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 2010 Incidents, Call Outs and Other Events

Numbered Incidents are reported to Mountain Rescue - England & Wales

'S' Numbers indicate a Standby  and 'D' indicates our SARDA Dog Unit only was used. 

42. 14^th August Search 19:50 Hrs Parbold near Ormskirk. Team requested to search for a vulnerable male, aged 76 in the Parbold area. Incident Control was established in the car park of the pub at the top of Parbold Hill. Having obtained a scent article from the missing persons home the Teams trailing search dog and handler immediately dispatched to the Place Last Seen (PLS) to see if a direction of travel could be determined. This was followed by the Team’s other search dog and handler plus search parties on the main roads and footpaths in the area. As plans were being put in place to extend the search areas and call in extra resources (more dogs & another Team) news was received that the person was safe in hospital at Southport. Team stood down at 22:30 hrs.   (39 Rescue Person Hours)

41(D). 28^th July Search 10:42 Hrs Turton Reservoir, Bolton. Teams area search dog, Floss and handler assisted Bolton MRT in a search for a missing male at Turton & Entwistle Reservoir.  Unfortunately, the missing person was located deceased.   (4 Rescue Person Hours)

Bolton MRT Incident 70/2010.

40. 28^th July Search 02:27 Hrs Halton near Lancaster. Team requested to assist in the search for a missing male, aged 76.  Already missing for over 24 hours.   Unfortunately, the missing person was located later in the day, deceased, by the Lancashire Police Helicopter searching the River Lune. Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service recovered the body from the river. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the missing persons family at this sad time.   (40 Rescue Person Hours)

39.  26^th July Road Traffic Incident 12:00 Hrs Trough of Bowland. Whilst at Smelt Mill, our Headquarters in the Trough of Bowland, two Team members responded in a team vehicle to a cyclist who had fallen from his bike. The NW Air Ambulance soon joined them. The injured person was packaged onto the aircraft for the onward journey to Royal Preston Hospital.   (1 Rescue Person Hours)

38.  26^th July Spot Pickup 08:40 Hrs Brinscall. Team received a request from NW Ambulance Service to assist with a male who had sustained a suspected MI (heart attack) in woods at Brinscall. Stood down responding with vehicles mobile and Team members on route when it was determined that the ambulance crew had reached the casualty. With members of the public they had been able to effect an evacuation to the waiting ambulance a short distance away. (15 Rescue Person Hours)

S18. 21^st July Standby Search 10:27 Hrs Moor park, Preston. A further request received from Lancashire Police for the Team to assist in the search for a missing female from the previous day who was still outstanding.  Again the Team did not deploy.   (0.5 Rescue Person Hours)

S17. 20^th July Standby Search 09:15 Hrs Moor Park, Preston. Request received from Lancashire Police to assist in the search for a missing female. From intelligence available no suitable areas for MR could be identified with the main search areas being urban and well covered by available Police units. The Team did not deploy.   (0.5 Rescue Person Hours)

S16(D). 14^th July Standby Search  03:26 Hrs Walkden. Teams search dogs, Mij & Floss and handlers, requested by Bolton MRT to assist with a search for a missing boy. Stood down responding when information received that the boy had been located, safe.   (1 Rescue Person Hour) 

Bolton MRT Incident 69/2010.

37. 5^th July Search 17:25 Hrs Ormskirk. Team requested to search for another vulnerable male, aged 52. Team leader attended at Ormskirk Police station to plan the search response whilst other Team members including dog handlers readied vehicles at our Garstang & Penwortham bases and prepared to deploy. Full Team page at 18:48 hrs but stood down at 19:10 hrs when missing person located returning to his home in Skelmersdale.   (21 Rescue Person Hours)

S15. 3^rd July Standby Search 19:33 Hrs Longridge Fell. Request received from Lancashire Police for the Team to assist in the search for a vulnerable male. Missing person was located by Police helicopter only a short distance from the road and ambulance paramedics were able to easily access. The Team did not deploy.   (0.5 Rescue Person Hours)

