Remote Expedition Medicine Specialists

Expedition: ‘A journey with a purpose, including exploration, scientific research, physical challenge, journalism and war’.

Established in 2015, SOS Medical Services Ltd is a veteran-owned company, with regional headquarters in London and Latin America.

SOS provides frontline emergency ambulance services, internationally accredited and bespoke training, risk management, consultancy and specialist medical support services.

From research and planning, the development of procedures, crisis management and emergency response plans to the provision of equipment, clinics, medical personnel, ground and air ambulance services, SOS has served a range of industries internationally, specialising in remote, austere and challenging environments.

  • Fire & rescue services

  • TV/Film industry

  • Tourist industry

  • The military

  • Embassies

  • Construction projects

  • The extractives industry

  • Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

  • Entertainment industry (concerts)

  • Commercial organisations

  • Motorsports/racing

  • Education institutions

Meet the Team

  • Founder

    Chris Gibson BSc(Hons) MSc FAWM MCPara WP-C

  • Director

    Paul Pinder FEWM MCPara

Paul

Paul is the UK Director: A former British Solider, Firefighter and Paramedic, Paul is an experienced project manager, risk consultant and trainer.

Paul is a Fellow of Extreme and Wilderness Medicine (FEWM), and has a wealth of experience working in remote medicine, supporting media organisations, embassies, security companies and the oil and gas industry: developing policies and procedures and leading clinical teams.

He has supported a US TV shows in Fiji for 6 months, providing emergency and primary health care, along with air and sea evacuations to mainland hospitals. He managed a specialist team supporting TV and Film Productions during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Europe and New Zealand, ensuring risk management and business continuity.

Paul’s work in austere environments continues as a Media Safety Advisor, and consultant to NGO’s: developing clinical governance systems, emergency response plans, risk assessments and coordination of community outreach projects.

Paul is a qualified and experienced educator, and has delivered a range of internationally accredited programmes and bespoke courses around the globe to medical and non-medical students alike.

Passionate about supporting his clients, evidence-based medicine, and best practice for patients, Paul strives to work closely with our clients to find the balance between ‘Protection and Production’.

Chris

Chris has worked as an expedition and TV and film production medic in remote and challenging environments from the mountains of Patagonia and the Himalayas to the jungles of Guatemala and the Arctic Sea ice.

Chris Gibson is a flight paramedic, a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine and the Founder of SOS Medical Services. A former British Soldier and Army Commando with operational experience in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Chris is a USA board certified Wilderness & Tactical Paramedic (IBSC) and Affiliate Faculty for the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) training centres.

Chris is a mountain leader, arctic survival trained and has summited Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina (6,962 m/22,840 ft), Lobuche Peak (6,119m) in Nepal, and worked as an expedition medic in the Sahara Desert, Morocco, Atacama Desert and on Mount Ojos del Salado (6,893 m/22,615 ft) in Chile.

Chris is a Media High-Risk Safety Advisor, supporting film productions and news crews in challenging locations from the Arctic Sea ice, Thailand and South Africa to conflict zones across Europe and the Middle East.

As a passionate wilderness instructor, he has taught Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS), Wilderness First Aid and WEMT courses in the Rainforests and mountains of Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Nicaragua and Honduras.

A certified Oil and Gas Offshore medic, Chris has provided primary care, emergency care and prolonged field care for rig staff, soldiers and refugees alike across Iraq and Kurdistan.

He has supported humanitarian operations in the Balkans and Kurdistan, a Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) in West Africa, close protection operations in Iraq, and USAR disaster response teams following natural disasters in Guatemala.

Co-founder of Guatemala's first helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS), Chris continues to work in HEMS, provides wilderness and disaster medical education across the region and regularly coordinates medical missions for underserved tropical communities.