Flying with London's air ambulance - BBC London

It almost didn't get off the ground because people thought it was too noisy but nearly 40,000 missions later, London's air ambulance has become a permanent fixture in the skies above the capital. As it celebrates its 30th anniversary, Karl Mercer has been given exclusive access behind the scenes to find out the secrets to its success.

[@bonzty]

"It almost didn't get off the ground because people thought it was too noisy". how selfish can one be? i live next to the air ambulance station in Hamburg, Ger. Everytime i hear those flying heroes I am thankful for their service.

[@1stachu940]

yep

[@paulaustin3737]

Don't worry people here move next to Heathrow then have the cheek to write and complain about air noise! you can't teach stupid

[@ismaelamaro2451]

C. Cc cicpddm0dkw0skweknxix x xkokxnnxomkxnkxkxnxox oxkdmxoxmxpdmd🟤😂🇦🇩😌🤍🇦🇩😐🤍😂🇦🇩😂🇦🇩😂🤩🤍😐😜😌😂❤️🇦🇪🧐😌🇦🇪🧐

[@CentaurisNomadus]

@@paulaustin3737 We are in need of evaluating the time priority. Aircrafts definitely need to get quieter. It is an adeism, but people are first responsible for their own health. Anyway, I am thankful that the unknown (to me, i was very little boy) doctor helped to save my health after a two-meter cabinet just hit my head, because i was stupid enough to try to hide at the top of it. And my parents, of course, they suffered to keep me away of getting dead.

[@jasonrippentrop7314]

I couple years ago there was a homeowner that filed a complaint and a lawsuit against the City of Chicago and O'Hare International Airport because he said the noise from incoming aircraft was too loud and they should be paying to sound proof his home further or outright buy it from him. The Reporter that interviewed him asked him how long he'd owned the home and he said only like 5-10 years; to which the response was so your telling us that you purchased a house, in the direct flight path of a the runways to the busiest international Airport in the world, an Airport that has been here much longer than you and you want to complain?? He didn't think that was funny at all but everybody else did.

[@cherrytop6966]

Can we just remember these guys work to make you safe 24/7, even on Christmas Day

[@mayornnaise7331]

First Responders deserve more credit than they are given. You literally can get medical, fire, or police assistance at any time of the day. 24/7, 365. It doesn’t matter if it’s a holiday or not. The fact that they have to run on charity is saddening.

[@Nick-xc4fy]

Not quite sure how 47 people can dislike this video... Dislike saving lives or what?

[@g.r.4853]

Because stupidity cannot be fixed and some laws allege these might be human so you cannot eliminate them either.

[@eliadbu]

I find that now matter which video if it has enough views statistically it's guaranteed to have some dislikes even tough it might be insignificant percentage. it's like some users just put dislike on every video they see no matter what they think about it.

[@wilfbm9067]

Jealous Americans

[@afirgaming]

@@wilfbm9067 Agreed.

[@wilfbm9067]

@@afirgaming thanks for agreeing but ew pacer 🤢

[@maiconjunior2303]

The skyline of London is beautiful.

[@THELANKANCOMRADE]

Maicon Junior New York is better

[@fod1855]

THE AMERICAN PATRIOT New York is completely different

[@THELANKANCOMRADE]

FOD yeah it is...

[@gary63693]

I am from Britain, but my desktop wallpaper is of New York

[@manualvarado2212]

@@gary63693 Guanare's skyline is so much better.

[@colesiebert6829]

Mad respect for this team

[@sadmansami2052]

I love UK. I have visited this beautiful country. It's my second most favourite country. UK is great ❤

[@nt6590]

It's not that great lol it's full of Gangs guns and drugs with the worst crime rate then la lol

[@krashd]

@@nt6590 Clearly you don't know anything about the UK it seems.

