2004 Incidents and Call Outs

66. 31/12/04 RTC 19.15 hrs Trough Road, near Tower Lodge Team Members at our HQ near Dunsop Bridge were made aware of an over-turned car on the Trough road, and eye-witnesses reported at least one seriously-injured casualty in the road, with a second having made off on to the fellside.  Team Members were on scene within five minutes, locating first the crashed vehicle and then four shocked casualties who were some five miles away and on fell: 7 Rescue Person hours.

65. 29/12/04 Search 14.00 hrs Marshaw area Four lost persons called Police having become separated from the rest of their shooting party.  They were able to provide Police with a twelve figure grid reference which placed them in the Irish Sea!  The Team Leader began to research possible search areas but whilst on the phone to the Force Incident Manager the males re-contacted stating that they had located their colleagues: 1 Rescue Person hour.

64. 28/12/04 Spot Pick Up 09.57 hrs Colne Request from Lancashire Ambulance Service to assist in a patient evacuation.  As this is not in the Team’s normal area of operation the call was immediately passed to our neighbouring Team, Rossendale Pendle MRT:  0.25 Rescue Person hours.

63. 26/12/04 Spot Pick Up 15.00 hrs Grindleton, near Clitheroe Lancashire Ambulance paged the Team to assist an on-scene land ambulance crew in evacuating a casualty following a sledging accident.  The Team were stood down whilst on route as the ambulance crew had utilised a farmer and his quad bike: 4 Rescue Person hours.

62. 8/12/04 Search 21.05 hrs Warton Area, near Carnforth The Team was contacted by Lancashire Constabulary to search for a missing 50-year-old female. We were assisted by the Team’s SARDA search dog, Lancashire Constabulary support units, armed response team and road policing patrols, as well as their Air Support Unit.  The woman was found safe just after midnight. Our thanks to Warton Cricket Club for allowing us to set up an Incident Control within their Club House: 60 Rescue Person hours.

61. 20/11/04 Spot Pick Up 15.18 hrs Hareden, Forest of Bowland The team were paged by Lancashire Ambulance to evacuate an 18 year old Male with a fractured leg, sustained while sledging in our first snows this year.  As the incident was only five minutes from our Team’s HQ, we were on scene very quickly.  The North West Air Ambulance was also in attendance and the Team were able to stabilise the casualty and evacuate him to the helicopter:  20 Rescue Person hours.

60. 13/11/04 Search 10.30 hrs Longridge Fell area Whilst on a joint exercise with Lancashire Constabulary Police Search Advisors (POLSA’s) and Crime Scene Investigators (CSI’s) the Team became aware of a developing incident involving a missing vulnerable person.  One of our Team Members realised from the description of the car given by Police that it had been parked at Jeffery Hill earlier in the day and had driven off on our arrival. After a request for our assistance, a Land Rover was dispatched to search car parks of local beauty spots & Beacon Fell Country Park Visitor Centre: 4 Rescue Person hours.

59. 7/11/04 Safety Cover 08.00 – 16.00 hrs Dunsop Bridge, Forest of Bowland The Team provided safety cover for the British Heart Foundation’s ‘Heart of  England’ sponsored walk. This consisted of a number of routes from Dunsop Bridge to the official ‘Centre of the British Isles’ near Brennand Hanging Stones taking in the Brennand & Whitendale Valleys, Wolf Hole Crag and the Salter Fell Roman Road. Routes for disabled & wheelchair users were also covered. There were no incidents to report: 60 Rescue Person hours.

58. 31/10/04 Spot Pick Up 01.06 hrs Pendle Hill, near Barley The Team was paged by Lancashire Constabulary, to assist in the rescue of three persons suffering from the effects of alcohol on Pendle Hill. As this is not in the Team’s normal area of operation the call was passed to our neighbouring Team, Rossendale & Pendle MRT, immediately. An early start to the Halloween festivities for them:  0.25 Rescue Person hours

57. 20/10/04 Search 21.30 hrs Chorley Area The Team were paged by Lancashire Constabulary to search for a missing  42 year old male . As the majority of the Team were on a training exercise at our base in Penwortham, we were able to dispatch our incident control vehicle and two Land Rovers in under 10 minutes of the page. Assisted by a Lancashire Constabulary support unit, the man was found by the team and evacuated:  66 Rescue Person hours.

