The Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) played a critical role in saving the life of 13-year-old Phoebe Milford, who suffered a severe asthma attack during a family walk in the Yorkshire Dales. This remarkable rescue will be featured in the first episode of the new series, Yorkshire Air 999, airing Fridays at 9 pm on Quest.
Following the success of Helicopter ER, which ran for 9 seasons, Yorkshire Air 999 features a fresh format that dives into the lives of Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s cutting-edge medical team, their courageous patients, and the unique landscape and spirit of Yorkshire itself.
In April 2024, Phoebe was out for a walk with her mother, Rose, and her brother. They had just paused for lunch when Phoebe began to struggle with her breathing. Having not used her inhaler or experienced an asthma attack for a year and a half, the sudden onset of symptoms alarmed the family.
When YAA received the emergency call, Phoebe was situated on a hillside high above Keld, one of the smallest and most isolated villages in Yorkshire. The nearest land ambulance was over 62 minutes away, while the YAA’s critical care team were able to arrive the scene within 20 minutes, covering the 34-mile journey from their Topcliffe air base in Thirsk.
Paramedics Sam Berridge and Sammy Wills joined a Mountain Rescue team to assist Phoebe, who was feeling extremely unwell and nearing the point of fainting. The team used a nebulizer with a mask and oxygen to help control Phoebe’s breathlessness while Sammy comforted her during this distressing time. Sam noted, “With asthma attacks, the airways reduce in size, becoming swollen. While patients can get air in, they struggle to get it out. A nebulizer relaxes the smooth muscle of the airway, helping to open things up a bit to ease breathing.”
Phoebe’s mother, Rose, recounted the panic of the situation, she said, “I didn’t know what to do; I was running up and down the hills trying to get a signal, but I didn’t have any. I saw someone at the bottom of the path, and I charged down the hill, he must have thought I was mad! The man had an app that could contact the emergency services and pinpoint exactly where we were, even without signal – so that’s how we managed to call for help.”
Once Phoebe’s breathing was under control, the YAA team prescribed additional asthma medication similar to her inhaler, which she had left at home. They also administered a steroid to assist with her breathing. “She was feeling really unwell, and her body was working hard to stay conscious”, Sammy explained. “Asthma can be very serious, even fatal at times, but thankfully not today”.
After stabilising her condition, the YAA team transported Phoebe by air to the nearest road where a land ambulance crew were waiting. Following a thorough check of her vitals, Phoebe was then taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital for further treatment.
Reflecting on the fortunate circumstances of the day, Sam commented, “I think Phoebe’s stars aligned that day. If one part of the puzzle hadn’t worked out—had we landed further away, if mountain rescue hadn’t been called, or if that person walking past hadn’t been able to send the location to emergency services—it could have been a very different story. There was no other way off that hill.”
Since the incident, Phoebe is feeling much better, experiencing only slight wheeziness from time to time. Phoebe said, “I’m so grateful for the help I received. It was a scary experience, but thanks to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance team, I’m okay now and ready to get back to my walks”.
The episode airing on Friday, 1st November, will also follow the YAA team as they respond to other emergencies such as: a climber who fell 30 feet on the Yorkshire Three Peaks, a man in Harrogate with near-severed fingers, and a serious equestrian accident in a remote 100 acre field in North Yorkshire.