[@nt6590]

@@krashd I live here u idiot

[@welovemoistybutter7570]

U might wanna visit more countries if ya think the uk is great

[@olliebon1591]

Some of the best reporting the BBC have done

[@nutella5404]

My boyfriend’s uncle works for the air ambulance up in Scotland and I can see where he flies as his helicopter shows up on radar most of the time

[@_Deanooooo_]

Absolutely take my hat off to every single person involved and all the sponsors! Such an amazing and necessary cause in today’s age! I fell off a table I was sitting on while being fed, my mum had taken her eyes off me for 2 seconds at just under 2 years old and I realistically was dead and the air ambulance saved me not in the UK but such an amazing cause you never know when it could be you that’s saved from death

[@claudiocarbone2225]

Respect for this guys from Italy!

[@niazgulhazarboz9043]

4:01 Respect . Bless you all . Thank you.

[@pleximan2008]

Bless you all guys 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@AdrianGilbert-ym6rw]

thank you for having you London's air ambulance Will all love you

[@mrsb5646]

Dr Gareth Davies is the most amazing man, I saw a video on here the other day all about flying doctors in London, it was from 1993 and Dr Davies was there then and is still there now. That’s one man that’s dedicated his whole life to saving.

[@jamiesmith7883]

He’s been with the London air ambulance since day one and I believe he’s now the clinical director for the air ambulance

[@smudgekenobi7126]

Incredible, outstanding job. So much credit to the men and women of the team!

[@TheMicroPilot]

These have guys have a dream job!! Would love to see a documentary on the aviation side of it all!

[@glogmat]

Thank You for your service! Current situation shows what’s really important!

[@krishwashere2]

You guys are all absolute legends! Stay safe out there!

[@clanmclaren1244]

Actual Angels that come from the sky to save lives

[@mintberrycrunch6657]

Dr. Cosmo Scurr, quite the cool name ^^ (2:06)

[@jes2447]

True heroes. Good luck guys!

[@fahdahmad7103]

Proud to share that in my current job as an avionics design engineer at Oxford airport, I have completed my first project on London Air Ambulance’s newly acquired H135 aircraft.

[@Dutchbird757]

Respect!

[@gillianadams4077]

Thanks for your service, l salute you all, your the best.

[@anthonykeane6906]

They all are doing such a fantastic job 👏 and keep up the fantastic work 👏

[@frankwitsey]

4:09 poor guy I hope he pulls through 🙌🏻

[@thatomolakeng9949]

Prayers up please 🙏

[@jaymayhoi]

this is very insightful and interesting, thanks!

[@maozedoinked8972]

Car *exists* Air Ambulance Crew *drives car*

[@chrissie1473]

Helicopter *am I a joke to you*

[@thefiestaguy8831]

Used when cloud or weather conditions make it impossible to operate, or their helicopter is in for maintenance.

[@jamesevans938]

thefiestaguy also used at night since the the civil aviation authority gives has rules about any helicopters at night need a pre checked landing sites and even though the civil aviation authority gives them alpha priority meaning they can land anywhere regardless of trespassing laws and other laws and they also are given priority in the air meaning air traffic control must give them priority takeoff and also means they are able to fly over airports instead of flying around them so if the fastest route is to fly over Heathrow it means all air traffic has to wait until the air ambulance has pasted unless a pilot of a different aircraft has made a mayday call because if a mayday call has been made then the air ambulance must wait. But unfortunately the civil aviation authority will not give any expectations to the pre checked landing sites at night Typically if the London air ambulance is down for maintenance the crew will still operate during the night using a car but during the day any calls will be given to Essex and herts air ambulance and the east anglian air ambulance since both air ambulance services operate two helicopters each and the Essex and herts air ambulance also covers London at night along side the London air ambulance in case they are needed at two jobs since the Essex and herts air ambulance have recently purchased and put into service four cars at the start of 2019 but only two vehicles are in service at one time. the only night when Essex and herts air ambulance are not operational is Thursday night but from the 1st of October 2019 they will be a fully 24/7 service

[@rcblitzfpv8346]

Plus air ambulance doctors are more trained then normal paramedics

[@nt6590]

@@jamesevans938 damn you know your stuff lol 😂

[@aimeesparkes290]

