Incident Reports 1998

The team was asked to assist Police and Ambulance with a 4 car crash in the snow just below Kirkstone summit. Road conditions were treacherous and our four-wheel drive vehicles, fitted with snow tires, are able to keep going long after others are stuck. All victims were transported to Ambleside for a check up by the Ambulance Paramedics and then arrangements were made for them to continue their journeys.

The team was requested to extend the area of the previous day's search for the same man. With help from Coniston and Furness MRT, Windermere Lake Warden, and Police divers we did this, and still found nothing. The man is still missing at the time of writing (January '99).

After a car was found by Police, abandoned, we were asked to search the Lakeshore for this man, who was suspected suicidal. With help from SARDA we did this and found nothing.

A man heard cries for help on Red Screes for a period of time, so raised the alarm. A search revealed a man and woman "cooing" to each other. They were asked to go and "coo" elsewhere so as not to confuse innocent passers-by and busy Mountain Rescue Teams. Plonkers.

A man phoned on a mobile phone to say he and his wife were lost and could we give him directions. Now we've been through this before! If you don't know were you are, it's very difficult for us to work out where you are. Fortunately a passing walker, who did know where he was, was able to direct this couple to safety. This type of incident seemed to be on the decline, so it was nice to be reminded that it could still happen. To our surprise, they declined our invitation to a debrief in Ambleside!

A man phoned on a mobile phone to say he and his wife were lost and could we give him directions. Now we've been through this before! If you don't know were you are, it's very difficult for us to work out where you are. Fortunately a passing walker, who did know where he was, was able to direct this couple to safety. This type of incident seemed to be on the decline, so it was nice to be reminded that it could still happen. To our surprise, they declined our invitation to a debrief in Ambleside!

A 58-year-old woman suffered a suspected heart attack. She was carried from the fell and handed over to the ambulance service for further treatment, and transfer to hospital.

While descending from the previous callout team members came across a number of other people in various sized groups, all making heavy going of descending without torches. One of these groups included a woman in the advanced stages of exhaustion. All were escorted to the valley bottom and a number were given hot drinks and taken to their cars to prevent a worsening of their exhausted state. Very few of either these people, or the people from the previous group were equipped for the winter conditions that prevailed on this day, or for the early onset of darkness.
 

A 19-year-old woman slipped about 5 metres below Bowfell summit and damaged her knee. She was treated at the scene and then taken by helicopter to Carlisle. The remaining 15 or so of her party were then escorted down, not having a torch among them.

Eighteen mountain bikers were reported missing en route from Wasdale to Great Langdale. We located 13 of them, the other 5 having not started out. They were all OK, but making slow progress. They were escorted to the valley floor and then transported to their accommodation. A bit of a shambles, and a major under-estimation of the difficulties to be encountered on their chosen route.

While dealing with the previous incident, we were alerted to an elderly woman with a suspected lower leg fracture. After some problems finding her due to the confused state of her elderly husband, she was evacuated from the fell with the assistance of Coniston MRT and taken to Kendal Hospital in the team's ambulance.

A 65-year-old man, walking with friends, collapsed. Despite the efforts of his friends and two passing nurses, he was pronounced dead at the scene by the teams doctor. This was the first fatality we have had to deal with for almost two years.

A woman reported her husband overdue at their rendezvous, the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, after his walk in the fells at the end of Langdale. She had dropped him off at the ODG that morning and was to meet him there at around 4pm that afternoon. After being 3 1/2 hours overdue, she reported the matter to the Police. A team member went to the "Old" to interview the woman to get more information, and located the missing man in the bar of the ODG, exactly where he was supposed to be.

A 54-year-old man slipped and sustained a suspected lower leg fracture. We did the usual stuff.

A 73-year-old woman with a history of heart problems collapsed with chest pains while out walking with a group. This is normally outside our area, but due to the potential seriousness of her condition and the time delay in standing down our team and mobilising Coniston MRT, we attended. She was treated with oxygen and monitored, then transferred to a county ambulance.