56. 10/10/04 Search Advice 21.05 hrs Lancaster Team Controllers paged by Lancashire Constabulary to search for a missing 95 year old male possibly suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease who was missing from a ward at Lancaster Royal Infirmary. On contacting the Police we were unable to identify any suitable search areas. Police were advised to search close to place last seen and told that our controllers would remain available should we be required.  The gentleman was located safe and within the hospital building at 21.40 hours and the Team was not required. 0.25 man hours

55. 08/10/04 Search 23.45 hrs Crook of Lune, near Lancaster Team was paged by Lancashire Constabulary to search for a missing male aged 59 years. As the majority of the Team were on a training exercise at or Smelt Mill HQ in the Trough of Bowland we were able to dispatch our incident control vehicle, personnel carrier and a Land Rover within 10 minutes of the call. Assisted by the Lancashire Constabulary Air Support Unit and other police resources, a search of the area was mounted through the night but to no avail. A body was located by fishermen in the River Lune, downstream of the search areas the next day: 160 Rescue Person hours. 

54. 06/10/04 Search 23.11 hrs Eccleston, near Chorley Search for a missing vulnerable 22 year old female. The Team had just completed a search exercise testing our new hill lighting system, when we were contacted by Lancashire Constabulary. The search concluded as the young lady turned up safely in Haydock, some miles away from the identified search areas: 100 Rescue Person hours.

53. 26/09/04 Safety Cover 09.30 - 16.00 hrs Helwith Bridge, Yorkshire Dales. The 43^rd year running that we have provided safety cover for the 3 Peaks Cyclo Cross race starting at Helwith Bridge in North Yorkshire.  There were a record number of entrants this year but despite bad weather conditions there were only a few cuts and grazes to report: 208 Rescue Person hours.

52. 25/09/04 Ambulance Assistance 08.44 hrs Up Holland. Lancashire Ambulance Service paged us to request our assistance as one of their ambulances had got stuck down a farm track with a patient on board. We were placed on standby to send one of our Land Rover ambulances to transport the patient to a waiting backup ambulance. A Land Rover was ready to deploy from our Preston vehicle base within 9 minutes of the initial request but the ambulance crew managed to sort the situation out and we were stood down: 1 Rescue Person hour.

51. 30/08/04 Spot Pick Up 14.00 hrs Edale Two Team Members in Edale were contacted by Edale MRT to assist with a possible collapse in the Stepping Stones area of the Derwent Valley. The casualty made their way off the hill and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

50. 27/08/04 Technical Rope Rescue 14.25 hrs Dunsop Bridge, Forest of Bowland  The team were paged by Lancashire Ambulance Service to assist in the evacuation of a lady who had fallen down a pit on a farm.  Our Team Leader was the first member of the emergency services on scene and having made an assessment of the patient was ideally placed to co-ordinate a rescue between the Team, Lancashire Fire & Rescue crews from Clitheroe,a land ambulance crew and the North West Air Ambulance.  The woman was placed on a specialist MIBS stretcher and raised from the pit prior to being conveyed from the scene in the Air Ambulance: 20 Rescue Person hours.

49. 25/08/04 Ambulance Assistance 09.12 hrs East Lancashire The Team were asked to assist Lancashire Ambulance with medical emergencies in remote areas during a period of flooding.  The team were stood down once the waters receded: 15 Rescue Person hours.

48. 22/08/04 Search Advice 18.10 hrs Skelmersdale The Team Leader was contacted direct by Lancashire Constabulary requiring advice with regards to locating a missing person suffering from Alzheimer’s in the Skelmersdale area.  No suitable areas were identified for the Team to search but Team controllers remained in contact with the Police throughout the incident. 2 Rescue Person hours

47. 22/08/04 Search 09.10 hrs Abbeysted, Forest of Bowland The Team were asked to search for missing male, age 47, who was thought to be suicidal. His car had been located in farmland south of Lancaster. The Team was placed on standby with 20 persons available, vehicles readied at our Preston vehicle base and the incident control vehicle despatched to Lancaster. However, we were re-contacted by Police informing us that, unfortunately, a body had been located and our services were not required: 2 Rescue Person hours.

