AnnualReport2013. Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team.

Transcription

1 AnnualReport2013 Mountain Rescue Team

2 Founded in 1953 A registered charity. No l CMRT Annual Report th Annual Report President: Maureen Richardson Vice-Presidents: Dr. Edward Holloway, Jim Hall, Mike Thompson Chairman: Steve Brailey Team Leader: Michael Park Secretary: Gwyn Lewis, PO Box 73, CA13 3AE, , gwyn@cockermouthmrt.org.uk Assistant Secretary: Simon Woodbury Treasurer: Jeff Haslam Medical Officers: Dr. Mark Steel, Dr. Jo Grove, Dr. Peter Hemingway, Dr Peter Winterbottom, Dr. Tom Gallagher Abbot, C....Bank Manager (Retired) Blanden, D....Building Surveyor Brailey, S...Local Government Officer Bulman, J...Health & Safety Advisor Butler, R...Teacher Connolly L...Physiotherapist Connolly, N....Outdoor Instructor Cookson, C....Project Team Manager Cousins, I...Software Engineer Coyle, J. BEM...Estate Manager (Retired) Dawson, P....Headteacher Dempster, J. MBE...Headteacher (Retired) Gallagher, T...General Practitioner Gerrard, P....Project Team Manager Goodman, S....Teacher Graham, A...Chartered Surveyor Greenwood, R...Chartered Engineer Grove, J....General Practitioner Hadwin, M...Manager Haslam, J...ICT Advisor Hellen, R....Dental Practitioner Team Officials Call-out List The Team responsible for rescuing people and animals from the Lorton, Loweswater, Buttermere and Ennerdale areas Assistant Team Leaders: Steve Brailey, Chris Cookson, Andrew McNeil Radio Officer: Richard Greenwood Quartermasters: John Bulman, Russell Butler, Neil Connolly, Chris Cookson, Jim Coyle, Simon Hunter, Andrew McNeil, James Moore, Martin Pickavance, Derek Tunstall Development Manager: Chris Abbot , chris.abbot1953@btinternet.com Collecting Box Co-ordinator: Derek Tunstall MBE Auditor: Gibbons & Co. Honorary Members: Maurice Anderson, George Williams Hemingway, P....General Practitioner Hunter, S....Env. Technical Manager Irving, A....Project Engineer Jones, S....Dental Surgeon Lewis, G....Operations Manager Liddell, R...Headteacher (Retired) Lumb, N...Outdoor Instructor McNeil, A....Building Surveyor Moore J....Chartered Engineer Moore, R. MBE...Support Engineer Norman, P....Draughtsman Otley, C...Comm. Dev. Worker Park, M. MBE...Land Surveyor Pickavance, M....Teacher Steel, M....General Practitioner Steele, C....Teacher Tunstall, D. MBE...Mechanical Fitter Twyford, P....Solicitor Whitehurst, S....Orthodontist Winterbottom, P....General Practitioner Woodbury, S....Research Technologist 2013 is a very special year for the Team, a celebration of 60 years of mountain rescue service. Over the last 60 years many things haven t changed; the mountains are the same, the casualties have the same type of accidents (save the flooding), and there s all the fundraising that s required to fund the team s operation, currently 46,000 per year. However, all the equipment, vehicles and headquarters building are for nothing without the team members who volunteer to train, fundraise and take part in the rescues themselves. It s a tremendous commitment, not only from the team members, but also their husbands/wives/ partners and families. It s really quite humbling to see that we have 12 team members with 25 or more years of service in team. With only 22 years of service to my name I feel a real youngster for once. It s now over 10 years since our new headquarters was built, and as part of our 60th celebrations we are opening the building up for a special Open Day on Saturday 23rd February (details on We want to show how new equipment and technology has changed the way we operate in 2013, compared to the 1950s and 1960s when the team was called out by a policeman going door to door around the town. The team was formed in 1953, conceived by Jack Jackson and John Bell, to ease the pressure on the overworked Keswick team which had been CHAIRMAN S REPORT Steve Brailey Years of service Dave Blanden 32 John Bulman 47 Jim Coyle BEM 53 John Dempster MBE 54 Mike Hadwin 26 Jim Hall (Vice-president) 41 Jeff Haslam 25 Steve Jones 36 Bob Liddell 42 Rod Moore MBE 27 Paul Norman 27 Michael Park MBE 29 And 20 team members with 10 or more years of service established then for six years. Members of the Keswick team, including Colonel Westmoreland, the Fisher brothers and Mike Nixon, attended a public meeting in at which the area was divided between the two teams. Since then the and Keswick MRTs, together with our other closest neighbour Wasdale MRT have worked together on many joint searches and rescues, and an excellent working relationship continues to develop. In 2012 seven rescues were jointly carried out by and Keswick MRTs, and four rescues with Wasdale MRT. So, in this anniversary year my thanks must go to our neighbouring teams, and also the RAF and Royal Navy helicopters, Air Ambulances, North West Ambulance Service, Maryport Inshore Rescue, Cumbria Constabulary, and the Fire & Rescue Service. Without their assistance many of those injured or in distress on the mountains wouldn t have been rescued so promptly and effectively. In 2012 a report was commissioned for all the mountain rescue teams in the Lake District, titled Rescue 2020 The report made some excellent recommendations to improve the service but fundamentally stated A key conclusion is that Mountain Rescue provision in the Lake District is highly effective, competent and fit for purpose. I think our predecessors would be pleased and proud that the service continues and builds upon their vision and hard work. >>> CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 55

