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Incident No: 58 2017

Date: 18 November 2017
Time: 15.06hrs
Location: Upper Harthope valley

Mid-afternoon on Saturday a female walker in her early 60s slipped and sustained an injury to her ankle. She had fallen on steep ground, half a kilometre upstream of Harthope Linn. Her companion had to leave her location to raise the alarm due to poor mobile service.

Northumbria Police alerted North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team and ourselves, and a callout was swiftly initiated. Local Team members were on scene with the casualty at the remote location in just over an hour.

Our Medic was joined by a North East Ambulance Service Paramedic, both of whom administered pain relief to the casualty. Other Team members ferried kit from our vehicles at Langleeford Hope in case a stretcher carry was required.

Due to casualty’s condition and the location, our Incident Officer requested a Coastguard helicopter. The Team would like to thank the Coastguard helicopter Rescue 199 from Prestwick for their skilful flying and enabling a swifter evacuation of the casualty to hospital in Melrose.

We would also like to pay tribute to the walkers who kept our casualty company whilst we were en-route.

All being well our casualty will make a full and swift recovery. We would like to wish her well.

The incident involved 20 Team members for 5 hours 40 minutes.

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Group shelter protecting the casualty — in Wooler, Northumberland.
Rescue 199 approaching casualty site
Our medic undertaking final checks before winching
Winching complete
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Incident No: 24 2017

Date: 05 July 2017
Time: 09.00 hrs
Location: Yearning Saddle, near Lamb Hill

The Team was requested to assist with the evacuation of a walker from the mountain refuge shelter at Yearning Saddle just below Lamb Hill by the North East Ambulance Service yesterday morning. The lone walker had spent the night in the shelter and was suffering from severe abdominal pains. Two other walkers who had also spent the night at the shelter raised the alarm.

The Team and North of Tyne MRT responded immediately from the south and Border Search & Rescue Unit were requested to deploy from the north side of the Border ridge. A member of our controller group was swiftly to the RVP at Blindburn and in discussion with our Incident Officer, who was operating remotely, agreed to proceed with a NEAS Community Paramedic to the casualty.

Thankfully the farmers from Blindburn and Fulhope came to our assistance. Whilst our 4x4s we’re still en-route they provided us with the off-road capability required to get us up the hill.

Whilst all of this was happening the NEAS HART with their Polaris was travelling to the RVP and the MCA helicopter from Prestwick had been deployed. At this stage we had no confirmed condition of the casualty.

Twenty minutes are deploying from Blindburn, a Team member and the Paramedic were in-scene with the casualty. After the initial assessment, the walker was safely evacuated from the hill in the farmer’s pick-up. Skilful driving which saved a lot of leg work!

We hope the walker makes a swift and full recovery. We would like to thank all the agencies involved for their swift and coordinated response and pay particular thanks to the farmers who assisted with evacuation. Much appreciated.

#Teamwork #Team999

The incident involved 12 members and 11 members from BSARU for 2 hours 30 minutes.

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Incident No: 08 2017

Date: 12 February 2017
Time:15.02hrs
Location: Windy Gyle

The Team and North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team were activated by Northumbria Police yesterday afternoon. Initial reports indicated that 10 walkers and 2 dogs were stranded on Windy Gyle and two of the group were suffering from hypothermia.

Local Team members were deployed immediately to head up onto Windy Gyle. Additional members and resources from were also deployed along with a request for support from north of the Border. Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team and Border Search & Rescue Unit duly responded.

As members were nearing summit of Windy Gyle, further information suggested the walkers had headed east to try to locate some shelter. After 3.5 hours in challenging winter conditions the group of walkers were located. Team members had to wade through three to four foot snow drifts, sometimes even crawl, to reach the walkers’ location.

All the walkers were suffering from the effects of cold, with three requiring more urgent treatment and evacuation. A Doctor from TVMRT and a North East Ambulance Service Paramedic (and MR Team member) assessed all of the walkers. A Coastguard helicopter was requested and Rescue 999 from Prestwick made a valiant effort almost reaching the walkers’ location. Cloud on the tops and drifting snow, however, prevented further progress.