36(D). 1^st July Search 16:23 Hrs Ings, South Cumbria. Teams trailing dog, Mij and handler, requested by Kendal MSRT to assist with a search for a vulnerable 80-year-old female. Located safe by MRT members near Staverly. Langdale Ambleside and Duddon Furness MRT’s also assisting with this incident.   (4 Rescue Person Hours)

35. 26^thJune Road Traffic Incident 16:20 Hrs A55, Llanfairfechan, North Wales. Whilst returning from a helicopter training exercise with RAF Valley in Anglesey the Team came across a serious road traffic incident near Llanfairfechan on the A55. The Team was the first emergency service on scene.  The incident involved a single car, which was on its roof with four injured persons involved. Two persons had scrambled free and suffered minor head injuries and lacerations. A 3^rd person was  free from the vehicle and was more seriously injured; the 4^th person was still trapped. The Team, assisted by a number of nurses & doctors who were present immediately administered First Aid to the three persons out of the vehicle.  A Team member who is an off duty Fire Officer and assisted by another off duty fire officer assessed the situation with the person trapped in the car. Other Team members assisted with traffic management. First of the other emergency services on scene were Fire & Rescue. They were quickly briefed as to the situation and a decision made for us to continue with the casualty care of the four persons involved whilst they made the vehicle safe and proceeded to remove the side of the car to gain better access to the casualty inside. Other emergency service then arrived in quick succession – two ambulances, four police cars, a second fire pump and the North Wales Air Ambulance.  Team then assisted with packaging and transport of casualties to the various emergency vehicles and helicopter before standing down and continuing our journey home.  (13 Rescue Person Hours)

S14. 26^th June Standby Search 09:14 Hrs Lancaster. Team paged by Lancaster Police requiring an urgent search of Williamson Park, canal, surrounding woods and farmland for a 10-year-old boy who had been missing over night. Team immediately brought to standby.  With 20 Team members away in North Wales for a helicopter training exercise at RAF Valley it was decided to contact colleagues at Bolton and Rossendale Pendle MRT’s for additional personnel. However, as all this was being coordinated missing person located, safe, at a friend’s house having stayed overnight and not informed anyone.  (1 Rescue Person Hours)

34.  21^st June Spot Pickup 19:16 Hrs Hurst Green, Ribchester. Team received a request from NW Ambulance Service to assist with a female who had fallen from a horse and sustained a serious head injury. Reported as 1.5 miles from the nearest road. The NW Air Ambulance was not available. On arrival it was determined that access had been easy and the casualty was already safe on the ambulance. (10 Rescue Person Hours)

33.  14^th June Search 20:57 Hrs Longridge Fell. Team Controllers paged with an unusual report of two dogs running wild on Longridge Fell. There was a possibility that the dogs belonged to an elderly gentleman who could not be located. In a measured response Team brought to standby, readied vehicles at our bases and one Landrover with two persons dispatched to RV with Police. A search of the main tracks on the Fell by Team Landrover and a number of Police officers was undertaken. After a check of all farm buildings, car parks and with no report of anyone missing it was decided to suspend the search. A false alarm but of good intent.  (6 Rescue Person Hours plus 60 hours standby)

S13. 14^th June Standby Search 15:55 Hrs St. Annes-on-the-Sea. Search for a vulnerable female, aged 80. Possibly missing since 02:00 hrs. Reported as unable to travel very far. Just as full team page about to be initiated missing person was located in Manchester. Not that far away then!  (0.5 Rescue Person Hours)

32. 9^th June Spot Pickup 20:45 Hrs Warton, Pinnacle Crag near Carnforth.  During Basic Life Support Examinations at our Garstang training base a page was received to assist the Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service with a climber who had fallen and sustained a back injury. Within 5 minutes three vehicles mobile to Warton. Team stood down on route when requested by Police that incident was concluded. (14 Rescue Person Hours)