3 Picture: Michael Lishman >>> Also in 2012 the team was nominated for a prestigious BBC 999 award, in the mountain rescue category. A group of 11 team members travelled down to London in July and in Studio 1 on BBC1 TV our name was called as the overall winner. I m not sure what Kirsty Young and Lenny Henry thought as eleven characters from mountain rescue joined them on stage, each and every one expecting a kiss from Kirsty! It was great for the team and mountain rescue in general to get the coverage and recognition it deserved on mainstream TV. It was also a night Gillerthwaite training weekend. 56 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 to remember meeting many famous celebrities. This award was given for the rescue of Edward from Cheshire who slipped and fell 300 feet down Grasmoor front and ended up gripping heather roots above another 100 feet drop. As is often the case a rescue is more than the work of any individual team member, or the whole team; it s a multi-agency effort, in this case with RAF Leconfield. I m pleased to say that Edward was successfully rescued and made a full recovery. And, quite simply, that s really what it s all about. n TEAM LEADER S REPORT Mike Park MBE Last year my report said that 2010 was a relatively quiet year for the Team with 49 callouts saw numbers rise again to 61 callouts, a rise that reflects how busy the teams in the Lakes are. Looking through the incident list you can see the common injuries we get to treat year on year. The usual lower limb injury, resulting from the usual slip on the path, usually happening at the end of the day s activity. But behind these usual callouts are individual stories of a Team that is determined to make the mishap as painless, comfortable and enjoyable as we can considering the circumstances in which we find our casualties. These are maybe usual callouts to the Team, but it continues to amaze me how the members go that extra yard to give the casualties the best both medically, (but through jokes and banter), psychologically too. There were however some significant callouts that stand out from the rest. 1) The suspected heart attack on Dale Head, (Incident 16). This gentleman was very fortunate to be walking with/near a group of people, including nurses and medics, who were able to give CPR immediately and throughout the time it took for the Team and Air Assets to arrive and evacuate the casualty. Multi-agency co-operation working at its best. 2) The tragic callout, (Incident 17), for the missing fell runner taking part in the Buttermere Sailbeck Fell Race. Again a multi-team and agency extensive search that unfortunately resulted in the finding of a body the next day. This was a close to home callout as many of the Team take part in this particular race. Our thoughts are still with the family of this gentleman. 3) The scout who fell 25feet into Scale Force, (Incident 32), sustaining suspected spinal injuries. 4) The busy day in December, (Incidents 59 and 60). Two callouts within an hour of each other in separate valleys in our area, that resulted in several hours of hard work in full winter conditions, to achieve successful outcomes. There is a disturbing trend looking through the incident list, the increasing regularity that we are being called for lost and stuck people. In general the lost people tend to be individuals that need to carry a map and a compass and more importantly need to spend time learning how to use them. Learning how to navigate in fell conditions mist, fog, rain and darkness, would significantly reduce the likelihood of these incidents happening. Again in general the stuck people tend to be the lost people who have taken their predicament to the next stage and wandered into bad ground or situations that they cannot safely sort out themselves. Whilst the Team will always come to the aid of the lost and stuck, these callouts do take up a considerable amount of the Team s time. If this trend continues to rise, it will eventually take up time needed to carry out the more serious callouts involving injury. Stuck people can and do sometimes take it to the next stage... callouts resulting in injury or death. Over half the incidents attended this year occurred on weekdays and during working hours. (This again is an increasing trend which reflects the general public having more leisure time.) However this is a further strain on the already fantastic goodwill team members employers give, in allowing time off to attend incidents. The Team cannot thank employers enough for the massive support they provide. Callouts are becoming more multi-agency, >>> CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 57

4 MEDICAL OFFICER S REPORT Dr Mark Steel >>> multi-team affairs than they have ever been. The ability not just to work together, but to work well together is a must and not just nice to have. This year has seen a significant growth in this area and for this I have to gratefully thank Cumbria Constabulary, North West Ambulance Service, RAF and RN, Great North Air Ambulance, Cumbria Fire and Rescue and our neighbouring teams, Keswick, Wasdale, Penrith and the Lake District Search Dogs, plus all the individuals within and without Mountain Rescue who continue to help and are not forgotten. This Annual Report includes articles on the BBC 999 Awards and the winter training in Chamonix, so I will only comment briefly here. The Team received a BBC award in August for its involvement in a dramatic rescue in Lorton Gully, Grasmoor. It was fantastic to see the Team receive this