1996 Incidents, Call Outs and Other Events

31. 14^th December Search 15.00 hrs Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan. Team again called out to assist Bolton MRT in search for missing 47 year old female, who was described as depressed. A search of the surrounding area was undertaken, but the missing female was not located.

30. 24^th November Search 17.15 hrs Anglezarke Moor, West Pennines Team called out to assist Bolton MRT in search for a missing fell party. This party of four walkers was reported over due by approx. two hours and due to blizzard conditions the Teams were alerted. They were located with one suffering from hypothermia. This member of the party was transported to hospital by private car.

29. 24^th November Bad Weather Cover 14.00 hrs East Lancashire. Again due to heavy snowfalls and blizzard conditions the Team was called out to assist Rossendale SRT.

28. 19^th November Bad Weather Cover 19.30 hrs East Lancashire. Due to heavy snow conditions the Team was called out to assist Rossendale SRT with standby cover. One Landrover and crew based at Rossendale Team HQ in Haslingden.

27. 29^th September Safety Cover / Spot Pick Up Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross, Yorkshire Dales. Team also called to injured rider, fallen from his bike with a suspected broken collarbone. Transported to the road head and the waiting ambulance.

26. 29^th September Safety Cover / Spot Pick Up Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross, Yorkshire Dales. Team providing safety cover for this gruelling race called to assist rider with suspected twisted knee. Transported to the road head and the waiting ambulance.

25. 11^th September Search 20.20 hrs Chorley. Team called to search for missing 82-year-old male. The man had been reported missing from his home and was described as vulnerable. The man was located at 01.30 hrs and was found to be suffering from hypothermia after falling into a stream under a motorway bridge. He was treated and transported by Lancashire Ambulance to hospital. Other Teams assisting: SARDA and Lancashire Police Air Support Unit.

24. 3^rd August Safety Cover Borrowdale Fell Race, Cumbria. The Team once again provided safety cover for this event. No incidents reported.

23. 28^th July Search 14.20 hrs ? Team called to assist Rossendale SRT to search for missing 78-year-old female who was described as in a confused state. A local farmer found the lady safe and sound. Team stood down 16.00 hrs.

22. 23^rd July Search 01.10 hrs Lancaster. Missing 68-year-old male described as vulnerable. Team called to search the grounds of the Lancaster Moor Hospital, Williamson Park and surrounding area. Team members eventually found the man in woods about half a mile from the hospital. Stretchered to road and transported to the hospital for a check up. Team stood down 05.40 hrs.

21. 26^th June Spot Pick Up 17.00 hrs Houghton. Team called to an injured climber, aged 26, after a fall in Houghton Quarry. The climber suffered back, leg and head injuries. Lancashire Ambulance Paramedics treated injuries and Team assisted with the carry off.

20. 21^st June Search / Spot Pick Up 19.00 hrs Nicky Nook, Garstang. A micro-light pilot flying over Nicky Nook, north of Garstang put out a mayday call to alert emergency services of a group of people trying to attract attention. One person was lying on the ground and appeared to be injured. Team were informed and investigated. Team members located the party and questioned them. They did not realise the trouble caused and have since apologised by letter.

19. 18^th June Safety Cover / Forensic Evidence Search 08.00 hrs. River Ribble, Penwortham. Team called to assist Lancashire Police by providing safety cover whilst they carried out a fingertip search on the steep banks of the River Ribble following the murder of a local 21-year-old girl. Police officers harnessed, roped and belayed by Team Members on steep riverbank above water & mud.

18. 15^th June Safety Cover / First Aid 13.15 hrs Esk Hause, Lake District. Team, covering 4 Peaks Challenge Walk, were again called to assist a collapsed competitor near Esk Hause. After cooling down and given salt tablets he was able to continue (a very hot day out).

17. 15^th June Safety Cover / Spot pick Up 12.45 hrs Lake District. Team, covering 4 Peaks Challenge Walk in the Lake District. Team called to the aid of a collapsed competitor. Cooling down and salt tablets were not having the desired effect and he was beginning to lapse in and out of consciousness. It was decided to request the assistance of a RAF Sea King Rescue Helicopter, which was training nearby. The man was flown to Whitehaven Hospital for further treatment

16. 14^th June Spot Pick Up 22.00 hrs Borrowdale, Lake District. Whilst deploying to the hill in preparation for the 4 Peaks Challenge Walk, Team Landrover and three Team members were diverted to an incident at the Bowderstone, Borrowdale. Cumbria Ambulance already on scene but required evacuation assistance to the road. Keswick MRT also called and both Teams carried off the casualty.

