Braving the Storm

Synopsis

Get ready to be propelled into the skies for the ride of your life in this brand new, high octane, helicopter emergency ambulance series set in the stunning landscape of the North of England.

The Great North Air Ambulance's three helicopters carry specialist trauma doctors and paramedics to some of the most remote parts of Britain's landscape reaching seriously injured patients in minutes. Air Medics follows every gritty moment with camera directors on scene and multiple mini-cams on board, combined with air to air filming recorded in High Definition. As a result, this series is a mixture of mind-blowing cinematic landscapes with heart-warming stories of survival, and extraordinary feats performed by ordinary, local heroes.

Stormy weather threatens to ground the Pride of Cumbria helicopter high in the mountains of the Lake District while asthmatic patient Jim lies shivering and injured on the cold rocks; in the east the Guardian of the North helicopter struggles to get to 17-year-old Emma whose car has been impaled on a cattle grid severely breaking both her legs. And just when the storms finally abate, the whipped-up North Sea drags a coastguard out to sea then crushes him against rocks, leaving him seriously injured. The land ambulance can't reach him - so his only chance of getting urgent treatment is in the hands of the Great North Air Ambulance. The problem is, the high waves near the patient might be too dangerous for the helicopter to land without bringing disaster on them all.

Credits

Presenter

Paul McGann

Director

Anna Keel

Producer

Amanda Reilly

Producer

Neil McDonald

Broadcasts

1. Fri 17 Apr 2009
   20:30
   BBC One (except Scotland)
2. Fri 17 Jul 2009
   19:30
   BBC One (Scotland only)