2002 Incidents and Call Outs

51. 11th December Search 20.05 hrs Fulwood. Team called to search for missing male aged 52 described as vulnerable and on medication. After a five hour search the man was located suffering from mild hypothermia and treated.

50. 16th November Search 20.00 hrs Ormskirk. Team asked to search for missing Cub Scout, who had run off after an argument. Scout Leaders found the youth just as the Team was mobilising.

49. 16th November Spot Pick Up  10.00  hrs  Cross-of-Grete, Forest of Bowland. Report of 78 year old male, with suspected broken leg, the gentleman was part of a shooting party who fell off a vehicle that was transporting him to the top of the fell. Northwest Air Ambulance was also in support.

48. 1st November Search 14.00 hrs Beacon Country Park, Skelmersdale. Search for missing male aged 17. The youth turned up safe & well whilst Team was on route.

47. 20th October Spot Pick Up 14.00 hrs Croasdale Fell, Forest of Bowland. Injured Male; Team called to standby, however the Northwest Air Ambulance was first on scene. Team stood down as not required.

46.12th October Search 09.00 hrs Leyland. Search for missing 76-year-old female with known heart condition. After an hour of searching the Police informed the Team that the lady had been traced via her mobile phone. The Team stood down shortly afterwards.

45. 10th October Search 16.55 hrs Blackpool. Search of open countryside near to Blackpool golf course for missing vulnerable 82-year-old female. After fresh information the lady was located safe and sound at 18.55 hrs on land at the back of Blackpool Airport / Lytham St.Annes.

44. 7th October Spot Pick Up 11.00 hrs Rivington Pike. Report of male with cardiac problems in the Rivington Pike / Belmont area. Whilst the Team Leader was taking details it was reported that a Lancashire Ambulance crew had located the man in a car on a lay by on the Belmont to Rivington road. Team stood down - not required.

43. 5th October Spot Pick Up 10.15 hrs Morecambe. Team called to assist Lancashire Ambulance Service after an elderly lady had fallen in her home. The Team had a Landrover attending a fund raising Flag Day in Lancaster and this was immediately dispatched arriving at the ladies home within 8 minutes. The lady was made comfortable whilst the Team waited for the ambulance to arrive.

42. 30th September Spot Pick Up 15.00 hrs Nicky Nook, Garstang. Team called to assist Lancashire Ambulance after an elderly man had been reported with chests pains on the summit of Nicky Nook.

41. 29th September Safety Cover / Search / Spot Pick Up As 40 but this time on Ingleborough, Yorkshire Dales. Fell walkers had reported that a competitor had suffered an epileptic attack whilst descending Ingleborough. Team members were sent to investigate only to find that the competitor had been ‘walked off’ by friends and was later found on Simon Fell by the Cave Rescue Organisation who were also called to this incident.

40. 29th September Safety Cover / Search / Spot Pick Up Whernside, Yorkshire Dales, Three Peaks Cyclo Cross. The Team provides safety cover for this annual event (and has done for over 40 years). Team dealt with an injured competitor who had  fallen from his bike suffering a suspected broken collarbone.

39. 15^th September Search 16.25 hrs  Whitendale, Forest of Bowland. Team was placed on standby after a mountain biker in the Whitendale area had reported hearing emergency whistles. Three Team members, who were currently based at our Smelt Mill Headquarters, investigated only to find that there had been a group of walkers with children that had been “messing about”. The Team was stood down a short time later.

38. 28th August Spot Pick Up 17.15 hrs M65 Eastbound. Team Called to assist Lancashire Ambulance Service on the M65 junction 3. A youth had fallen from a rope swing. Due to the steep ground the Northwest Air Ambulance was unable to land.

37. 19th August Search 21.20 hrs Bamber Bridge, Preston. Team called to search woodland in the Bamber Bridge area, for missing male aged 34 believed to be suicidal. However after an initial search the Team was withdrawn due to the man making a mobile phone call and a "cell search" indicated call was made within 500 meters of Preston Guildhall. The Team was stood down at 23.34hrs, and the police later found the man at 05.20hrs. Two members of SARDA and their dogs also assisted.

36. 16th August Spot Pick Up 12.10 hrs Waddington, Forest of Bowland. A young boy had fallen from a tree and landed on steep ground, Team called to assist Lancashire Ambulance in evacuating to the road. Stood down whilst responding.

35. 11th August Search 13.40 hrs Ribbleton, Preston. Team called to search for missing female aged 40 described as vulnerable. Team was deployed and the lady was found safe and well soon after.