Wow what an incredible Air ambulance team and doctors ❤

[@loopylou6841]

Wow! Amazing work

[@1107861214ali]

Amazing work by London helicopters 🚁 team

[@yourneighborhoodwierdo8349]

nothing but respect for these guys

[@thehunterstruck]

It’s interesting seeing the fast response cars. Most of not all states over here in the USA don’t really have them, but some ambulances services do. It’s very interesting seeing how the do over in the UK

[@tinglydingle]

Lots of rapid response cars in the UK, they support and supplement our regular ambulances with patients requiring critical care such as major trauma or cardiac arrests.

[@adamh2277]

The London air ambulance is cool go keep making many videos that inspire people to be ambulance staff

[@mukool7477]

Respect for the team 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻❤

[@AdrianGilbert-ym6rw]

And thank you for your video mates

[@paramedicchrisbookseries]

They do an amazing job.

[@Albert-lebt-anders]

Me:in a different life, this would be my dream job. Also me: getting close to a heart attack when driving my car trough an unknown city.

[@grenzhochspannungshindernis]

very interesting job the pilots have, i would love to fly over a city like that 3:32

[@wkb9683]

Brilliant service. Discusting place to live.

[@WorldwideHypercars]

I see these helicopters take off and land from my apartment everyday! Fun to see when I am just at home watcing youtube

[@Abdullah-qn3zx]

That’s a dream job right there

[@Harihar_Patel]

Physically and mentally draining, a dream job is probably one where you are paid a lot to do very little and with little stress on the body and mind. This is anything but a dream job, as the crew are constantly under stress.

[@sambob5330]

If u saved someone it would be feel rewarding

[@MattiLoimaranta]

0:42 Elon musk in 30 years

[@panthera8115]

Hello @BBC What Camera did you use to film this? Pretty good Pictures, especially the night footage. regards.

[@paxundpeace9970]

'Berlin with a third of the inhabitants did have 2 air ambulances with above 3500 operations, one of them is stil running at night, at least there will be 18 additional doctors cars for medical service, all of this is paid by the general insurances of the patientens.

[@PeterNichtlustig0815]

Well. In Germany ther´re ~ 100 helicopters which are a standard means of transport here. And doctors in the prehospital phase are a crucial part in improving the outcome of the patient. That´s why there´s always a doc on seen when there´s a critical patient.

[@liamdoyle9559]

Isn’t that wonderful.

[@chloewilletts1534]

Great video keep it up

[@MrMrtommie]

Hats off to these hero’s ❤️

[@cavalon6488]

On a usual air ambulance you will see so much advertisement at the back because of how expensive these helicopters are to run

[@itsweb1584]

London's Air Ambulance used to be covered in stickers from sponsors. Not too sure where the funding comes from now (other than from donations from the public)

[@johngeorge5684]

Definitely wow

[@alexhill3578]

You saved my life

[@short_kenobi]

Just realised that they used the backing track of "demons" by imagine dragons at the end! Also brilliant video!

[@_emmaxx9]

This is my dream job !!!

[@humanlife2484]

Good air Ambulance sarvis great Britain🇬🇧

[@shazanali692]

I was watching a documentary about the same air ambulance on KZbin from 1997 I think and all you saw was canary wharf skyscraper and the NatWest tower and here we are 20 years later the whole city looks like Manhattan,. I and Chicago where I am at

[@lincolnwikipedia4218]

What is the name of that gpa 1:42 and where can I download it

[@VolareHelicopters]

Awesome!

[@jessm738]

If people ever say rude and disrespectful things about the air ambulance they should think about if they were ever in a serious incident and needed the air ambulance and if they would want the air ambulance to save their life or if they would just want the normal ambulance and could stand a smaller chance of survival.

[@margotrosendorn6371]

I hope these guys have a good counselor.

[@MrZachgonz]

Ive never seen ambulances with Doctors onboard.