A man slipped and sustained a lower leg fracture. While he was waiting for us to arrive he also became hypothermic. He was treated by team members and then taken to Furness by a helicopter from RAF Boulmer.

A man ghyll scrambling, alone, fell about 30 ft sustaining spinal, leg and hand injuries. He was treated and, with the help of Kendal MRT, stretchered to our ambulance, and taken to hospital.

A person was reported to be 'drunk' and unresponsive on Loughrigg by a man out walking early. We were asked to take a look by the Police. When we got there and examined the woman, we found an empty whisky bottle and a very large quantity of Paracetomol unaccounted for. The woman was deeply unconscious. She was stabilised at the scene and then taken to Kendal Hospital. She was very ill and was transferred to Furness General. She remained very ill for a few days, and then started to recover.

A 22-year-old woman slipped on this steep descent and sustained a suspected lower leg fracture.

A 58-year-old American woman fractured her ankle after slipping. She was treated with a splint and pain relief at the scene and then carried down the fell. She was unable to stop crying, and was still crying the next day in hospital. We don't carry a cure for this!

This woman slipped and fractured her ankle when walking with her dogs. A helicopter in Ambleside assisted in her evacuation. Team members walked the dogs off. There's money to be made in dog walking, if I'm not mistaken.

A 31-year-old male became cragfast in Mill Ghyll. Team members abseiled to him and helped him to safety. He was unhurt and able to continue under his own steam.

A 14-year-old French boy was hit on the head when Ghyll scrambling with a party. If he'd been wearing a helmet, his injuries would have been much less serious, but he wasn't. He ought to have been wearing a helmet, but he wasn't. I'm sure every outdoor centres' code of practice says he should have been wearing a helmet, but he wasn't. Common sense says he should have been wearing a helmet, but he wasn't. Still, his injuries weren't life threatening. Just a few stitches and a big headache. Warning. If you're sending your kids off on an activity holiday, don't take their safety for granted.

An 8-year-old French boy got separated from his Aunt and Uncle on the summit of Pike O'Blisco. Firstly, we had to find his Aunt and Uncle, who where still on the fell and then found the boy, on the road near Chapel Stile. This, in case you didn't know, is some distance from Pike O'Blisco!

Our ambulance was requested to assist the Amulance Service with a woman taken ill with thrombosis at a guest house, where the lane was to narrow for their ambulance to get to.

A 63-year-old woman slipped and fractured her ankle.

A 54-year-old man slipped and sustained a serious head wound and possible skull fracture. He was carried down from the fell and taken to Westmorland General Hospital in our ambulance.

We were requested by the Police to recover four elderly people from their car, which had caught fire on Wrynose Pass, rendering it useless. The normal vehicle rescue service was unable to attend for an hour and the occupants were reported to be very cold. They were brought down to our base in Ambleside. The car was recovered later by the RAC.

A 35-year-old New Zealander fell 100 ft while climbing. He was treated at the scene and evacuated to Furness General Hospital by Helicopter.

This father and his three sons became lost in mist. They phoned for help, but were not able to give us much idea of their location. The battery on the phone went flat, so we couldn't talk to them any more. With help from Patterdale MRT they were eventually located in Troutbeck, lost and exhausted. Their common sense was never recovered.

This 21-year-old woman slipped and sustained a leg injury. She was evacuated to the valley, where the team's doctor examined her leg and diagnosed Low Pain Tolerance. She was allowed to go on to her planned overnight accommodation, and required no hospital treatment.

A 55 year-old-man jumped off(!) a wall and injured both legs. He was stetchered down the fell by the team and transferred to hospital.

This young man was reported as having severe spinal injuries. A helicopter was requested to help. On examination his injuries were not found to be serious.

A 79-year-old woman slipped and tumbled, sustaining head, spinal and rib injuries. She was treated and evacuated to Furness General Hospital by helicopter. This was the 1750th rescue attended by the team since its formation.