34. 3rd August Spot Pick Up 16.00 hrs Parlick Pike, Forest of Bowland. Injured para-glider on the east side of Parlick Fell. Team evacuated patient to waiting Northwest Air Ambulance – an almost exact repeat of incident 17.

33. 3rd August First Aid 15.20 hrs Borrowdale Fell Race, Rosthwaite. Team members at Rosthwaite Playing field treated a runner suffering from a severe asthmatic attack.

32. 3rd August Safety Cover 11.40 hrs Borrowdale Fell Race, Bessy Boot Fell. The Team provides safety cover for this annual event (and has done for over 30 years). A male fell runner was hit in the chest by a large boulder whilst ascending Bessy Boot Fell. Team members provided treatment at scene and escorted the man back to the road.

31. 14th July Search 21.47 hrs Clougha Pike Fell, North Lancashire. Male walker reported over due by party of friends. Team called to search surrounding fells, and as the Team was mobilising the walker turned up safe and sound in Salford ! The police advised the Team to stand down based on this new information.

30. 14^th July Spot Pick Up 18.00 hrs Whittle-Le-Woods, Chorley. Team called to Ashcroft Quarry after female had become trapped in deep mud in “Dead Man’s tunnel” .The Team  set up a rope pulley system in order to evacuate the female assisted by Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service. The female was pulled to safety and checked over for injuries by Lancashire Ambulance Service.

29. 22^nd June Safety Cover/Spot Pick Up 09.20 hrs Scafell Pike, Central Lake District. Whilst on mountain rescue cover for the Four 3,000 Peaks Challenge the Team was called to an injured competitor who had slipped at the top of Mickledore chimney Broad Stand. The man, in his late 50’s, had fallen into a gully and carried on tumbling, falling 50 metres down, and eventually coming to rest just above the chock stone. He had suffered severe head and leg injuries. Team members were very quickly on the scene from the checkpoint at the summit and stabilised the injured man whilst waiting for the arrival of Wasdale MRT. After a very technically demanding rescue lasting several hours in horrendous weather conditions, an RAF Sea King helicopter managed to land on the shoulder of Brown Tongue so the casualty could be airlifted quickly to West Cumberland Hospital. This in itself was a remarkable feat of flying by the helicopter pilot for he slowly worked his way up the fell (through the cloud) at a height of 6 metres to a suitable pick up point. Langdale Ambleside and RAF Stafford MRT’s were also in assistance.

28. 14^th June  Standby 18.10 hrs East Lancashire. Lancashire Police and Ambulance Services requested the Team to standby following heavy flash flooding in the east of the county. Team was not required.

27. 25^th May Search 00.30 hrs Stannah, Blackpool. Team called to search for missing female with post-natal depression and possibly suicidal. After an extensive search of the surrounding countryside nothing was found and the Team were stood down at 09.00. The Coastguard & Lancashire Police helicopter were also in attendance.

Post note: The missing lady turned up safe and sound later in the day

26. 18^th May Standby Safety Cover 11.00 hrs Clougha Pike Fell Race, North Lancashire. No incidents reported

25. 12^th May Spot Pick Up 16.05 hrs Freckleton. Team asked to assist Lancashire Ambulance Service to evacuate young girl after falling down a steep embankment.

24. 11^th May RTA 20.30 hrs Penwortham, Preston. While on route to our vehicle base, a  Team Landrover was flagged down by three separate cars at Lower Penwortham to attend a road traffic accident. A male with bleeding scalp wound was lying in the road. Team members assisted until the paramedics from Lancashire Ambulance Service arrived.

23. 11^th May  Standby Search 16.00 hrs Dunsop Bridge, Forest of Bowland. A female walker called at the Team’s Headquarters, Smelt Mill, in the Trough of Bowland saying her husband and two other men, a Canadian and an Italian, were overdue at Trough House having left them at Brennand Farm earlier. The Team was placed on standby and waited for 1 hour to see if they would turn up. After 50 mins the walkers turned up safe and sound.

22. 11^th May Search 09.50 hrs Ingol, Preston. Team called to search for missing vulnerable male age 38 possible suicidal.

21. 8^th May Search 07.48 hrs Skelmersdale. Missing 6-year-old girl. Team called to search surrounding countryside and farmland. Thankfully the girl turned up safe and sound whilst Team was mobilising.

20. 5^th  May Standby Safety Cover 10.30 hrs Caton Moor Fell Race, North Lancashire. No incidents reported

19. 13^th April Crag / Spot Pick Up 13:15 hrs Clitheroe. Young girl crag fast in a quarry. Request from Lancashire Ambulance service for assistance. Rossendale & Pendle MRT also requested to attend. Stood down on arrival as Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service had dealt with this incident.