46. 21/08/04 RTC 17.07 hrs Trough of Bowland The Team was paged by Lancashire Ambulance Service in relation to a road traffic collision at the steep incline on the south side of the Trough of Bowland. It was thought that the person involved had gone off the road and into the steep ravine. However, on arrival of the ambulance crew it become apparent that the person was actually on the road and the Team was stood down: 1Rescue Person hour.

45. 18/08/04 Search advice 17.10 hrs Longridge Fell A Team Member, who was also an on duty Police Officer, became aware of a developing incident on Longridge Fell. A man and his 6-year-old son had been caught out in a thunderstorm and lost their bearings. Team Leaders were contacted for advice and were able to talk to the persons involved by mobile phone. They had by this time sorted themselves out and were coming off the fell in the area of the New Drop Inn. We were able to direct a police officer to pick them up and take them back to their car. 1 Rescue Person hour.

44. 18/08/04 Search 10.07 hrs Blackpool, Fylde Coast While liasing with Lancashire Constabulary’s Western Division about Incident 43, we were made aware that another missing person investigation was just underway. A possible search of the coastline and promenade close to the centre of Blackpool was indicated. Team Leader informed the Police that in the first instance the Coastguard / Beach Patrol should be contacted for this type of operation. We have worked with the Coastguard in the past (see Incident 8 2004 & Incident 49 2003) and if they required our assistance they will contact us. Again, helpful advice was given but the Team were not deployed.  2 Rescue Person hours.

43. 18/08/04 Search 10.07 hrs Blackpool, Fylde Coast The Team was contacted by Lancashire Constabulary’s Force Incident Manager in relation to a missing 80 year old male in Blackpool. Team Leader spoke to the Police Search Advisor in Blackpool however the identified search areas were streets and shopping areas. The Team’s usual effective areas of operation are open spaces and inhospitable terrain and as such declined to assist at this point, pending more information and suitable tasking. A man matching the description of the missing person was reported 90 miles away. 1 Rescue Person hour.

42. 10/08/04 Spot Pick Up 21.48 hrs Clougha Pike, near Lancaster Lancashire Ambulance requested assistance with a lady who had slipped while out walking on Clougha Pike near Quernmore.  The Team deployed immediately and located the casualty in woodland within 21 minutes.   Using a Police officer who is a Team Member as a liaison point, we were able to relay information back to officers at the road-head and request that the Air Support Unit be placed on standby.  The lady was treated for an ankle injury and evacuated to hospital: 36 Rescue Person hours.

41. 07/08/04 Spot Pick Up 16.48 hrs Dean Clough, near Great Harwood The Team was paged direct by Lancashire Ambulance, to assist in the extraction of a male who had fallen in an inaccessible area.  As this is not in the Team’s normal area of operation the call was immediately passed to our neighbouring Team, Rossendale & Pendle MRT: 0.25 Rescue Person hours.

40 07/08/04 Safety Cover 09.00 - 16.30 hrs Borrowdale The team covered the Borrowdale fell race for the 31st consecutive year.  It was a hot and sunny day with a field of some 473 runners.  The team attended to minor injuries and escorted 4 walkers off the fell suffering from heat exhaustion: 182 Rescue Person hours.

39. 04/08/04 Spot Pick Up 14.15 hrs Steal Falls, near Glen Nevis While out walking a Team Member was asked to help a 9 year old boy who had fallen from the bridge. The boy had sustained a head injury which the Team Member treated. He then helped transport patient and his parents back to the valley: 1.5 Rescue Person hours.

38. 03/08/04 Search 16.10 hrs Fylde Coast Search for missing 79 year old male with heart condition and Alzheimer's.  Following on from leads by the Police the gentleman was located in Blackpool Hospital with head injuries and the Team were stood down: 32 Rescue Person hours.

