensified. These health risks pile pressure on an already stretched service. In the June heatwave the South Western Ambulance services received a record number of emergency 999 calls: about 3,000 incidents a day are typically reported in the peak of winter, a number rising to over 4,000 in the heatwave. "Our number of calls tracks the temperature - it's a very correlated trend," says Dr John Martin, chief executive of the South West Ambulance Service. The trust covers 10,000 square miles – from Cornwall to Swindon – and expects further pressure this week, not only from heat‑related illness but also from water‑related injuries and drownings, which spike during hot weather. Further north, the South Western Ambulance Service (SWASFT) in North Somerset said it had dealt with its busiest ever day in June , "completely beyond anything it has ever experienced". Ima