Tag: Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team

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*** Incident No.29 ***

Saturday 18 June 2016, 12.06hrs

The Team was activated by the North East Ambulance Service at just after midday for a female who had fallen 4 metres down a rock face at Hareshaw Linn waterfall near Bellingham. The female had sustained serious injuries in the fall, landing in the river and on rocks below the waterfall. Her family raised the alarm.

Alongside North of Tyne MRT, we responded immediately with three Landrover ambulances approaching from different directions. One of the Team members – a Paramedic with the Ambulance Service – was on scene quickly along with the Great North Ambulance Service. Soon after one of our Incident Controllers was on scene to assess the evacuation.

Whilst the NEAS Hazardous Response Team assisted the Air Ambulance crew with stabilising the casualty, we set up a technical rope rescue system to haul the stretcher from below the waterfall up to the bridge. From here we were hoping that the Coastguard helicopter from Prestwick would be able to winch the stretcher on board the aircraft. Unfortunately this was not possible due to the nature of the location and the stretcher had to be carried up a steep slope to the helimed.

A swift flight to hospital then followed. We hope the female involved makes a full and swift recovery.

A great team effort involving multiple agencies.

The incident involved 12 members for 3 hours 20 minutes.

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The scene of the incident below Hareshaw Linn
The scene of the incident below Hareshaw Linn
Preparing the stretcher and checking the casualty before raising the stretcher
Preparing the stretcher and checking the casualty before raising the stretcher.
Sorting out the ropes at the top of the waterfall.
Sorting out the ropes at the top of the waterfall.
Checking on the casualty after the raise.
Checking on the casualty after the raise.

 

The carry up to the helimed
The carry up to the helimed
Nearly out of the trees!
Nearly out of the trees!
Almost to the helimed
Almost to the helimed
Final checks before loading the casualty into the helimed
Final checks before loading the casualty into the helimed
All the emergency services, all lined up!
All the emergency services, all lined up!
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*** Incident No.28 ***

Wednesday 15 June, 22.50hrs

Two short lived incidents in a day! The Team along with North of Tyne MRT was contacted by Northumbria Police at 22.50hrs for an overdue walker in the College Valley.

The owner of the Mounthooly Bunkhouse had contacted the Police after a walker failed to turn up. The walker in his 60s had left, late morning, to walk along the Border Ridge to Windy Gyle and back. After it baca me dark the owner of the bunkhouse, quite rightly, became increasingly concerned for the lone walker’s wellbeing.

As one of our Incident Controllers was speaking to the Police, the walker arrived back at the bunkhouse – safe, tired and rather late for his dinner!

All done and dusted very quickly and without anyone needing to leave home! We like these sort of incidents.

The incident involved two Team members for 15 minutes.

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*** Incident No.27 ***

Wednesday 15 June, 04.46hrs

A short lived incident! The Team alongside North of Tyne MRT were contacted by Northumbria Police in the early hours of this morning to assist in the search for a high risk missing male. The male was believed to be in the Westerhope area of Newcastle.

As one of our Incident Controllers was speaking to the Police Search Adviser, the missing person was located close to his last known point.

Those of us who had been woken by the alert then went back to sleep.

The incident involved one member for 10 minutes.

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*** Incident No.26 ***

Thursday 9 June 2016, 19.49hrs

Yesterday evening the Team was requested by the North East Ambulance Service to assist with the evacuation of a fallen climber. The climber had fallen 7m from the crags at Back Bowden Doors (or Dancing Green Hill on the OS map!), he had sustained a wrist and suspected back injuries.

North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team and ourselves responded, and working alongside the Great North Air Ambulance Service and the NEAS Hazardous Area Response Team, the casualty was stabilised and evacuated to the awaiting helicopter.

We hope the climber makes a swift recovery and is back out on the crags soon. This is the fourth incident involving a climber in as many weeks.

The incident involved 8 Team members for 1 hour 20 minutes.

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Evacuating the casualty on the stretcher to the helimed at Bowden Doors.
Evacuating the casualty on the stretcher to the helimed at Bowden Doors.
The helimed en-route to hospital, the crags in the background.
The helimed en-route to hospital, the crags in the background.
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Rope Training

All tied up in knots!

Yesterday evening we were training with North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team at East Woodburn crag. Whilst the wet weather had cleared, the wind made conditions challenging at times.

