By Shannon Eliot
EMS1 Editor
“Trauma” premieres on Monday, September 29 at 9/8c on NBC.
Responders looking for an adrenaline rush long after their last call may be able to get their fix with “Trauma,” a new paramedic drama by NBC that begins next week.
Based and filmed in San Francisco, “Trauma” features plotlines on job, love, and loss from the perspective of a tight-knit group of urban responders
Utilizing both actors and real EMS personnel, the show aims to capture the action inherent to the profession while also maintaining clinical accuracy, according to creator and Executive Producer Dario Scardapane.
“Our goal is to not only get the medicine correct, but we also want to make the show interesting,” Scardapane said. “Everything in the script, on stage, and in the field is seen and influenced by real doctors and paramedics. That said, we also know that this is not a documentary.”
Executive Producer Peter Berg (“Friday Night Lights”) has a history of utilizing real professionals and local citizens in his projects, and has already implemented a similar style with “Trauma.”
“We have been fortunate to have real professionals as extras in every episode, some with speaking roles,” Scardapane said. “The local responders have been great and will be coming back to do more with us.”
In addition to soliciting advice from consultants, the show’s actors have completed paramedic school and ride-alongs, and continue to study medicine while filming.
Previously the medical consultant to ‘ER’ for 11 years, Dr. Jon Fong said the goal of the show is not only to provide an accurate depiction of events that could happen around the world, but also for viewers to enjoy what they are seeing on-screen.
“This is a unique show because we have received special input from so many sources that people said it couldn’t be done,” Fong said. “The magnitude of the project is remarkable, and being on location with real paramedics and EMS professionals every day feels like we’re making a feature film. Unlike LA, the public often walks through the set, which provides a certain authenticity.”
Scardapane, who comes from a family of health care providers, is excited to have NBC’s next medical show dedicated to the EMS professional.
“With ‘ER’ leaving, we see this as the next generation for a medical show,” Scardapane said. “There hasn’t been a paramedic show in over 10 years, and this is a great opportunity to tell a story about interesting characters with strong opinions in a demanding and fast-paced profession.”