37. 01/08/04 Search 01.52 hrs Fylde Coast Lancashire Police paged the team to undertake an urgent search for a missing 7 year old boy.  While the Team’s controllers were in contact with the Police the boy turned up safe and well: 3 Rescue Person hours.

36. 24/07/04 Spot Pick Up 16.58 hrs Hareden, Forest of Bowland Lancashire Ambulance requested assistance for a 13 year-old boy who it was reported had fallen from a bridge near Hareden Farm on the Trough Road. The Team responded and the male was transported to a nearby house where he was handed over to an ambulance crew. The North West Air Ambulance was also in attendance but re-tasked to Cumbria on arrival: 6 Rescue Person hours.

35. 24/07/04 Safety Cover 09.00 – 16.00 hrs Staining Whilst the team manned a static display at Staining Gala, a police officer asked for assistance with a young male who was having an asthma attack on the field.  Oxygen was administered and he was monitored whilst his own medication improved his condition sufficiently enough for him to be taken home in the family car: 1Rescue Person hour.

34. 23/07/04 Spot Pick Up 15.10 hrs Ingol A Team Member observed three Lancashire Ambulance staff struggling to evacuate an injured child from a rocky gully where he had fallen from a rope swing into a restricted stream bed.  The casualty was placed on a spinal board and carried to the North West Air Ambulance.  The Team Member then acted as safety marshal during the helicopter’s takeoff.  The child had head injuries described as 'serious': 1 Rescue Person hour.

33. 17/07/04 RTC 14.00 hrs Barton A Team Member was witness to a road traffic collision where a child pedestrian was hit by a car.   Lancashire Ambulance were requested via Team radio and casualty was given basic life support.  The child was handed over to the Ambulance on arrival: 1 Rescue Person hour.

32. 03/07/04 Search 05.30 hrs Whitbarrow Scar The Team were called to assist Kendal MRT in a search for a missing Male. The incident concluded as the gentleman turned up at the Samaritans in Lancaster, safe and well. Duddon & Furness MRT and an RAF Search & Rescue Sea King helicopter were also involved: 60 Rescue Person hours.

31. 29/06/04 Spot Pick Up 11.01 hrs East Lumb, near Burnley The Team was paged by Lancashire Ambulance, to assist in the extraction of a female horse rider who had fallen in an inaccessible area.  As this is not in the Teams normal area of operation the call was immediately passed to our neighbouring Team, Rossendale & Pendle MRT: 0.25 Rescue Person hours.

30. 13/06/04 Spot Pick Up 14.30 hrs Langden Valley, Forest of Bowland Our SARDA dog handler came across a man in the river with a fractured ankle.  He was stabilised at scene and evacuated back to our Smelt Mill H.Q for treatment prior to being taken to hospital by road Ambulance: 3 Rescue Person hours.

29. 13/06/04 Spot Pick Up 14.00 hrs Langden Valley, Forest of Bowland We were flagged down by a group of walkers to treat a male with a minor head injury caused from a game of 'splash' with stones in the river.  The Team patched up the injury and the man was transported to hospital for a check up: 1 Rescue Person hour.

28. 13/06/04 Spot Pick Up 11.30 hrs Langden Valley, Forest of Bowland While assisting with the Bowland Festival, the Team were alerted to a walker suffering from anaphylactic shock.  The walker was evacuated from the fell: 6 Rescue Person hours.

27. 12/06/04 Medical Incident 10.20 hrs Chorley While collecting on a flag day at Chorley one of our Team members witnessed a member of the public collapse.  They were quickly and accurately diagnosed as diabetic and treated: 1 Rescue Person hour.

26. 09/06/04 - 15/06/04 Safety Cover 08.00 – 17.00 hrs Forest of Bowland  The Team provided rescue cover for hundreds of walkers enjoying the RSPB Bowland Festival over 6 days: Over 300 Rescue Person hours.

25. 06/06/04 Medical Incident 15.30 hrs, Stavely Area Whilst on a SARDA training weekend, one of our dog handlers assisted a lady with a fractured ankle: 2 Rescue Person hours.

