Tri-Service

Saving Lives High In The Sky

This is the story of how the Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) saved lives in Afghanistan, flying casualties from battlefield to hospital in the back of a Chinook.

The MERT's Chinook was the most targeted helicopter in Helmand Province.

Good teamwork is essential, with vibrations, lack of space and the need to fly the helicopter tactically making it one of the most challenging environments to save lives in.

At night the helicopter can't be lit, making treating patients even more difficult.

The RAF Regiment were on board to protect the Chinook but often had to lend a hand. Lt Col Harvey Pynn, consultant in emergency medicine, said:

"Simple things done well save lives. Applying tourniquets, applying dressings, holding bags of fluid. They've been integral to lots of MERT tours especially when there are multiple casualties in the back of the helicopter."

A third more severely injured casualties are alive today because of the treatment they received from the MERT, but the members of the team are modest. Sgt Howard Foley, paramedic, said:

"We're in a link in a transport chain. The people who have done the really really hard work are the medics on the ground. They could have seen their best friend blown up, shot, suffered some kind of injury."

In this special programme, members of the team recount the emotional and sometimes distressing situations they found themselves in.