BBC documentary: Series Cast

Abi works as a paramedic for the Tactical Response Unit and is trained in chemical and multi-casualty incidents. The unit is equipped to respond to marauding terror attacks and also responds to Cat 1 calls, the most serious medical emergencies.

In episode one, Abi responds to an emergency involving multiple patients who have been attacked with an unknown chemical.

While Abi assesses the patients’ injuries, the Tactical Operations Centre receive another urgent call to a multi-storey block of flats in Erith, where a flat is on fire. She also responds to a respiratory arrest, where she realises she previously attended the same patient earlier in the week.

Homerton crewmates David and Lexi arrive at a 59-year-old woman with difficulty in breathing. They discover the patient is living in a flat covered in black mould which is exacerbating her symptoms.

David said: “In east London especially, there’s a lot of poverty. Whenever we go to see a patient, it’s quite common now that I’ll just check to see if the fridge is working.”

Lex added: “I’ve never seen a house that bad.”

Crewmates Jodene and Claudia, who also work out of Homerton, are dispatched to a patient who is vomiting. On arrival, they learn the patient is HIV positive and has battled with drug addiction for 30 years.

Claudia, who joined LAS in 2019 with no previous clinical experience, says that the best thing about the job is the human factor. She adds: “the variety of people and situations we encounter is simply incredible.”

At Roman Road Market, a stallholder has been assaulted after asking a member of the public to clean up their dog’s mess; crewmates Wendy and Ryan are dispatched and after bandaging the patient’s broken nose, he shares how he became a stallholder and how the market has changed.