24. 02/06/04 Search 12.00 hrs Forest of Bowland We were contacted by the Lancashire Constabulary to search for a missing lady but whilst the Police were talking to us she turned up safe & well: 1Rescue Person hour.

23. 30/05/04 Spot Pick Up 12.00 hrs, Derbyshire Two Team members on a SARDA training weekend assisted Edale team with a fallen climber on Froggatt Edge.  On arrival at the scene the casualty evacuation was underway by local Air Ambulance and Teams were stood down:  1 Rescue Person hour.

22. 26/05/04 Spot Pick Up 15.00 hrs Parlick Pike, Forest of Bowland We were contacted by the Lancashire Constabulary regarding a report of a Paraglider accident.  As the Team’s controllers were getting more information from the Police we were stood down as it became clear that the injuries were minor and the pilot was walked off: 1 Rescue Person hour.

21. 15/05/04 Spot Pick Up 15.04 hrs Beacon Fell, Forest of Bowland Whilst incident 20 was ongoing we were paged by Lancashire Ambulance to respond to Beacon Fell to treat a mountain biker with head injuries.  The Team treated the man on scene and handed him over to the Air Ambulance on its arrival: 2 Rescue Person hours.

20. 15/05/04 Search 14.39 hrs Blackpool Area The Team was paged by the Lancashire Constabulary to search woodland and parkland for a missing 8 year old boy.  The child was located hungry but safe at 18.44.  Much appreciated help from Lancashire Constabulary support units and the Air Support Unit speeded up this search.  One of our few searches which finished with the team having ice cream by the seaside!  132 Rescue Person hours.

19. 09/04/04 Search 17.36 hrs Cliviger, Burnley The Team was paged by Burnley Police via the Force Incident Manager to search for two missing children aged 11 and 15. As this is not in the Teams normal area of operation the call was immediately passed to our neighbouring Team, Rossendale & Pendle MRT: 0.25 Rescue Person hours.

18. 09/04/04 Spot Pick Up 11.31 hrs Penwortham, Preston Lancashire Ambulance Service request the Team respond to an incident regarding 2 persons in the River Ribble. Both Land Rovers were deployed to the scene and after some investigation it was discovered there was only one person in the river who had deliberately jumped from a bridge, resulting in very serious injuries.  Lancashire Fire & Rescue’s Swift Water Rescue Unit recovered the man using the Team’s stretcher and we evacuated the casualty up the steep river banking to a waiting ambulance. Lytham Inshore Lifeboat and a Sea King Helicopter from RAF Valley were stood down responding.  A difficult multi-agency rescue: 30 Rescue Person hours.

17. 28/03/04 Spot Pick Up 14.47 hrs Chipping, Forest of Bowland The Team were paged by Lancashire Ambulance to a remote medical emergency but as Team members were responding the Air Ambulance became available and the Team stood down: 2 Rescue Person hours.

16. 27/03/04 Search 04.04 hrs Cockerham Search for missing male in fields and woodlands.  The gentleman was located safe and well: 10 Rescue Person hours.

15. 12/03/04 Ambulance assistance 00.00 hrs Whole of Lancashire Following a request for resources, two crewed Land Rovers were made available to Lancashire Ambulance Service to respond to incidents that they were unable to reach due to snow: 24 Rescue Person hours.

14. 06/03/04 Spot Pick Up 14.53 hrs White Chapel On route back to our Team HQ after incident 13, Lancashire Ambulance requested urgent assistance with a collapsed walker. Four Team vehicles responded and were responsible for working alongside the North West Air Ambulance in stabilising the casualty and escorting the rest of the casualty’s group from the scene: 20 Rescue Person hours.

13. 06/03/04 Safety Cover 08.00 – 14.30 hrs Fiensdale The Team once again provided cover for the Fiendsdale Fell Race (2600ft of ascent over 9 miles).  There were no incidents to report apart from a suspected broken finger and the usual cuts and bruises. A good race on a very sunny but cold day, enjoyed by all: 60 Rescue Person hours.

12. 04/03/04 Search 18.05 hrs Burscough We were paged to search farmland around the Burscough area for a missing male age 58, with mental health problems. 29 Rescue Persons and 3 SARDA Search dogs, including 2 from Dartmoor MRT, attended. The gentleman turned up safe and well at his mother’s house two days later: 160 Rescue Person hours.