A woman slipped and fractured her ankle on Bowfell. It's a long way down, so Kendal MRT helped us out.

A woman slipped and tumbled 25 ft down steep fellside. She sustained rib and spinal injuries and minor head injuries. She started to descend, but then collapsed. She was treated at the scene and then evacuated by helicopter to Furness General Hospital.

A woman slipped and tumbled 25 ft down steep fellside. She sustained rib and spinal injuries and minor head injuries. She started to descend, but then collapsed. She was treated at the scene and then evacuated by helicopter to Furness General Hospital.

A 63-year-old American woman slipped on steep fellside and sustained a fractured ankle. We treated her injuries and during the stretcher carry, discussed the difference between the English (MRT) and American sense of humour.

A 45-year-old local man fell 40 ft from the third pitch of this route. He sustained a pneumothorax, surgical emphysema, multiple broken ribs, a bruised heart and a flail chest segment( and a small cut to his leg!). He was treated on scene and evacuated by helicopter to Furness General Hospital. He was in a very serious condition and required paralysing and ventilating in intensive care for several days.

An elderly Belgian woman slipped and sustained a possible wrist fracture. First aid was given through an interpreter and she was taken to hospital in Kendal.

A 17-year-boy slipped and injured his ankle. The injury was minor and the boy seemed to be milking it for all it was worth. We do have a team member or two who are of the opinion that a good slap is an excellent cure for certain ailments. It may have been appropriate here, but there were too many witnesses. Came from just round the corner from my Mum's old house. It's a small world.

Three young people were on a final hike before an expedition to Kenya, and were being "shadowed" by two supervisors. One of the two females suffered a minor ankle injury. One of the supervisors left them to fetch a car to meet them, so they could descend by an easier route, but took 17 hours to reach Langdale! The group were eventually located by Wasdale MRT and were escorted in to Langdale. Sometimes you have to wonder who supervises the supervisors. A traditional "de-brief" followed at our base. Fortunately the Wasdale team didn't have to walk home.

Two suspected drug addicts went on a bender of methadone and hydrocodeine and were found after two days, lying in the sun, dehydrated and delirious. Their lifestyle had taken its toll and one had a heart condition and the other severe problems with their legs. Because of their conditions a helicopter was requested and it flew them to Furness General Hospital. This was possibly a failed suicide attempt.

A 20 year old American was reported as suffering from a heart condition after camping the night at Red Tarn. He was monitored and found to be tachicardic. This may have been a medical condition, or may have been caused by his hideously overweight rucsac.

A 55-year-old man could not get up the Bad Step and agreed to meet his friends on the summit by going round. Surprise, surprise he never turned up. His friends looked for him. We initially checked the roads, and were just about to scale up the search when he turned up in a taxi having gone down to Brotherikeld. He was unhurt, but £35 worse off.

This 76-year-old man collapsed and was pulseless and not breathing. A passing doctor administered CPR and revived the man. He was taken to Furness General Hospital by helicopter. A very lucky man by anyone's standards.

Kendal MRT assisted us in the treatment and evacuation of this woman after she slipped and sustained an ankle fracture. She was taken to hospital in Kendal MRT's ambulance.

This local woman dislocated her kneecap when she fell after her dog pulled her over. You feed them, let them sleep on the end of your bed, chase them round with a plastic bag, take them to the vets and this is the thanks you get!

Requested by Police to investigate a fire high on the fell side to check for people. Stamped out a couple of patches that were still burning.

We were asked to assist the Ambulance Service with the evacuation of this 49-year-old woman who had suffered minor facial injuries after a diabetic collapse.

A man descending a gully after completing a climb took a tumble and sustained injuries to his spine, leg and hand. He was immobilised with our vacuum mattress and a cervical collar and evacuated to the valley bottom. It turned out that he had fractured his C5 and C6 vertebrae. It's a good job we didn't let him walk down, as he wanted to.

An elderly man slipped and sustained serious lacerations to his leg. He was treated and evacuated to the valley.