award and good for Mountain Rescue to be recognised from a national media perspective. Nine Team members went to the French Alps in late October to receive some pre-winter training. It was satisfying to see this training pay off almost immediately with the callout for a paraglider suck on Grasmoor, (Incident 56), at the end of November. So as a Team we now enter our 60th year. We intend to have a dinner and a get-together for members past and present. I expect that like Mike proudly carries the Olympic torch through. everything that the Team does, this will be a full-on affair with much reminiscing, banter and celebration. The Team has no doubt come a long way since the early days of first aid kits in tobacco tins and attending callouts on bikes. We ve certainly got busier while techniques and technology have changed things immensely, but even having been involved with the Team for less than half those 60 years, I think that I can confidently say that some things have not changed. The Team works and works well through teamwork and a voluntary ethos, where nothing is too much trouble and adaptability is always at the forefront. The Team looks after its own, both within and out. It has always had and it will always have the tremendous support of the local community. Today s Team stands on the shoulders of giants the people who first came up with the idea of a Mountain Rescue Team and made it a reality; the people who followed, both within the Team and throughout the wider Mountain Rescue community; the wives, partners, family and friends that equally make the Team what it is as the Team members themselves. And what s not changed most of all? For this I thank the current membership and that is the ability to not take anything too seriously, to laugh with and at each other now and always. n Once again we are in the midst of the preparations for the three yearly first aid exam and the doctors and team members are working hard to make this a success. Fortunately this time around we now have 5 doctors in the team which has shared the burden. This is fortunate as, with recruiting problems in my own practice and a consequent increased workload, I haven t been as available to the team as in past years. For this I would like to apologise to the team, and I am hopeful things will be better in As last year the number of callouts has been about average. The call out which stands out for me this year was the 17-year-old who fell into the upper reaches of Scale Force in July. Our response required driving the land rovers up the rough track behind Melbreak, then running about a mile up and then down again before climbing up the side of Scale Force. I then had to dodge the descending helicopter winch man who was being lowered onto the path as we arrived and then abseil into the stream bed. The poor lad was soaked, in pain and his friends had had to drag him out of the stream to prevent him drowning. Assessing him, giving him analgesia and then packaging him for the helicopter flight on a tiny gravel beach, was quite a challenge. As was carrying him upstream to find a gap in the trees through which he could be winched. It was a pleasure to meet his friends who had handled the crisis with great efficiency and presence of mind. With regard to new developments this year we have been involved with developing a new hypothermia protocol for the Lake District teams with the LDSAMRA medical subcommittee. This has incorporated developments such as automated cardiac massage devices which allow CPR to be performed while a casualty is carried on a stretcher. Links have also been developed with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) centres. This technique which has been found to be useful in warming severely hypothermic people more quickly and safely than with traditional techniques, has developed in the wake of experience gained during the recent swine flu outbreak. We have also invested in an airway manikin to improve the team s practical skills and confidence in using intranasal and other airway adjuncts. We have also introduced Israeli battle dressings to the team which have a handy clip which allows tension to be applied or the direction of wrapping to be changed. They also have another clip which allows the dressing to be fixed without fumbling with safety pins or tape. I am hopeful that with these dressings I will never again see a head wound dressing blowing away in the down draft from the helicopter! n Call out in Mosedale. 58 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 59

5 RADIO OFFICER S REPORT Richard Greenwood DEVELOPMENT MANAGER S REPORT Chris Abbot Picture: Michael Lishman Radio communication in Ennerdale. The Team s radio systems continue to play a vital role in search and rescue operations. Each Team member has his or her own personal radio, our Land Rovers are fitted with more powerful sets and we have an installed network of base stations in the Buttermere and Ennerdale valleys. Using the MR map system on the base computers, our control room operators can see in real time where Team members and vehicles are located; we can even sometimes find the location of a lost person from their smart phone via the SARLOC system. All this is a far cry from 60 years ago when flares and thunder flashes were used as recall signals. Some Team members joined the Civil Defence Association so that they could borrow radios and the only use of anything electrical on the hill, other than a torch, was a two stroke powered generator and lamp carried on a pack frame. Our current