Venice 24/7

Venice is masked by sheets of snow. The emergency services negotiate choppy waters to deal with daily hazards as well as life-and-death emergencies. There's a sunken boat to rescue, an elderly lady with a suspected stroke and, in this city built on wood, the most dreaded call of all - fire. We see how Venice deals with thousands of tonnes of rubbish, turning it into power which is fed back into the city. Venice may be over 1,000 years old, but staying afloat requires 21st-century innovation.

One of the most famous events in the Venetian calendar is Carnevale. This ancient tradition, meaning 'meat is allowed', celebrates all things decadent in the run-up to Lent. Kicking off celebrations is a 400-metre descent from St Mark's Campanile by a young Venetian girl. There's a tourist who's had a suspected drug overdose, a beauty pageant, undercover police hot on the tail of thieves and a dead body found near St Mark's Square. In a season where anything goes, the emergency teams have their work cut out reining the city in

The city is on lock-down, with the Pope visiting for the first time in a quarter of a century. There's a fractious relationship between Venice and the Vatican and it's a risky occasion for all involved, so security is tight and the emergency teams are on high alert. There are the specially-selected papal gondoliers carrying on the family tradition, vital underwater security sweeps and tension as police attempt to shut down Grand Canal.

The art world descends on Venice for the Biennale, a six-month long festival.