An Australian woman on a bus tour of the UK slipped and fractured her ankle. Ironically she was one of the best equipped in terms of footwear amongst the group. Some people are just unlucky.

A 68-year-old woman suffered a recurrence of an old knee injury. Someone was sent on ahead to get us, but she made good time and arrived at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel at the same time as we did. The woman was examined at our base and allowed to go home.

A 37-year-old woman slipped and sustained a suspected ankle fracture.

This woman slipped on a steep fellside. She was treated and a passing helicopter saved us the trouble of a carry off.

A young boy from a large party slipped and suffered knee injuries. They helped him down for a while, then we took over.

The husband of a 38-year-old woman phoned 999 when she slipped and dislocated her finger a few hundred yards above the bridge near the bottom of the Ghyll. We were a little surprised at their apparent inability to deal with this one themselves.

Three climbers were reported overdue. We looked for them, but they outflanked us and turned up safe at the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.

This man tore his knee ligaments when he slipped. He was stretchered to Kirkstone Pass and then taken to hospital.

We were on our way home from the previous incident when we were notified of a second incident. The helicopter returning from the previous incident assisted again, making our lives a lot easier.

This man found himself at the top of this popular crag. He slipped and fell off, falling over 100 ft. He was seriously injured, sustaining head, arm, leg and spinal injuries. It really is amazing what the body is capable of surviving. He was airlifted to Furness General Hospital.

A 67-year-old man collapsed on a bridleway just above Elterwater Hall. He was treated on scene and transferred to an ambulance for transport to hospital in Kendal.

This man slipped on the lake shore path and sustained damage to his kneecap. He was carried UP- HILL(!) to the road. This is something we are quite unaccustomed to and don't want to make a habit of.

Tongue Ghyll seems to be proving popular this year. This woman slipped and injured her ankle. She was picked up in our Landrover and driven down the fell.

A 14-year-old boy hit a rock while sledging. He sustained lacerations and suspected fractures as a result. Taken to Lancaster Royal Infirmary for treatment.

A young man with a history of blackouts suffered one on the bank of Mill Ghyll, causing him to fall 25 ft into the Ghyll. He sustained a suspected jaw fracture and spinal injuries. He was treated and evacuated by stretcher to an ambulance.

A man reported his Grandfather overdue for a rendezvous at Silverthwaite Car Park. He was tracked down in the Britannia Inn, Elterwater, well on his way to inebriation.

A man slipped on Jacks Rake and sustained a dislocated shoulder and collar bone injuries. He was treated for pain and immobilised at the scene and then airlifted to Furness General Hospital.

A party of five plus a man and wife met up, although hopelessly lost in the vicinity of Scandale Pass. They phoned 999 on a mobile and were talked down to Scandale Pass, where they were met by team members and escorted off.

A man was reported as in this area having a broken leg. We looked and couldn't find him. Further enquiries to the Police revealed that they had misheard Tongue Ghyll for Tom Ghyll and should have called out Coniston. This was done and the man was rescued.

A group allowed one of its inexperienced members to become separated near the summit of Pike O'Blisco. Despite his lack of map and compass he was located making his own way back to Langdale.

Two people became benighted when their torch battery failed. Take a spare battery and bulb-PLEASE!

Three experienced walkers were struck by lightning while descending The Band. All three suffered burns and shock. They were evacuated to Furness General Hospital by helicopter.

We were notified by the Police of an incident at a place I'll call Blea Blurr. Two men were lost in a blizzard and one had suffered leg injuries. The Police didn't get the second part of the name. It was lost in the atmospheric fug that accompanies many mobile phone calls in this area. We checked out our Blea Tarn and Rigg and found nothing. Keswick and Wasdale checked out their own Bleas, and found nothing. Penrith Team checked out their Blea water and found them. After a thorough soaking, a bit of exercise and a lot of head scratching we went home.

A lone American fellwalker was rather surprised to see us during his slow, but steady descent of Nab Scar. His light was reported as that of someone in difficulty, but he was OK.