Saturday 3 September 2016, 13.00hrs
August was a very busy month and now September is off to a flier too!
On Saturday whilst the Team was covering the Cheviots Challenge, we dealt with three separate incidents in the hills to the north and north west of Alwinton.
A female in her early 50s was suffering from severe chest pains, causing her to collapse in one of the most exposed sections of the Pennine Way, west of Windy Gyle. Two Team members were on scene within minutes and further assistance arrived shortly after. One of the Doctors in the Team worked alongside two of our other medics to stabilise the casualty, before handing over to the Great North Air Ambulance Service for a short flight to a crewed Ambulance in the Coquet valley.
Whilst this incident was ongoing, Team members were also dealing with a second female who had sustained an ankle injury and was unable to continue. Both casualties were taken to hospital in the same Ambulance.
The third incident came late in the day when a group of nine walkers became lost and were overtaken by darkness. Once again SARLOC – a location App – proved its worth. A text was sent to one of the walker’s mobile phones which enabled us to pinpoint their location. The walkers had turned 90 degrees off their intended route and ended up in unfamiliar ground 2km from their last known point, Shillmoor. They had walked an extra 5km from Shillmoor and had almost gone in a full circle!
The walkers were evacuated in our Team vehicles to Alwinton where they were checked out by a Doctor and a medic from the Team before being allowed to head home.
All in a long day’s work!
The incidents involved Team 25 members over a period of 8 hours.
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