S12. 8^th June Standby Search 12:19 Hrs Heysham Moss, Heysham. Team requested to search for a vulnerable male who had left messages. Areas of wood and open land identified as potential search areas. However, as call out page was about to be initiated news received that the missing person had been located by Lancashire Police helicopter, Oscar November 99. (0.5 Rescue Person Hours)

31. 6^th June Spot Pickup 18:26 Hrs Gisburn Forest, Bowland. Team Leader contacted direct by Incident Controller from the Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO). They were responding to a call from Yorkshire Ambulance Service to a mountain biker injured in Gisburn Forest and were requesting our support. Full Team page initiated but we stood down responding with two vehicles mobile when news came from CRO that the casualty had made it to the road and was safe.  (10 Rescue Person Hours)

30. 2^nd June Major Incident 18:30 Hrs West Cumbria. Team received a request from Cumbria Constabulary “Gold” for assistance following the shooting incident in West Cumbria. Requirement was to join other MRT’s and SARDA dog units from the Lakes, Yorkshire and southern Scotland in the search of fields adjacent to roads and country lanes for other victims. Potential for over 100 km of road to be covered. Searching taking place until last light and then continuing from first light the following day until mid morning. Thankfully nothing found. The Teams thoughts and sympathies are with the relatives, friends and anyone who has been affected by this tragic incident. (75 Rescue Person Hours)

29. 22^nd May Spot Pickup 09:30 Hrs Skelmersdale. Team received a request from NW Ambulance Service to assist in the evacuation of a male patient in a difficult to access location, in fields south of Skelmersdale town centre. Lancashire Fire & Rescue also called to this incident. Team members assisting with the evacuation of the casualty to the waiting ambulance. (10 Rescue Person Hours)

28 (D). 20^th May Search 19:00 Hrs Clayton-le-Moors. Search dogs and handlers requested to assist Rossendale & Pendle MRT in the search for a male described as vulnerable. Search of wooded areas required but stood down soon after arrival on scene when missing person located by NWAS. They had attended a patient that turned out to be the missing person. (2 Rescue Person Hours)

Rossendale & Pendle MRT Incident 78/2010

27. 15^th May Search 15:13 Hrs Garstang. Our second call out of the day. Team requested by Lancashire Police to search for a missing 77-year-old male. Missing since 13:30 hrs. Team paged to RV at our Garstang vehicle & training base where incident control was set up. Initial hasty tasks quickly identified with trailing search dog deployed to persons home, area search dog to fields near persons home, Land Rover & crew to grounds of a local school, searchers on mountain bikes along the canal and a search team along the banks of the River Wyre. However, shortly after these initial deployments the person was located at Blackpool Victoria Hospital where he had just been admitted. (40 Rescue Person Hours)

26. 15^th May Spot Pickup 10:59 Hrs Gisburn Forest, Bowland. Team paged by NW Ambulance Service to a young male (aged 12) who had fallen from his mountain bike in Gisburn Forest. Stood down responding, as the NW Air Ambulance had been able to land close by and dealt with the incident.  (9 Rescue Person Hours)

25. 14^th May Search 15:02 Hrs Beacon Fell Country Park, Bowland.  Lancashire Police had received a report of a “body” being dumped on the road at Beacon Fell. Report was considered to be genuine and of good intent. Team searched a 25-metre band either side of the circular road around the fell plus a number of “hot” spots. Nothing found.   (80 Rescue Person Hours)

24. 13^th May Spot Pickup 16:41 Hrs Withnell Quarry. Team paged by NW Ambulance Service to assist with a worker who had sustained a leg injury at Withnell Quarry. Casualty was in a difficult to access location. However, on arrival it was determined that the leg injury was not as serious as first thought. First few team members on scene were able to assist the ambulance crew with a straightforward evacuation to the waiting ambulance.  (14 Rescue Person Hours)

23 (D). 9^th May Search 20:18 Hrs Queens Park area, Bolton. Search dogs and handlers again requested to assist Bolton MRT. A 79-year-old-male was missing from a local nursing home. After extensive searches of the area the search was suspended at midnight with the person still outstanding.  (8 Rescue Person Hours)

Bolton MRT Incident 57/2010

Post script: Missing person was located safe the following day.