[@Harihar_Patel]

Because it costs a lot of money, air ambulance is for the worst cases where a doctor would be of use with his or her specialist knowledge. You would want a consultant in emergency medicine on that helicopter.

[@mickbrown7578]

It is an obscenity that this device has to rely on charitable funding

[@100Mmore]

In Mexico every major hospital has at least one air ambulance, part of the hospital. Really strange why England doesn’t have one or two at their major hospitals.

[@Feedforwrardjames9]

It is very fascinating how to bring temp down to almost 18c , wondering how is it possibile

[@gayleralan]

Ice cubes up the bum ;)

[@elizabethkuchta5097]

PROUD TO YOU! NHS.ROYAL STOKE.

[@ilovejapan4367]

진짜 헬조선이였음 민원에 장난아닐듯ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

[@crocodile2501]

1:30 why is the ambulance manual?

[@liamhiggins70]

Because manual is better than automatic in the scenarios they will be in.

[@crocodile2501]

@@liamhiggins70 Yeah changing the gears might distract them a little while they are going fast with blue lights...

[@liamhiggins70]

@@crocodile2501 tell that to a rally driver.

[@camerond5871]

Crocodile in the UK the majority of cars are manual. This includes emergency vehicles.

[@jamiefenner123]

Manual cars are more common in the uk and manual gearboxes can cope better with the constant abuse of driving fast in the city

[@charlesmaguire6286]

In LINCOLNSHIRE and Nottinghamshire we have an air ambulance that is 24/7 and my god do we need it,we no longer have the amazing FLYING SQUAD FROM LCH WHICH WAS DISBANDED ( EXTREMELY RELUCTANTLY) BUT THANKS TO HELIMED 29 WE HAVE RECENTLY ADDED A CRITICAL CARE CAR TO OUR FANTASTIC AMBULANCE SERVICE AND IT WORKS BOTH IN TANDEM WITH HELIMED 29 AND WHEN UNAVAILABLE TO FLY INDEPENDENTLY WITH AN AWESOME CREW OF AN ADVANCED PARAMEDIC/S AND A SPECIALIST TRAUMA DOCTOR AND ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL IF REQUIRED,AS WITH ALL AIR AMBULANCES THE SERVICE RELIES ON PUBLIC DONATIONS BECAUSE THIS GOVERNMENT AND PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTS DONT RECOGNISE THEM AS A ESSENTIAL LIFE SAVING SERVICE....."SHAME ON ALL OF YOU",BUT WHEN ITS DISPATCHED TO ANY POLITICIAN/S THEY INSIST ON PUBLICITY SAYING WHAT A ESSENTIAL LIFE SAVING ASSET IT IS AND THEN CRAWL BACK INTO THEIR SAD AND EXTREMELY SHALLOW LIFES FORGETTING ENTIRELY WHAT SAVED THEIR LIFE BECAUSE HELIMED 29 IS AN EXPENSIVE LUXURY THEY CANT FUND!!! FOR POLITICAL GAIN!!!!!

[@hiddentruthwithharoonmirza8232]

Hello. My name is haroon and i am from azad kashmir pakistan closest place of line of cantrole. Weldone and my best wishes are always with you but i need you to surve your skills to others to save humanity. I want to make my self same like you all. Coz you all know in daily basis india kills our alot of peoples our hospitals are not so good also hospitals are too much away from line of cantrol we dont have much resources but when i watch your video i felf might be you all can do something for us. I am a journalist and i love to work or surve my self for poor and needy people .

[@alinski112]

Just a question? are they wearing Haix Safety Shoes? Im German and the Firefighters, police men and paramedics are wearing those shoes here! ^^ Greetings from Germany

[@vilho4649]

We have this same thing in finland its called Finnhems

[@Daniel-co5nx]

Inderdaad vreemd,in Nederland zijn we veel verder op dat gebied

[@christian-jakobgrasl]

God bless these guys on every mission!!! But it’s sad to hear they have to operate as a charity 🙁🤦‍♂️ in a City like London !!