analogue VHF system is nearly 10-years-old and thoughts are turning to replacement. Other agencies make extensive use of digital technology, such as the Police and Ambulance Service s Airwave network, and it may be that Mountain Rescue starts using systems like these. However we have often seen the benefits of having our own independent radios and I suspect that we will continue in this vein for many years. In 60 years time, who knows, maybe we ll just beam those lost souls directly back to base! n This is my 18th report and I feel extremely proud to be part of a team that has helped so many people in varying circumstances over the years. We continue to have a high profile, no more so than during the past year with our Team Leader, Mike, trotting down Main Street carrying the Olympic Torch. I was in Northumberland for a few days and watching it on TV where Mike s grin seemed to fill the whole screen. Our base was the venue for the Queen s Diamond Jubilee Tea Party which was of course interrupted by a callout. The local library rather jumped the gun by holding an exhibition displaying the Team s Diamond Jubilee, but it acted as a taster for our celebratory weekend in February Talks to schools have continued and it is so rewarding to see the pupils enthusiasm, especially if Laura allows her search dog, Jake, to join us. I found it moving too when a lady who lost both her husband and her son within six weeks, thought about us through donations on both occasions. Back to celebrations, I received an invitation to celebrate a couple s Golden Wedding and included in the invitation were the words, Without Mountain Rescue Team there would be no celebrations. We must certainly have done something right on that rescue. The BBC 999 Awards gave the country a chance to share in our pride in receiving such a prestigious tribute. The evening was very special and at times an emotional experience. The following day Blue Badge Guides were no match against our Union Flag carrying Chairman who guided us through the streets of London to view and enjoy the sights of the capital. Our Christmas cards, courtesy of Trevor Green. Oh yes and I nearly forgot A business woman ordered 300 of our Christmas cards last year to send to her clients. Just a thought for you for this year! I thank most sincerely those who have supported and continue to support us to help others in time of need. All being well we should have a brighter stand at future Agricultural Shows, so please come along and have a chat and keep in touch with us on our web-site. n 60 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 61

6 1 7 January Lady reported with a fractured ankle in Mosedale by Melbreak. Casualty transported by Team vehicle to land ambulance at Kirkstile, for onward transport to West Cumberland hospital. 2 6 February A female from Buckinghamshire slipped on ice near the bottom of the Scarth Gap path near Buttermere lake, resulting in a suspected broken ankle. She was treated by the Team Doctor and stretchered by the Team to a waiting ambulance at Gatesgarth. The Casualty was transferred to West Cumberland Hospital February Called by Police regarding a reported missing 31-year-old male, from Ulverston, believed to be walking in the Buttermere Area. Male was located by the Police at a friend s house. Four members were alerted, but didn t go on to the hill as car location was unknown. Incidents February Report of a female from the Penrith area, collapsed with chest pains near Graystones summit, Whinlatter. The Team attended the scene and treated the casualty, before lowering the casualty down the fellside by stretcher to an ambulance in Whinlatter pass. Casualty taken to West Cumbria Hospital March A 19-year-old male from Sussex, walking on the coast to coast route, reported himself with an ankle injury, somewhere above Black Sail, Ennerdale. He was met by Team members and escorted off the hill. He was taken by the Team to Keswick March A party of two from Peterborough reported themselves lost in mist on High Stile area, Buttermere. They eventually found a path and caption Call-out to one, go here Melbreak. made their own way down safely off the fell. On the way down they also met up with another group March Man walking in the Anglers Crag area in Ennerdale, had a panic attack when his party lost the path on relatively steep ground. By the time the Team arrived, the party had successfully made their own way down to the lakeshore path and required no further assistance March A 69-year-old woman from Cheshire was walking from Honister to Haystacks when she tripped and cut her head, also sustaining a back injury. She was treated at the scene and stretchered by the Team to our vehicle, then driven to meet a land ambulance at Honister Mine. Call-out two, Scarth Gap April Two walkers reported themselves lost above Crummock water after a long walk. Walkers eventually made their way to High Park house, near Crummock water. They were taken by vehicle by a Team member to Buttermere April A collapsed male walker was reported near Gatesgarth Farm on Buttermere lake shore. Casualty was taken to a land ambulance before the Team arrived on scene. He was reported to have fainted April Report of a male person cragfast somewhere above Fanny Mercer s cross on front of Fleetwith Pike. The casualty was assisted from the crag and walked off the hill to Gatesgarth uninjured. fell down to Honister pass and the Team was then stood down April A 23-year-old female was reported with a back injury near to the summit of Starling Dodd, Ennerdale. She