11. 29/02/04 Search Advice 10:30 hrs Pendle Hill, near Downham  A Lancashire police officer who is also a BPMRT member responded to a request from Lancashire Police at Clitheroe to attend Pendle Hill at Downham.  A phone call had been received from a Spanish male who had climbed the hill but was unable to descend due to fear.  The Team Member gave advice as to the male's location and he was soon found by the Police Air Support Unit.  As the Team Member was on route to the stranded male's location, he was escorted by the helicopter crew to the hill's plateau from where he was airlifted to Burnley General Hospital for a check-up: 2 Rescue Person hours.

10. 11/02/04 Medical Incident 11.22 hrs Preston While on route back from a training exercise a Team vehicle was flagged down by a member of the public.  A man was found lying unconscious on the road having been assaulted. A Team Member monitored him and administered first aid until he came around at which time he was handed over to the ambulance crew. 1 Rescue Person hour.

09. 8/02/04 Search 19.15 hrs Wolf Fell, Forest of Bowland A call was raised by Lancashire Constabulary to say that a fell walker was lost somewhere on Wolf Fell. Having made contact with the walker, the Team directed the Police Air Support Unit to the location that we had calculated that the walker should be in. He was spotted using thermal imagining equipment on Luddock's Fell. Team members located the casualty and assisted the very cold man off the fell: 30 Rescue Person hours.

08. 05/02/04 Major Incident 23.29 hrs Morecambe Bay A large number of people, out cockle picking in Morecambe Bay, became trapped by rising tides. The rescue mission was launched on Thursday night after the group, believed to be Chinese, were reported missing. Sixteen were found safe on the shoreline having either made their own way out or being rescued from the treacherous waters.  Unfortunately 19 bodies (17 men and 2 women) were recovered during the night and the following day. BPMRT, SARDA Search Dogs, RAF and Police helicopters, RNLI Crews, Police, Fire & Rescue and Ambulance were all in attendance: 300 Rescue Person hours.

07. 03/02/04 MRT Mutual Aid 11.30 hrs Kendal area. Stand by to assist Kendal MRT with county council emergency planning evacuations due to adverse weather conditions and localised flooding: 6 Rescue Person hours.

06. 28/01/04 Ambulance Assistance 08.00 – 12.00 hrs Whole of Lancashire Two crewed team Land Rovers were made available to Lancashire Ambulance during a spell of snow and ice: 24 Rescue Person hours.

05. 17/01/04 Search 22.03 hrs Hest Bank A request to search for a missing elderly lady with Alzheimer's, who had gone out walking in a nature reserve and had failed to return. While plans were being made, the lady was spotted on CCTV in Lancaster City Centre.  As this was our 3rd call out today we all went to bed early!  1.5 Rescue Person hours.

04. 17/01/04 Spot Pick Up 11.40 hrs Anglezarke, near Chorley A report of fallen climber in Anglezarke Quarry resulted in the Team being called by Lancashire Ambulance Service. On arrival on site the Team were met by Ambulance and Fire & Rescue crews. The North West Air Ambulance was also in attendance.  The incident occurred at the foot of the climb ‘Golden Tower’ (E2 5c) where the lead climber, a teenage male, had fallen 5 metres. His fall was arrested by his second who lowered him to the ground. The casualty became unconscious and was jointly evacuated by the Team and Ambulance crew to the waiting helicopter.  10 Rescue Person hours.

03. 17/01/04 Search 01.06 hrs M65 J3 Search for a lorry driver who had crashed his vehicle and disappeared from the scene. A search was undertaken of the surrounding moorland area.

02. 12/01/04 Search 15.50 hrs St. Michaels area.  The team controllers were paged for help by the Police.  While further information was being assimilated by our controllers, the man turned up: 8 Rescue Person hours.

01. 01/01/04 Ambulance assistance 00.01 hrs Whole of Lancashire  2 crewed Land Rovers were available to Lancashire Ambulance due to snow on New Years Day: 24 Rescue Person hours.