S11. 7^th May Standby Search Advice 23:46 Hrs Croston.  Team Leaders paged with a request for advice from Lancashire Police who were searching for a missing elderly male in the Croston area. No immediate tasks for MR could be identified but is was agreed to contact the Police the following day should the search escalate.  Contact made the following day with the Police Search manager and the person was still outstanding. The search was to be extended to farmland and woods. However, as a full team page was about to be initiated news came that the missing person had just been located, safe, close to his home.

22 (D). 28^th April Search 19:20 Hrs Turton area, Bolton. Teams search dogs and handlers requested to assist Bolton MRT with the search for a 19-year-old-male with a medical condition and giving concern for his safety. Stood down responding when the missing person was found safe. (2 Rescue Person Hours)                     

Bolton MRT Incident 56/2010

21. 25^th April Spot Pickup 14:42 Hrs Stake House Fell, Bowland. Team paged by NW Ambulance Service who had received a report of a mountain biker with a broken leg on the Bleasdale Fells. 17 Team members responding to this incident. General location only given on what appeared to be a drivable track. On arrival in area track accessed by team Landrover but we could not locate the casualty. It was then determined that the NW Air Ambulance had found the casualty near the summit of Stake House Fell and had requested an RAF Sea King, that was in the southern Lake District, to assist. Team stood down to the road head until it was determined that the casualty had been safely evacuated by the RAF to the Royal Preston Hospital.    (17 Rescue Person Hours)

20. 18^th April Spot Pickup 14:57 Hrs Fell Foot near Chipping. Team received a report from NW Ambulance Service to urgently attend a male who had landed heavily while parapenting and sustaining a suspected back injury. The person had landed in the usually field at the bottom of Parlick Pike and was only a short distance from the road. Team members were first on scene to be joined shortly by the NW Air Ambulance (which was not grounded for serious incidents due to the volcanic ash from Iceland). Casualty soon packaged on a long board and transported the short distance to Helimed 08 for the onward journey to Royal Preston Hospital. (13 Rescue Person Hours)

19. 15^th April Search 19:17 Hrs Staining near Blackpool. Our second search of the day. Team requested by Lancashire Police to search for a missing 77-year-old male. Missing since 08:00 hrs from his home in Blackpool near Stanley Park. Mobile phone plots indicated an area in the direction of Marton Mere and farmland beyond. Team set up an Incident Control at Staining Village Hall (thanks due to the local people who allowed us to use facility). Attempts made by Teams Trailing dog and handler to determine a direction of travel from the persons home while the other Dog Unit deployed to land near Marton Mere where a possible sighting had been reported.   Other search Teams deployed around Marton Mere and near Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Police teams including a general-purpose dog, horses & support units searching Stanley Park and other areas near the zoo & golf course. Police helicopter grounded due to the volcanic ask from Iceland and therefore not available.  Team stood down just before midnight when intelligence received that the person was not in the identified search areas. (72 Rescue Person Hours)

Post Script: Missing person located safe the following day having apparently slept in a field and returned home.

