Delivering critical care in the most challenging conditions
Every week, the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) responds to emergencies where seconds matter. Operating across the North East, North Yorkshire, Cumbria, and the Isle of Man, their crews deliver critical care by air and by road—often in the most challenging conditions imaginable.
Since 2002, GNAAS has responded to more than 30,000 incidents across a region spanning over 8,000 square miles. Their fleet includes two helicopters, six rapid response vehicles, and 14 charity service vehicles, all working together to ensure patients receive advanced pre-hospital care as quickly as possible.
Unlike normal emergency services, GNAAS is entirely reliant on charitable donations. That reality makes reliability, safety, and accountability across their operations even more critical.
We sat down with Araminta Hartley, PR Officer at GNAAS, to learn more about how the charity operates day to day, the values that guide their work, and how CameraMatics supports their ground fleet.
At the heart of everything GNAAS does are three simple values: caring, courageous, and committed—values reflected in every call-out, every crew, and every mile travelled.
“When our critical care team attends an incident, trauma patients have at least a 37% higher chance of surviving at 30 days. That shows just how vital our service is.”
Preparing crews and vehicles for high-pressure, high-risk response
High-stakes, around-the-clock operations are the reality for GNAAS crews. Behind every successful mission is a huge amount of preparation, with teams operating in fast-moving, high-pressure environments where there’s no room for error.
Each day begins with detailed checks across both air and ground operations. Pilots inspect aircraft systems, engines, and blades, while doctors and paramedics prepare and test medical equipment, medicines, and life-saving devices. At the same time, rapid response vehicles are checked to ensure lights, sirens, and onboard equipment are fully operational.
Keeping first responders safe when every second counts
When their helicopters are grounded, GNAAS’ rapid response vehicles become their fastest way to reach people in life-threatening emergencies.
They’re essential when the weather is too poor to fly, darkness makes helicopter operations unsafe, their aircrafts are undergoing maintenance or patients are in locations unsuitable for landing.
In a fleet where every second counts, CameraMatics gives GNAAS one less thing to worry about—helping crews focus on saving lives.
Real-time visibility, vehicle health, and predictive maintenance
Across their 20 ground vehicles, GNAAS deployed CameraMatics solutions—from our GeniePro dashcams to full 360° multi-camera coverage—giving crews complete visibility and added peace of mind on every call-out.
But the system does more than just record: CameraMatics telematics provide live GPS tracking, real-time vehicle health updates, and predictive maintenance alerts, helping the charity monitor vehicle locations, prevent breakdowns, and ensure these essential vehicles are always ready for rapid response.
“CameraMatics gives us confidence that our crews and vehicles are protected, even when they’re responding to high-pressure, high-risk calls. It’s exactly the solution we needed for our fleet.”
That value has already been proven. In two separate insurance claims, video footage from CameraMatics helped GNAAS provide clear evidence, protecting both the charity and its people from unnecessary cost and stress while ensuring these essential vehicles stay on the road where they’re needed most.
“We chose CameraMatics because it combines cameras and telematics in one system, helping us keep our teams safe and giving us clear evidence if anything goes wrong.”
Ultimately, CameraMatics removes uncertainty, giving crews the confidence to focus on what matters most: reaching patients quickly and saving lives.
Without donations, these life-saving missions can’t happen
Every mile travelled by a GNAAS vehicle supports a mission that could change, or save, a life. CameraMatics helps protect the people behind the wheel, but the charity itself relies entirely on public support to keep going.
GNAAS must raise £9.6 million every year to remain operational—that’s £25,969 every single day—to keep helicopters flying, vehicles on the road, and critical care teams ready to respond.
Supporting GNAAS means standing behind the doctors, paramedics, and pilots who show up on the hardest days and in the toughest moments—on the ground and in the air—to save lives across the North of England. Your support ensures they can keep responding when those critical calls come in. Donate to support their life-saving work here.
From emergency services to field services and everything in between, if you’re responsible for protecting your people and your vehicles, we’re here to help. Get in touch with CameraMatics today.