was attended to by Team members and taken by Great North air ambulance to West Cumberland hospital April The Team was called to an incident near the summit of Grey Knotts, Honister. A male was reported with a broken ankle. Members from both Keswick and Team responded to the incident and the casualty was flown by air ambulance to West Cumberland hospital April A male was reported as collapsed with a heart attack near the summit of Dale Head. He was given CPR at the scene by a passing medic then assistance from the air ambulance paramedic. He was resuscitated and Call-out five Whinlatter. evacuated from the mountain by helicopter and taken to hospital at West Cumberland April The Team were called to search for a missing male fell runner taking part in the Buttermere Sailbeck Fell Race. An extensive search took place in darkness and poor weather conditions by and Keswick Teams and search dogs. Nothing was found April The Team resumed the search at first light for the missing fellrunner. An RAF helicopter located a body in the Scar Crags area, below Crag Hill. He was winched from the scene and taken to Carlisle hospital April The Team was called by North West Ambulance Service at 19:00 to assist with a 71-yearold male, suspected heart attack on SW side of Buttermere Lake. Despite treatment from First Responders, NWAS paramedics and the Team, it was not possible to revive the casualty April A fellrunner, a 42-year-old male fallen and injured near Robinson summit. The Team responded to the incident. The casualty was assisted from the >>> 4 18 February Party of five reported themselves stuck on Grasmoor summit in icy and wintry conditions. The party eventually made their way off the hill via the Lad How s route, where they were met by three Team members. All were unhurt. 62 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 63

7 20 7 May 75-year-old woman from Wigan slipped on path at Third Gill Sailbeck area, Buttermere. Team members attended and treated the casualty. The casualty was taken to an air ambulance which had landed at a convenient site nearby. She was taken to West Cumberland hospital May A 64-year-old male from the Wigan area slipped on the Crummock Lake shore path and was reported with a broken leg. An air ambulance was unable to assist due to poor weather. He was attended to by Team Doctors and members at the scene and stretchered out to High Park, at the north end of Crummock Lake. The casualty was taken by road ambulance to West Cumberland hospital May Call to search for an overdue female walker on walk from Wasdale to Buttermere over the high fells. Person was due by 7.30pm but hadn t arrived by midnight. Team, with assistance from Wasdale and Keswick Teams were called to search. A text was received at 21:30 hrs from the lady that she was above Buttermere making her way down. The lady arrived at Dalegarth, Buttermere at 01:15 hours tired but unhurt May A female was reported with a broken wrist on the Gable to Windy Gap path. The Team responded, members from Keswick MRT also in attendance. The casualty was taken from the scene by Great North Air Ambulance to West Cumberland Hospital June A 49-year-old female fell walker slipped and fell whilst descending from Dent Fell sustaining a fractured ankle. The Team stretchered her to an air ambulance which was able to land 100 metres from the casualty site June Three sheep stuck on Great Round Howe, Buttermere. All three sheep successfully recovered June Two walkers reported themselves to the Police as unable to locate the Youth Hostel in Ennerdale whilst walking near the North end of Ennerdale water. They were located by the Team and given guidance July A 23-year-old from Cheshire became crag fast on Great Round How. He was lowered from the crag by the Team to safety and escorted of the fells July A 67-year-old female walker was reported with a broken ankle near Lothwaite area, Sale Fell She was treated at the scene by the Team and carried to the road ambulance for onward transfer to hospital July The Team was called after a 73-year-old walker with heart problems was reported overdue. He turned up safe and well before the full Team was mobilised July A 16-year-old member of a Duke of Edinburgh group from the Plymouth area slipped and sustained an injury to his ankle whist descending towards Buttermere Moss on the first day of his expedition. He was treated at the scene by Team members and carried off the hill July A 60-year-old male fell on the Moses Trod path sustaining a suspected broken ankle. He was treated on scene and carried by both and Keswick MRT up onto Gillercomb Head, where he was transferred into the Great North Air Ambulance and flown to West Cumberland Hospital July A party of four from the Nottingham area became lost in the Loft Beck/Seavy Knott area of Ennerdale. They were found by the Team, escorted off the hill and transported to Keswick July A 17-year-old from a Duke of Edinburgh group fell 25 feet into Scale Force, Buttermere sustaining spinal and other injuries. He was treated by the Team for suspected spinal injuries, lifted onto a stretcher, then winched into a Royal Navy Sea King from Gannet and flown to West Cumberland Hospital July The Team was requested by the Police start a search for a missing person suffering from Alzheimer s in the Broughton Moor area. He was spotted by a member of the public and collected by the Police, then assessed by an ambulance crew August A 57-year-old man from Peterborough slipped on the path descending from Seavy Knott in Ennerdale. He sustained a suspected