18. 15^th April Search 08:26 Hrs Healy Nab near Chorley. Team requested by Lancashire Police to search for a missing elderly male described as vulnerable. Missing overnight and known to walk in the Healy Nab area. Team responded with 16 persons to an RV at the end of Anglezarke Reservoir. However, just after the first search teams had been deployed the person was located, safe, some miles away in Coppull.  Teams Trailing Dog and handler used in this incident. Other search dogs from SARDA (England) & SARDA (Lakes) stood down on route. (56 Rescue Person Hours)

S10. 28^th March Standby Search 17:43 Hrs Whitewell, Bowland. Lancashire Police had received a report of a group with a youngster in a pram in difficulty in the Marl Hill area near Whitewell. Initial report from the group by mobile phone but contact had been lost. Team brought to standby but news soon came that the group had made their way to the Inn-at-Whitewell and were safe.  (3.75 Rescue Person Hours)

17. 4^th March Spot Pickup 14:30 Hrs Brennand, Trough of Bowland. Team paged by NW Ambulance Service to assist with a female who had fallen and sustained a leg injury on the Ouster Rake Track in the Brennand Valley. Stood down responding, with two vehicles mobile and 14 persons attending, when it was determined that the female had made it to Brennand Farm and received treatment from paramedics from the NW Air Ambulance which had also been dispatched. (14 Rescue Person Hours)

16. 2^nd March Search 20:00 Hrs Broughton, Preston. Team requested by Lancashire Police to search for a missing 80-year-old male. Missing since 05:00 hrs but not reported until 18:00 hrs and some concern due to the falling temperatures. The Place Last Seen (the PLS) was at the back of the Marriott Hotel, Broughton. Team members requested to arrive by 21:00 hrs having collected vehicles from our Penwortham & Garstang vehicle bases. An immediate response direct to the RV by our dog handlers meant that by 20:45 hrs area search dog Floss and handler had been deployed into woods close to the PLS. Also, a scent article had been obtained ready for trailing dog Mij and handler to see if they could determine a direction of travel. However, we were then informed that the person had been located by a Police search team on a muddy track about 1Km away. Team vehicles immediately diverted straight to the scene where the, now very cold, person was recovered by Landrover to the road and a waiting ambulance. (32 Rescue Person Hours)

15. 28^th February Spot Pickup 14:55 Hrs Hilldale Quarry, Parbold. Team paged by NW Ambulance Service to urgently attend an incident where a male was reported to have fallen from a rope swing into deep water and could not be located. Despite efforts from Police, the Fire & Rescue Service and ourselves the search was suspended when it got dark due to safety concerns. During this incident the Team provided rope safety lines for police officers, used our vehicles to transport boats and other heavy equipment for the other Emergency Services and provided wide area lighting. Unfortunately, the Police Underwater Unit recovered a body the following day. The Team’s thoughts are with the young persons family and friends at this time.   (48 Rescue Person Hours)

14. 24^th February Spot Pickup 15:53 Hrs Anglezarke. Team requested to assist NW Ambulance service with a 55 year-old male who had sustained lower leg injuries near Manor House. Suspected broken tib and fib. Casualty on steep, wet & very slippery ground. Person packaged onto Bell stretcher and transported short distance to waiting NW Air Ambulance for onward transport to hospital.  (10 Rescue Person Hours)

13 (D). 9^th February Search 19:20 Hrs Blackburn. Search dogs and handlers requested to assist Rossendale & Pendle MRT in the search for a 26-year-old-male described as vulnerable. Search of woods & open areas required but stood own soon after arrival on scene when missing person found, safe, by Police.  (2 Rescue Person Hours)

Rossendale & Pendle MRT Incident 63/2010

S9.  6^th February Standby Search / Advice 21:53 Hrs Ormskirk.  Team requested to assist with a search for a vulnerable 76 year-old-male, missing since 10:00 hrs but only reported at 19:00 hrs. Missing in the Edge Hill University / Westhead area of Ormskirk. As a full Team page was about to be initiated Police informed us that the person had been located, safe and we did not deploy.   (0.5 Rescue Person Hours)

S8.  3^rd February Standby Bad Weather Cover 17:23 Hrs East Lancashire. Following heavy snow fall during the day in some parts of Lancashire request from NW Ambulance Service as to our availability. They had immediate incidents in the Darwen area but we requested our neighbouring colleagues in Bolton MRT attend, as it is their operational area. One Team Landrover brought to standby but not used. 