[@rdwaldsaxe-coburg666]

In 2021/22 the MOD spent £1.1 billion purchasing equipment through Foreign Military Sales agreements with the US. This includes: £388 million on Apache helicopters. COST AND FUEL AND UPKEEP , YOUR MIND WOULD BOGGEL

[@cadianneeccleston300]

advanced Trauma team

[@Avgeek1564]

Quite often see them land on the lawn outside the British Museum.

[@nt6590]

What's the ranks for hems?

[@nathanleblancq4217]

Harvey Keeler Senior paramedics and trauma doctors, usually at least a consultant grade from emergency care

[@ce9934]

Basically paramedic and doctor in London (both specialist registrar and consultant). Other air ambulance charities use critical care (advanced) paramedics and the same doctors.

[@heli-crewhgs5285]

Trivia alert: Dr. Ali Sanders is the sister of actress Jennifer Saunders.

[@YouFoundDan]

1:09 Who ya gonna call? G H O S T B U S T E R S in all seriousness you guys are the best

[@CityWhisperer]

Lol

[@rdwaldsaxe-coburg666]

In 2022-23 we estimate that VED will raise £7.2 billion. That represents 0.8 per cent of all receipts and is equivalent to around £260 per household and 0.3 per cent of national income.Road tax AND THATS NOT INSURANCE RAISED YES 7.2 BILLION ,YET THEY WANT CHARITY

[@chicken2297]

1:37 nice sirens tho

[@radarmike6713]

No one anywhere on the planet wants to pay for that expensive item. Till they are the one in desperate need. Then it can't come fast enough for them.

[@joshuam20]

Nah what’s worse is the people who wouldn’t want it because “it’s a bit noisy”. Hello there dying man, we would’ve been here quicker but we don’t have a helicopter due to it being “a bit noisy” for people.

[@rudeboystu69]

Does London HEMS transport patients, or do they just transport doctors and advanced paramedics to the scene and then transport by land ambulance?

[@traceyhills8072]

It depends on how serious the casualty is and how far away the major trauma centre is. If someone is stabilised, sometimes they can go by land ambulance, but if they need the major trauma centre then they need to get there as quickly as possible so the air ambulance take them direct and get them there in just a few minutes. If you get to watch Helicopter ER, you will often see them debating which method of transport to use.

[@davidsewellclarke4997]

Ive just seen on BBC news, that twins Celebrated their 1st Birthday, they were born with Cesarin operation In a Hospital in Oxford. They we're flown by Air Ambulance from Cornwall to Oxford for the operation. They both weighed , One bag of Sugar between them !!! . If anyone else says anything about the Skyline , Shame on you all . The Aiir Ambulance Services save lives thinking about what they are going too, not sitting in the Helicopter saying , What a lovely Skyline! ! .

[@peterduschbeck8751]

Does anybody have any studies on (prehospital) induced hypothermia in critically bleeding trauma patients? That sounds super interesting!

[@cadianneeccleston300]

advanced trauma team

[@thefastdirector6553]

5:29 pardon the pun

[@xinox73]

They can afford alot of helicopters to the military, but some to the health care is just so expensive. ..:/

[@billsmith305]

Please forgive these amazing people for saving lives,,, and sometimes making a little bit of noise, might be your life next they save,, well done

[@TheDiabeticWay]

About time cyclist didn't have to use the roads! In the UK not just London! More lives would be instantly saved! Nice video

[@Vincent-jq7bq]

They don't even show them landing in the city or something that would be interesting

[@senor_93]

like the demons instrumental at the start

[@poostring94]

Just think of how many more years this much needed service could be operational if the richest 10% were even taxed properly in the U.K.

[@skeo7796]

What Kind of helicopter is that :)?

[@Quickstep80]

That's an MD 902 Explorer. London's Air Ambulance charity runs two of those, registry G-EHMS and G-LNDN.