fractured / dislocated ankle. He was treated on scene and carried by the Team down to the GNAA where he was taken onto Carlisle Hospital August A 61-year-old woman from Oxfordshire fell on Scale Knott above Crummock sustaining a suspected ankle fracture. She was treated at the scene, stretchered down to a Team Landrover and taken to an ambulance at Kirkgate Farm, Loweswater August A family of four, including a sixyear-old boy and 10-year-old girl, from Oxfordshire became stuck on a ledge in difficult ground whilst ascending Melbreak. The Team set up a lowering and hauling system and successfully rescued the family members one by one from the ledge. All were then escorted down to the valley safe and well August A 77-year-old woman from London fell on the descent from Scarth Gap sustaining a suspected fractured ankle. She was treated at the scene by Team members and doctor, then stretchered down to an ambulance at Gatesgarth August Sheep stuck on a ledge just right of the climbers descent on High Crag Sheep removed from the crag August A Duke of Edinburgh party of nine became lost in the Pillar area. As the Team was mobilising the party was located by the group leader and walked down to Wasdale Head August Sheep stuck on ledge on Great Round How. Team member lowered onto the ledge and then Team member and sheep lowered to the ground. Sheep released August Two walkers aged 50 and 73 were reported overdue at 10pm at Borrowdale on a walk from Ennerdale Bridge on the Coast to Coast path. Call-out 38 Scarth Gap. MRT, Keswick MRT and search dogs started a search in the Honister to Loft Beck, Ennerdale area. The two turned up safe and well at Gatesgarth, Buttermere and were taken by MRT vehicle to Borrowdale September Two walkers reported themselves lost in mist on Starling Dodd and unable to find the path to Red Pike. They were located by members of the Team and walked down to the valley September The Team was called to assist Keswick MRT with a female casualty with a broken ankle at the top of Grains Gill. The casualty was treated at the scene and carried down to an ambulance at Seathwaite September A 60-year-old female reported she was near Black Sail Pass having slipped, hurting her feet and exhausted. She was found near Pillar and stretchered >>> 64 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 65

8 >>> down to Wasdale by and Wasdale Teams. She was transported back to her B&B September A 56-year-old female walker from Northants developed breathing difficulties whilst coming off Red Pike, close to the bottom of Scale Force. She was treated by Air Ambulance medics and Team members at the scene and then flown by the Air Ambulance to Carlisle Infirmary September The Team was called by the Air Ambulance to assist them with a female who had collapsed near the summit of Red Pike. The casualty was stretchered by Team members to the Great North Air Ambulance and flown to West Cumberland Hospital. The Team also walked the rest of the party off the hill and transported them to their car October The Team, along with other Lake District Teams, was asked to assist in the search for a missing girl in Mid Wales. The Team was requested for the Sunday, but was stood down by North Wales Police on the Saturday evening. This incident received nationwide press coverage October Two walkers aged 24 and 28 from the Hull area became stuck in Lorton Gully, Grasmoor. They were roped from the gully and walked off the hill by the Team October The Team was called to assist Penrith Team in the Cargo area of Carlisle for a missing 69-year-old male. The man was located during the night, unfortunately deceased. The Team was stood down October A lady informed the Team that her 34-year-old son was overdue from a walk from Buttermere village. He turned up unharmed two hours overdue, at the Bridge Hotel in Buttermere October A person was seen floating face down in River Derwent in. The Team was called by the Police to assist, then stood down October Two walkers phoned for help when they couldn t find the way down from Red Pike to Buttermere. They were talked down by the Team leader to the correct descent path from where they safely walked down to Buttermere October Report of two climbers stuck on east side of Pillar Rock. Father and son climbing Slab & Notch rock climb on Pillar Rock. Son s knee became stuck in crack whilst on the second pitch. The pair managed to release the knee after an hour. The Team arrived at the pair at the bottom of the climb. The casualty was winched from the hill by Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer and transported to Carlisle Hospital for further treatment October A walker slipped on ice on the High Level Traverse between Robinson s Cairn and Looking Stead, hitting his head. The Team was assisted by Wasdale MRT. The casualty was evacuated by sea king Rescue November A male was walking up Grasmoor with the intention of paragliding from the summit. He became stuck in snow in Red Gill, and was unable to safely move up or down. Team members lowered the casualty from the snowy ground and walked him off the hill November A 53-year-old lady from the north east slipped whilst descending steep grass on her way down from Robinson to Buttermere Moss. The Team treated her on scene and she was carried by stretcher to a waiting ambulance December The Team was called by the ambulance service to assist with the recovery of a male casualty on the Hay just east of. The Team carried the casualty to the Great North Air Ambulance December A walker from the Wigan area dislocated