12. 3rd February Spot Pickup 12:56 Hrs Grindleton near Clitheroe. Team paged by the NW Ambulance service to assist with a male fell walker with a suspected broken arm on Grindleton Fell. Stood down on arrival as the casualty had been transported the short distance to the North West Air Ambulance for the onward journey to Royal Preston Hospital. (6 Rescue Person Hours)

S7. 1^st February Standby Search 19:01 Hrs Kirkham.  Team paged to assist in a search in the Kirkham area. However, on contacting the Lancashire Police Force Incident Manager we were immediately stood down, as the person had just been located, safe.

S6. 22^nd January Standby Search 21:39 Hrs Lancaster.  Request by Lancashire Police to join a developing search in the centre of Lancaster. Two men had apparently tried to cross the River Lune at Greyhound Bridge! One had been recovered but the other was outstanding. RNLI, Coastguard SAR and Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service also responding plus Police helicopter.  We were soon stood down, as the second person was located, safe.  

S5. 21^st January Standby Search 13:42    Hrs Scorton near Garstang.  A second request to assist in the search for the missing male in the Scorton area. This time for the following day (Friday). Rossendale Pendle & Bolton MRT’s also requested.  It was decided that Police resources (Air, Horse, Dog & Underwater) would undertake the search with MR completing any unfinished tasks the following day (being a Saturday). However, Police completed all tasks and MR was not used.

S4 (D). 21^st January Search Advice Scarisbrick. Search Dog handlers gave advice to Police Officers involved in an incident in the Scarisbrick area. 

S3. 19^th January Standby Search 14:25 Hrs Scorton near Garstang.  Team paged to search for a missing male. Missing for over 3 days.  Very little information to go on and as no suitable search areas for mountain rescue could be determined we did not deploy. 

11. 15th January Spot Pickup 15:54 Hrs Fulwood, Preston.  Team paged by North West Ambulance Service. Ambulance crew needed assistance with the extraction of an elderly male who had fallen on a very steep icy track. The team placed the man on a bell stretcher and extracted him to the waiting ambulance (some Team members wearing crampons to effect this rescue).   (10 Rescue Person Hours)

10. 11th January Spot Pickup 14:06 Hrs Chorley. Team paged by NW Ambulance Service. Ambulance, with a female patient on board, who was experiencing difficulties breathing, had got stuck on an icy and snowy road. Team attended with 4-wheel drive vehicles to tow the ambulance to the main road where it could continue its journey to hospital. (6 Rescue Person Hours)

9(D). 10^th January Search 07:45 Hrs Settle, North Yorkshire. Teams trailing dog and handler deployed to assist the Cave Rescue Organisation in a search for a 62-year-old male.  Assumed missing at 03:00 hrs when Fire Service attended a fire at his home. Unfortunately, a body was located by RAF Sea King helicopter on a nearby railway line.  (4 Rescue Person Hours)

Cave Rescue Organisation Incident 2/2010

S2.  7^th January Standby Spot Pick-Up 21:14 Hrs Lancaster. Team paged by NW Ambulance Service. Ambulance trying to access patient in steep ice bound street. However, on contacting Ambulance Control it was determined that they had been able to get in and we stood down. We rang back a short time later to confirm the ambulance had been able to get out!

8. 7^th January Standby Bad Weather Cover 00:00 – 07:30 Hrs All Lancashire A third day of support for the NW Ambulance Service. The Team runs a 3 shift system when providing this type of cover – usually 07:00 – 18:00 hrs, 18:00 hrs – midnight, midnight to 07:00 hrs – with two persons on each vehicle. Some incidents are backed up by requesting other Team members who live close by to respond as well in support of the vehicle crews.  Brief details of two further incidents as follows:

i) Burnley, 02:30 hrs, Recovered Paramedic Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) stuck in cul-de-sac and returned it to operational use.

ii) Whitechapel, 06:45 hrs, Transport of Ambulance Control member of staff into work due to car stuck in snow & ice.

