November 2021

The day exercise was stressful enough and finished as the evening light faded. The next phase was far more challenging. The trainees took a break while a new set-up was arranged.

As darkness fell a car club consisting of twenty souped-up bangers arrived. They were there to provide a little extra distraction. The cars were parked in a row next to the scene. Boots were opened and large speaker systems cranked into life. The car club had volunteered to be a rowdy group of party-goers that heckles the paramedics and videos them on their smartphones.

That afternoon, we drove the Maserati Levante Trofeo over to the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service Training Centre where the next exercises were taking place. A full simulation of a multi-car pileup, first during the day, then at night. This involved the Fire Brigade, Police, Ambulance Service, the GNAAS and the paramedics on the training course.

The Maserati Levante Trofeo gleamed in the rare sunlight outside whilst I prepared for an extremely exciting tour.

I was driving up to Durham to spend four days with The Great North Air Ambulance Service for training, reenactment and emergency exercises. The GNAAS head office is located between The North Pennines and North York Moors National Park. The Director of Operations, Andy Mawson, had invited International Excellence Magazine to experience a taste of life as a paramedic in the helicopter rescue services.