his shoulder whilst ascending Fleetwith Pike, Buttermere. Conditions underfoot were snowy and icy. His shoulder was treated by a Team doctor and he was then lowered on a stretcher to a location where a Navy helicopter from Prestwick was able to winch him and fly to Carlisle Infirmary December A male slipped whilst descending from Pillar mountain to Wind Gap, resulting in a long slide down snow. He suffered injuries to his elbow and ribs. He was carried off the hill by the Team, assisted by Wasdale MRT and by RAF Leeming MRT Team members who were in the area December A 59-year-old woman from Leeds was taken ill whilst ascending Melbreak, above Loweswater. She was treated by the Team, stretchered from the hill and then flown to hospital by the Great North Air Ambulance. Call-out 47, Red Pike. Call-out 59 Fleetwith Pike. Call-out 59 Fleetwith Pike. 66 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 67

9 THE 2012 BBC 999 AWARDS As I write this report, rain lashes down, the ground is a saturated mess and all I can do is console myself with memories of the time when we mingled with celebrities, and the world seemed a star spangled, glittering fantasy. When I joined the team 14 years ago I never dreamt it would lead to this sort of adventure. Few know how the Grasmoor front rescue from November 2011 came to the attention of the BBC 999 awards, but if the team were to be nominated for an award you couldn t have picked a better example. This was a rescue that depended on every team member pushing themselves to the limit. A rescue in which all the equipment needed for success had to be carried speedily a thousand feet up Grasmoor s steep and unstable face: A rescue in which every team member responded selflessly, seeming to know just what to do with few words needing to be exchanged. The BBC first required us to assist in making a short film to tell the story of the callout and the team. Mike, Steve B, Russell and I provided the talking heads, an interesting and repetitive process in which the director patiently searched for punchy sound bites in my mumbling stutterings! It was also the first time I have worn make-up. Honest! The next day a valiant attempt was made to re-enact the November call out in May, and in a place where the camera crew where happy to walk to! We were then invited to attend the Award ceremony in July at BBC Television Centre to see if we had won an award. As the iconic centre is soon 68 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 Above: Very smart! With the presenters of our prize, Julia Bradbury and John Barrowman. Right: Outside the Houses of Parliament, in more relaxed gear. to close, it was an opportunity too good to miss. So nine of us gathered in Penrith early one Monday morning and boarded the train clutching dinner jackets. This was to be a black tie event, and very smart we were to look too! We were met at Euston station and driven to the Hotel where the nominees for the 999 awards were gathered, but as we were Mountain Rescue Team on tour we made sure we had had a couple of pints first! After a buffet we were briefed on the programme of events and what to do should we win an award. We were led to believe that there were several other hotels being used to brief even more nominees. We then boarded minibuses to BBC centre with Steve B making a welcome appearance having nobly travelled back from Nice complete with bike bag and Mike also joined us having travelled down on a later train. London was buzzing with Olympics fever and the taxi driver was dreading the expected congestion caused by the priority traffic lanes. We were dropped at television centre in an endless stream of buses and waited in the foyer for our turn to walk the red carpet (a moment sadly, in my opinion, cut from the finished show). While waiting, we watched TV monitors announcing the imminent arrival of celebrities such as Dame Kelly Holmes, and Arlene Phillips. There must be some big show on as well tonight we naively thought! We were lead into the back of a studio and served canapés and champagne. We mingled with the other nominees and suddenly became aware of familiar faces entering the room and talking in small groups. Now I must admit celebrities are not my forte and we struggled to put names to the faces having to be content with identifying only their shows such as Holby City, Strictly Come Dancing or Dragons Den. Gradually the celebrities were enticed to come and talk to us, Derek and Chris Abbott managing to pin Mountain Rescue Team lapel badges to most! We met Gloria Hunniford and John Craven which went well despite one of us thinking he had presented Screen Test in the 1970s (it was actually Michael Rodd! Oops!) By now it had become apparent even to me that if we were here, we had won an award! The show >>> CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 69