The back up plan was for the farmer from Rowhope in his tracked vehicle to transport the casualties requiring immediate evacuation down to the valley and for the remaining members of the group to be walked off by MR members. The plan was duly put into practice.

The walkers and Team members were all safely off the hill by 00.11hrs, Monday morning. A number were taken direct to hospital after a further assessment by the North East Ambulance Service and we hope they make a swift recovery from their ordeal.

Our Team Leader, Iain Nixon, said “I would thank all the agencies involved and in particular praise the efforts of the farmer from Rowhope, without whose assistance the rescue would have taken much longer. The collective efforts of all involved ensured a successful outcome.”

Tweed Valley MRT were also assisted by the farmer from Cocklawfoot with another ATV.

The incident involved 64 Mountain Rescue Team members from both sides of the Border for 10 hours 20 minutes.

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Casualty site on the NW corner of Hazely Law wood
Trackers of hill parties approaching from the South and North
Trackers of hill parties approaching from the South and North
Loading the first casualties in the ATV
Loading the first casualties in the ATV
Last Team members and kit making their way off the hill
Last Team members and kit making their way off the hill

 

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*** Incident No.67 ***

Monday 19 December 2016, 11.30hrs

A lone male became unwell whilst walking in the Cheviot Hills this morning. Information received from the Police suggested the walker was in and out of consciousness. At this stage the exact location of the walker was unknown although indications were that he was on Hedgehope Hill.

The Team alongside North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team deployed immediately to rendezvous in the Harthope valley. SARLOC, the location App, was used successfully and the walker’s location was identified as being between Hedgehope and Long Crag. With this information, one of our Landrovers was re-directed to access the casualty’s location from Threestoneburn Wood whilst Team members headed up from the Harthope valley.

Given the seriousness of the situation, air support was also requested by our Incident Controller. A MCA helicopter from Prestwick, Rescue 999, was tasked to the incident and arrived on scene within 50 minutes.

Team members and a North East Ambulance Service Paramedic were transported up to the casualty’s location by the local farmer from Langleeford using his quad and trailer. The farmer’s support was very much appreciated.

Once the casualty had been assessed by the Paramedic from Rescue 999, Team members assisted the crew in carrying the stretcher to the awaiting S92 helicopter. The casualty was then flown to the RVI in Newcastle for further treatment.

The Team would also like to thank the passing walker who came across the casualty and provided immediate care before the emergency services arrived. The walker’s actions certainly helped to save a life.

#Teamwork

The incident involved 13 Team members for 2 hours 10 minutes.

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*** Incident No.46 ***

Sunday 28 August 2016, 03.23hrs

The busy August continues with our eleventh incident for the month in the early hours of this morning. Northumbria Police contacted the Team and North of Tyne MRT for assistance in locating a female walker in her early 70s, who had failed to meet up with her husband at 21.00hrs, the previous night.

The female had been walking the Northumberland Coastal Path in sections and had set off from Belford to walk to Fenwick village late afternoon. She had walked the section to Belford earlier in the day.

After trying to locate his wife, the husband raised the alarm in the early hours. As our Incident Controllers were being briefed by the Police officers in Belford, the Police located the female on a drivable track in the woods near to the coastal path.

The walker had fallen sustaining minor injuries but due to the poor conditions overnight, she was also suffering from the cold. She was assessed and treated by a Team medic before being transported to hospital. We hope she makes a full and swift recovery.

The Coastguard helicopter from Prestwick had also been requested to assist in the search, but thankfully was not required on this occasion.

The incident involved 4 members for 3.5 hours.

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*** Incident No.38 ***

Monday 8th August 2016, 15.15 hrs
The Team along with North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team were called by Northumbria Police to assist a walker with a lower leg injury on the Pennine Way above the College Valley. Fortunately for the casualty the MCA Rescue Helicopter from Prestwick was in the process of finishing a mission for the Tweed Valley Rescue Team and was able to collect the casualty from the hill. Two Team members located the rest of the party as they descended off the hill and with assistance from the Police escorted them back to their transport at Hethpool.

The incident involved 12 Team members for 3 hours.

 

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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.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