(36.5 Rescue Person Hours)

7(D). 6^th January Search 18:44 Hrs Townley Park, Rossendale. With Team members still on Incident 6 we were contacted by the Team Leader of Rossendale & Pendle MRT requesting the use of our search dogs. Our SARDA (Wales) trailing search dog and handler plus one team member to act as a navigator / support dispatched to join the search for a missing male. (4 Rescue Person Hours)

Rossendale & Pendle MRT Incident 38/2010

6.  6^th January Standby Bad Weather Cover 00:00 – 23:59 Hrs All Lancashire. Continuing Incident 5 into a second day of support for the NW Ambulance Service. Again, three 4 x 4 Landrover Ambulances made available. A further eleven incidents to report, brief details follow:

i) Padiham, 00:05 hrs, Patient Transfer. Re-tasked to following incident on route.

ii) Burnley, 00:45 hrs, Female, Elderly, medication taken inappropriately, ambulance unable to access. Transported patient short distance from home in team vehicle to waiting ambulance.

iii) Whitworth, 03:30 hrs, Male, Elderly, Chest pains, ambulance stuck in snow, recovered ambulance and transported patient short distance to the recovered ambulance for onward transport to hospital.

iv) Blackburn, Female, Child, Vomiting / Collapsed. Patient on board ambulance in difficulties on steep snow icy road. Recovered ambulance and escorted to Blackburn Royal Infirmary. Thanks to neighbours & passing milkman for getting involved in the pushing and shoving!

v) Darwen, Male, Elderly,? Kidney condition, Stood down on scene. Transported by NWAS staff in hired 4 x 4.

vi) Hodgson Moor, Waddington, Female, 71,? Two broken legs. Stretchered to waiting ambulance. Ambulance escorted to Blackburn Hospital due to state of roads.

vii) Tockholes, Darwen, Male, 65+, Fallen, knee injury. NWAS unable to access due to road condition. Team accessed and evacuated casualty in team vehicle to waiting ambulance.

viii) St. Michael’s on Wyre, Male, 76, Chest pains. Access difficult due to snow. Stood down responding as ambulance crew managed to gain access.

ix) Morecambe, Female, Elderly, Constipated and in severe pain. Transferred to hospital in team vehicle.

x) Lancaster, 20:30 hrs, Female, 83, ? Broken ankle. Had been waiting some hours for transport to Royal Lancaster Infirmary for x-Ray. Team obliged.

xi) Cockerham, 22:30 hrs, Male, 76, Dislocated left hip. Two Team vehicles in attendance with paramedic (former Team member). Long slippery track to farm. Casualty placed in vac mat and onto Bell stretcher, then sledged to end of track where met by ambulance for transport to Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

(120 Rescue Person Hours)

5.  5^th January Standby Bad Weather Cover 09:00 – 23:59 Hrs All Lancashire. Following Incident 4 it was decided to provide another period of cover for NW Ambulance Service as the roads had now become treacherous with ambulance crews experiencing some difficulties all over the region. Three Team 4 x 4 Landrover’s made available this time. Our normal two long wheel base vehicles complemented with our short wheel base support Landrover. This Landrover has no patient carrying capability being primarily used for crag, water & search incident support. A NWAS Paramedic was installed on board with a Team member as driver in a Rapid Response / difficult access role. A further seven incidents attended:

i) Chipping, Female, 84, Unconscious but good pulse & breathing. Placed on oxygen. Vacuum mattress used to evacuate from upstairs bedroom. Placed in cas bag and on stretcher then transported in team vehicle to Royal Preston Hospital.

ii) Great Harwood, 12:00 hrs. Male, 87, Urgent patient transfer. Overdue weekly dialysis due to access problems for normal transport, Transported to Accrington Hospital.

iii) Blackburn Town centre. Unsuccessful attempt to recover an ambulance. Due to position it needed something more powerful than a Landrover to drag it out!