15. 23^rd  March Safety Cover Fiendsdale Fell Race, Forest of Bowland. No incidents reported

14. 10^th March Search 15.38 hrs ? A young girl aged 11 with history of epilepsy missing from home after argument with a friend. Team alerted and was on route when recall was issued. The girl had, thankfully, turned up safe and sound.

13. 3^rd March Search 11.30 hrs Leyland. Team called to assist Police in search of waste ground for missing security guard who had disappeared after a violent robbery. Search called off after 4 hours. (The man turned up in the South of England and was helping with enquiries!).

12. 19^th February Bad Weather Cover 19.00 hrs All Team Area. Lancashire Ambulance Service requested four wheel drive vehicles and personnel to assist them in a spell of bad weather, i.e. snow and ice conditions.

11. 17^th February Spot Pick Up 16.45 hrs Brock Bottoms. Forest of Bowland. A male, aged 40 had fallen down a steep river embankment at Brock Bottoms, fracturing his right tibia and fibula also suffering from mild hypothermia. Lancashire Ambulance Service requested Team evacuate person. Med. Alert Doctor on scene and treated with morphine. Patient was partly in river. Team evacuated down stream in waist deep water and up steep bank to waiting Lancashire Police helicopter.

10. 7^th February Spot Pick Up 06.00 hrs Glasson Dock, North Lancashire. Team called to assist Lancashire Ambulance crew at Glasson Dock where a 50-year-old male had injured his back. Team assisted casualty onto a stretcher and then sledged over muddy fields to waiting Ambulance.

9. 6^th February Bad Weather Cover / Spot Pick Up  15.15 hrs ? Female, aged 19, suffered head injuries whilst out sledging, Team assisted Lancashire Ambulance Service by evacuating and transporting her to the road to the waiting Ambulance.

8. 6^th February Bad Weather Cover / Spot Pick Up  14.30 hrs ? Male, aged 23, suspected fracture of right collarbone whilst out sledging. Treated and evacuated to Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

7. 6^th February Bad Weather Cover / Spot Pick Up  11.00 hrs Ribbleton, Preston. Team again provided cover to Lancashire Ambulance Service for period of bad weather and snow. Boy, aged 12, injured whilst sledging. The young boy had collided with a concrete fence post on a very steep slope injuring his knee. (Possible fracture of patella) Team treated injuries and stretchered to the road where a waiting Lancashire Ambulance transported him to Royal Preston Hospital.

6. 27^th January Bad Weather Cover / Vehicle Recovery 17.00 hrs Lancaster. Whilst on route from Lancaster Ambulance Station Team vehicle and members came across a vehicle stuck in a deep snowdrift. The occupants had made several attempts to free the vehicle without success, they were just about to set off on foot for help, but were not equipped given the bad winter conditions. Team kept them warm in the Team vehicle whilst a successful attempt was made to free the car.

5. 27^th January Bad Weather Cover / Spot Pick Up 14.50 hrs Rivington. Call-out to Rivington Pike. 24-year-old female involved in a sledging accident. The casualty had a severe back injury (suspected spinal), immobilised and evacuated by helicopter to the Royal Preston Hospital. Other Teams involved: Bolton MRT & Lancashire Police Air Support Unit.

4. 27^th January Bad Weather Cover / Spot Pick Up 13.15 hrs Chipping, Forest of Bowland. Due to the heavy snowfall the Team was called out to assist Lancs. Ambulance Service in transferring a patient from Chipping to Ribchester.

3. 27^th January Bad Weather Cover / Spot Pick Up 13.00 hrs ? Male farmer aged 70, suspected heart attack. Due to the heavy snow conditions the Team escorted Lancashire Ambulance as far as it could go. The crew then transferred to the Teams Landrover for the last mile to the farm. The man was treated and stabilised then taken to the ambulance for hospitalisation.

2. 27^th January Bad Weather Cover / Spot Pick Up 11.45 hrs ? Team called to assist Lancashire Ambulance Service due to heavy snowfalls. Female with suspected fracture of left ankle after slipping in the treacherous condition. The Team treated and made her comfortable then transferred to ambulance.

1. 20^th January Search 05.30 hrs Oldham. Call-out to assist Oldham MRT in search for a missing 5-year-old girl. The girl had been reported missing for four days. Team stood down at 17.30 hrs - nothing found. 14 Mountain Rescue Teams assisted in the search.

(Post note: The body of the missing girl turned up two weeks later just 500 metres from her home).