18. 9^th April Search 23.30 hrs Banks, Nr Tarlton, West Lancashire. Team called to search for missing vulnerable 80 year old female. The lady was found safe and well close by her last known position.

17. 7^th April Spot Pick Up 15.00 hrs Parlick Pike, Forest of Bowland. Para-sender injured on landing with a suspected broken ankle. Team evacuated patient to waiting Northwest Air Ambulance.

16. 25^th March Spot Pick Up 01.10 hrs Whitewell, Forest of Bowland. Team called to assist in evacuation of male with broken leg and ankle.

15. 23^rd March Safety Cover 11.00 hrs Fiendsdale Fell Race, Forest of Bowland. Team attended to one competitor with twisted ankle, no other incidents reported.

14. 19^th March Spot Pick Up 22.10 hrs Waddington Area, Forest of Bowland. Lancashire Ambulance Service called Team to assist in the evacuation of an injured male after their ambulance had become bogged down on a country lane. The patient was evacuated in a second Ambulance. The Team Landrover was used to pull the original ambulance free.

13. 16^th March Search 09.00 hrs East Lakes, Cumbria. Our SARDA search dog handler and search dog Bracken, took part, in a large scale search in Cumbria for a missing person.

12. 4^th March Search 14.10 hrs Carnforth, North Lancashire. Team requested to search for missing 14 year old boy, described as vulnerable. The Team was on route when Lancaster Police informed Team Leader that the boy had turned up safe and well. Team stood down 14.40.

11. 2^nd March Standby Safety Cover 11.00 hrs Bleasdale Fell Race, Forest of Bowland. No incidents reported

10. 28^th February Search 19.05 hrs Lancaster. Urgent page from Lancashire Police to search for missing vulnerable patient from Ridge Lee Hospital .The man was found after a short period of time safe and well.

9. 24^th February  Advice 14:10 hrs Whernside, Yorkshire Dales. The Team was paged to attend an incident on Whernside in the Dales. As this is not the Teams normal area of operation the call was passed to our neighbouring Team, the Cave Rescue Organisation, immediately.

8. 6^th February Search 01.05 hrs Blackpool. Team called to search the countryside surrounding Blackpool Victoria Hospital after a vulnerable 86 year old female had been report missing from the A&E department. The Team had just started to respond to the call, when the police discovered that she had returned home. Team stood down at 01.20.

7. 27^th January Spot Pick Up 13.05 hrs Saddle Fell, Forest of Bowland. A 15-year-old male had slipped and fell awkwardly resulting in a suspected broken arm. The Team attended and the Northewest Air Ambulance airlifted the patient to hospital.

6. 26^th January Search 10.20 hrs Jubilee Tower, Forest of Bowland. Lancashire Police requested Team to keep a look out for male walker in the area of Grit Fell whom they urgently needed to make contact with after receiving information regarding a relative. All Team members on the Fell were contacted by radio to look out for the gentleman but he was not located.

5. 26^th January  Advice 09.50 hrs Rivington. The Team was paged by Lancashire Ambulance Incident Support Desk to attend an incident at Rivington. As this is not the Teams normal area of operation the call was passed to our neighbouring Team, Bolton MRT, immediately.

4. 20^th January Spot Pick Up 15.25 hrs Anglezarke, West Pennine Moors. Team called to assist an injured fell walker on Anglezarke moor. The young lady had slipped and fallen down a small crag. She was found dazed and wandering a short distance from the crag. The Northewest Air Ambulance was alerted and she was air lifted to Royal Preston Hospital.

3. 9^th January Search 21.05 hrs Lancaster. Whilst training on Parlick Pike, the Team was called by Lancashire Police to search for missing 13 year old boy, last seen in Williamson Park area of Lancaster. The Team had just arrived on scene, when the boy turned up safe and sound. Team stood down at 22.15 hrs.

2. 5^th January Search 21.10 hrs Bleasdale Fells, Forest of Bowland. Team called to search for two missing walkers last seen walking around the Bleasdale area. They were reported missing at 19.00 after their car was still in the car park at Tootle Hall. The Team was on route to begin the search, when the walkers were reported to be camping on Beacon Fell Country Park. The Team was stood down at 22.05 hrs.

1. 1^St January Snow / Bad Weather Standby  00.00 hrs All operational area. The Team was placed on standby to assist Lancashire Ambulance Service during the hazardous snow conditions. The Team assisted the Ambulance Service with several incidents, and was eventually stood down at midnight 2^nd January.