iv) Padiham, 14:30 hrs. Ambulance had run into house. Car had run into ambulance. Attended but no injuries. Unable to recover ambulance.

v) Blackburn Area, Patient transfer. Stood down responding.

vi) Morecambe, 19:45 hrs, Female 60, Sore head. Patient had a recent history of a possible stroke. Carried from home (a caravan park) to waiting ambulance at gates to park due to very slippery track for transport to Lancaster Royal Infirmary for further checkups.

vii) Kirkham, 20:45 hrs, Female, 57, ? Fractured arm near wrist. Treated and transported in team vehicle to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

(75 Rescue Person Hours)

During this incident we were contacted by colleagues in Duddon Furness MRT in West Cumbria requesting the use of our radio network (to get comms into an outlying part of their area) as they had an incident which the NW Air Ambulance attended. We were happy to accommodate.

Duddon Furness MRT Incident ?/2010

4. 5^th January Spot Pick-Up 07:58 hrs Scotforth, Lancaster.  Team requested to attend an ambulance with a patient onboard with breathing difficulties within a housing estate in Scotforth, south of Lancaster. Team responded with two vehicles and three Team members who live locally. However, stood down on arrival as it was determined that a Police 4 x 4 had extracted the patient sometime previously.   (14 Rescue Person Hours)

S1.  2^nd January Standby Spot Pick-Up 17:21 hrs Cross of Greet, Bowland. Contacted by Lancashire Police as they had a report of a car, with four very cold persons on board, stranded in deep snow on the Catlow Road near the Cross of Greet. A police officer had been dispatched in a 4 x 4 to recover them. We were requested to standby in case things didn’t go to plan. In the end all went well and we were not required.

3.  2^nd January Standby Bad Weather Cover 11:20 Hrs All Lancashire. Due to bad weather, snow and very icy roads the NW Ambulance Service asked if we could assist. Two Landrover’s again made available. Team stood down at 17:00 hrs with 5 incidents undertaken as follows:

i) Dutton Area, Female, Suspected stroke. Paramedic on scene requested urgent transport to Royal Preston Hospital which was undertaken by team Landrover.

ii) Ribchester, Female. Pacemaker issues & difficulty breathing. Transported to Royal Preston Hospital in team Landrover.

iii) Preston, Female. Mild hypothermia. Person reported in River Ribble. Team made a two vehicle response. On arrival person was out of water but given extra clothing and warmed in team vehicle. Transferred by team to Royal Preston Hospital.

iv) Morecambe, Patient transfer. Re-tasked to following incident on route.

v) Overton, Female, Neurone Condition. Severe pain down right side of body. Patient suspected something not quite right. Carefully placed on Bell stretcher and into team Landrover. Quickly, transported to Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

2. 1^st January Spot Pick-Up 18:36 hrs Gisburn Forest near Slaidburn.  Team paged by Lancashire Police to support an officer escorting a NWAS Paramedic to a very cold and lost mountain biker in Gisburn Forest. One 4 x 4 Landrover with two persons dispatched to assist. He had found his way to Hesbert Hall where he had been given a hot drink. Police 4 x 4 with Paramedic were initially having difficulty locating person but eventually found him. We met up with the police 4 x 4 with the biker onboard on a very icy track deep within the forest. Person transferred to Team vehicle where given extra food & clothing. Police 4 x 4 set off to deliver Paramedic back too his ambulance some miles away in Gisburn. Bike recovered and person delivered to his car. Escorted from the area by Team vehicle. With sub zero temperatures we think this person has been very lucky. (2 Rescue Person Hours)

1. 1^st January Spot Pick-Up 12:15 hrs Troutbeck, Cumbria.  Two Team members assisted Langdale Ambleside MRT with a female who had slipped on ice and sustained a suspected wrist fracture.  (2 Rescue Person Hours)

Langdale Ambleside MRT Incident 1 / 2010