Our recent intake of trainees practised their clove hitches and alpine butterfly knots whilst others rigged the lowering system using in line anchors and a Petzl ID. Then we turned our attention to a stretcher raise using a rope grab and a 3:1 pulley system.

All good fun ready for when it’s really needed.

Rope Training Rope Training

Rope Training

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*** Incident No.25 ***

Tuesday 24 May 2016, 14.23hrs

Unfortunately today was not the day for climbers in Northumberland. As we were about to stand down from the previous incident, Northumbria Police activated the Team and North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team for a male climber who had fallen at Kyloe Crag.

A Team vehicle which was almost back at our Pegswood Fire Station base was swiftly despatched along with two Team members, whilst the remainder of the Team were called out. A few members travelled from Hadrian’s Wall in the west whilst others not involved in the previous incident headed direct to the scene.

Three Team members and a NEAS Paramedic arrived on scene at approximately the same time, within 30 minutes of the activation. The Paramedic and a Team medic stabilised the casualty who had sustained a serious lower leg injury in his fall.

Given the nature of the terrain and the casualty’s injuries it was deemed a helicopter evacuation was required. Our incident controller requested a Coastguard helicopter for its winching capability, which was duly tasked from Prestwick.

The helicopter on arrival at Kyloe Crag winched the stretcher and casualty on board from the location below the crag. The casualty was then transferred to a crewed Ambulance for onward transport to hospital.

The North East Ambulance Service HART team was also involved in the incident. A true multi-agency response.

Again we hope the climber makes a full and swift recovery.

The incident involved 11 Team members for 2 hours 20 minutes.

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Coastguard helicopter arriving on scene at Kyloe Crags Northumberland.
Coastguard helicopter arriving on scene at Kyloe Crags Northumberland.
Preparing the casualty for winching
Preparing the casualty for winching
Using a smoke flare to guide in the helicopter
Using a smoke flare to guide in the helicopter
Awaiting the winchman from the helicopter
Awaiting the winchman from the helicopter
Using the highline whilst winching
Using the highline whilst winching

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*** Incident No.24 ***

Tuesday 24 May 2016, 13.16hrs

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) requested the assistance of the Team to evacuate a climber who had fallen approximately 15 metres. The Team along with North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team responded immediately tasking two vehicles and members to the rendezvous point. At the same time a NEAS Paramedic and the Great North Air Ambulance were en-route to the scene at Peel Crag. The incident was literally only a few metres away from the recent one on Peel Crag.

On arrival it was clear that the climber had sustained serious injuries from his fall, landing on steep ground and rocks at the bottom. Team members were on scene within 25 minutes of the initial call.

The GNAAS Doctor treated and stabilised the casualty before Team members and the HART team carried the stretcher to the awaiting helimed. The flight time to hospital was 15 minutes where the climber will have received further treatment for his injuries. We hope he makes a swift and full recovery.

As the Team were loading the casualty into the helimed, another activation was received for a second fallen climber – see next post!

The incident involved 10 members for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

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Great North Air Ambulance at Peel Crag
The scene from above the crag where the accident happened
Stretcher carry to the helimed at Peel Crag
Stretcher carry to the helimed at Peel Crag

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*** Incident No.23 ***

Tuesday 17 May, 15.21hrs

The busy period continues with a request for assistance from the North East Ambulance Service. A female in her 60s had sustained a head injury whilst cycling in the Kielder Water area.

At the time of the request Paramedics were en-route to the casualty’s location which was believed to be just off the Lakeside way, near to Silvas Capitalis (or the ‘forest head’). Given the location it was highly likely that the Ambulance would be able to access the scene.

In case assistance with the evacuation was required and given the travel time involved, North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team and ourselves despatched a Land Rover and six Team member to Kielder.

Almost an hour into the incident, the Ambulance Service confirmed they had been able to access the scene and treat the casualty. The Teams were stood down.

The incident involved 7 Team members for 2 hours.

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*** Incident No.22 ***

Monday 16 May, 19.55hrs

Northumbria Police requested the assistance of North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team and ourselves yesterday evening to assist in the search for a high risk 51 year old male in the Houghton-le-Spring area.

A search plan based on missing person data and other available information was agreed by our incident controllers with the Police Search Adviser, before the two Teams were called out.

Soon after our vehicles and Team members arrived at the RV, the missing person returned home. Seemingly our presence had helped to flush him out!

A good ending. Most Team members were also back home just before midnight for a few hours sleep before work today.

The incident involved 18 members for 2 hours 40 minutes.

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