[@gary63693]

A red one, a very nice red one too

[@Quickstep80]

@@gary63693 Altough "G-LNDN" used to be bilious green during its service for Hamad Medical Corporation before finally moving to London... ;-)

[@mattm5941]

One that flies

[@coreywilliams1454]

An Apache gunship, obiously

[@sg379eheh]

우리나라는 왜이럴까 내 생각으로는, 현장직들이 만연하게 대우받지못하는 것에 대해서 볼수잇다...(최근 용접공 비하논란을 보면 알수있드시 대학진학률 80%이상이라서 생산직 현장직을 무시한다 ) 거기에 더불어, 윗대가리들이 바뀌지 않고, 시민의식 또한 따라가지 못한다. 헬기 소음 민원이라니... 민원 시스템이 강국인것같다. 민원으로 인해 공무원들만 고통 받고... 벨런스 붕괴. 중증외상센터는 힘들고 돈도안되니 지원하는 전공의도 거의 없는 수준이니, 힘들수밖에... 여러가지가 꼬일때로 꼬였고, 100년은 지나야 이렇게 될까..

[@ccwd9012]

I totally agree

[@blockatetophat6309]

0:20 sorry was that vsauce?

[@mryusuf7354]

Never fly old copters

[@IPGAuto]

Wow, Islamabad looks so modern and clean.

[@carleeroseterangi6923]

London.

[@stephenbritton9297]

Wait, you have an air AMBULANCE that doesn't actually transport patients????

[@travishatch2986]

Only transports the patient if it is deemed like they will most likely not survive the ambulance ride to the hospital. Basically extremely based on their injuries and distance from a hospital.

[@stephenbritton9297]

Interesting, the whole point of air ambulances over here in the US is to transport the Pt faster (and often at a higher level of care) than by ground.

[@travishatch2986]

Stephen Britton Obvious difference is that mostly in the US there is greater distance to travel by hospital, with mostly their being a major hospital within 30-40 minutes drive in the uk, with it most likely being more in the US, however if they need to be taken quickly to a serious trauma centre then most likely the air ambulance with take them, unless as before I said if it would be quicker on the ground. Also air ambulance and generally like much more trained than the normal paramedics, and carry much better drugs, meaning that normally they are called to help assist big accidents.

[@jonmac3995]

@@stephenbritton9297 How much does an Air Ambulance transfer cost in the US ?

[@stephenbritton9297]

Jon Mac WAY too much... $10k at least... and insurance will only pay if THEY deem it necessary... goes for both scene to hospital and inter-hospital transfers (small to big, or general to special). Far from an ideal system...

[@vikingpotet]

In Norway we have over 10 airambulances! We only five million ppl...

[@EnjoyFirefighting]

is that really a surprise, keeping in mind of long-stretched Norway is? In Germany there are 80 ambulance helicopters, 11 Dual-Use helicopters, 17 intensive care helicopters, 6 SAR helicopters, 8 other EMS helicopters and 69 further EMS helicopters close to the German border in neighbouring countries. And in case none of them is available in a reasonable time, we think about using police helicopters...

[@vikingpotet]

EnjoyFirefighting - International Emergency Response Videos Yes but concider there are less people that pay money to The goverment . But we are Norway so...

[@vikingpotet]

EnjoyFirefighting - International Emergency Response Videos and now im only takling about These kinda air ambulance showed in this video and We only have 23 up in the long thin top. Most of them are based in the bottom. And then I was not talking about the air ambulances who can perform mountain rescues with a line who can take them right inside the cabin while winched up.

[@EnjoyFirefighting]

@@vikingpotet Norway sure knows how to spend on other stuff which isn't needed ;) 10 isn't bad concidering the low total number of the population, however it's very far spread and tbh ambulance coverage isn't that great in many areas. Might be okay for "normal" emergencies, but not so great for time-critical emergencies

[@vikingpotet]

EnjoyFirefighting - International Emergency Response Videos yes I agree but luckily we very few times have situations where a big amount of air ambulances is needed. In those cases the army rescue helicopters will help. Germany I can see has a very good air ambulance amount.

[@mrunknown7379]

I always see tiny ants outside the helicopter Outside my school window Oh wait The ants are people