10 >>> itself was presented very professionally by the boisterous Lenny Henry and the beautifullyvoiced Kirsty Young. We were seated on two tables right in the middle of the audience. I was sat next to Nick Knowles from DIY SOS, Tamsin Greig the actress, and, from Holby City, Harri Dhillon and Bob Barrett! I remember making sure I applauded enthusiastically, smiling and looking serious at appropriate moments as cameramen weaved through the audience to get close ups of the prettiest of us. (Not me!). The show included incredible stories of heroism and bravery such as a policewoman who dragged a man out of burning car, a young lad who intervened when a young girl was attacked and stabbed, and a paramedic dropped by helicopter onto a beach with the tide coming in, I began to feel anxious that our story wasn t of the same standard as these but when they played our film and I saw and heard the audiences reaction these worries were banished and I remember feeling very proud to belong to, and represent Mountain Rescue Team. Our prize was presented by John Barrowman, and Julia Bradbury and they with Steve B in his acceptance speech, made it clear that Mountain Rescue was provided by volunteers, funded by charity and on call 24 hours a day, every day. This seemed to come as a surprise to many and making this point on prime time TV, to me justified the whole experience. As we left the stage for publicity shots, never one to miss an opportunity, one of us suggested repeatedly to John Barrowman that he should include the team in an episode of Dr Who! (Eventually, exasperated he pointed out his series was Torchwood!) Another oops! After we were lead back into the show, we could relax and listen to the rest of the stories, some harrowing, Amazing I m taller than Kelly Holmes! Steve, Jeff, Derek, Kelly, Mike, me, Jim and Phil. And with the famous police box from Doctor Who. some inspirational. I particularly recall a 999 controller who talked a young father through the resuscitation of his drowned child, a firefighter who organised the UK response to natural disasters such as the Haiti earthquake, and the footballer Fabrice Muamba s miraculous recovery from 78 minutes of cardiac arrest in March. At the end we had the chance to mingle with the celebrities. Oh how I wish I had that time again. If only I knew who they were and who was there I am sure I could have done better. If only I subscribed to OK magazine! Unfortunately even when I catch an episode of Strictly or I m a Celebrity I never recognise anyone! Still the highlight to me was meeting double gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes and finding out I was taller. Unfortunately I then went on to tell her! Oops. After the show no one felt like an early night and I think most of us were up to 2am in good spirits talking to the fellow award winners. One of us had a further adventure through the night involving a sleep walk, a lost room key and a naked trip to reception, but as they say what happens on tour, stays on tour! The next morning we were up at 7am and then off to the Houses of Parliament where we met our friend Lord Dubs, who, after volunteering to be a body on one of our practices, promised to show us around should we be in town. Well we certainly were in town and what an experience it was, not only from the historical viewpoint but also in giving us an insight into the workings of our Parliament which, especially living in West Cumbria, seems very distant at times. Lord Dubs was very helpful and suggested ways in which we could raise the profile of Mountain Rescue s concerns. The security arrangements were also impressive but despite this John Craven and Gloria Hunniford with Chris. Tamsin Greig with Mike and Steve. the police were very polite and friendly and now sport CMRT lapel badges as well! The tour ended with the honour of a coffee on the Lords terrace which also provided a unique view of the London bridge surroundings. Afterwards we had a few hours to fill in before our train left so we tried to have ourselves photographed in front of as many London landmarks as possible before visiting the new war memorial to Second World War bomber crews. Steve B made a fine tour guide with his union flag on a stick! Sleep came easily on the train journey home. This was just as well, as pausing only to collect my son, who had just returned from a school trip, we set off that night for the northwest Highlands to start my summer holidays properly. I finally found some kind of peace the following afternoon in a 10-foot rubber boat, fishing for mackerel in the Minch! Mark Steel 70 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 71

11 The call came at midnight; a fell walker had not returned from a walk that had commenced in Wasdale and planned to finish in Buttermere via the high fells. The walker had given an ETA of 19:30 hours and as the time after this target elapsed her husband had become increasingly concerned for her well-being. The Team was briefed in the Control Room at our Base; the couple were camping at Dalegarth, Buttermere and she had been dropped off in Wasdale by her husband who was to meet up with her at the camp site when she returned. We were divided into small teams and given specific roles and tasks to perform. My role was to enquire with the wardens at Dalegarth to determine whether the lady had returned to the camp site and also to check their tent in case she had gone directly to it. What the rescuer saw It was a lovely May night, calm and warm just right for a night out on the beautiful Buttermere fells. The Team Leader had asked the husband to travel to Lorton where it was known that mobile telephone signal strength was good so he could text his wife and subsequently advise us if he received a response. As we journeyed down the valley we met him at an agreed rendezvous in Lorton for a situation update. As the Deputy Team leader spoke with him a text, sent by his wife at 2130 hours, was received stating that she was on the fells above Buttermere; this was welcome news as it narrowed the search area down. Whilst the operation was on-going he was to remain in situ so we could contact him by phone to advise of developments. On arrival in Buttermere I duly spoke with the wardens at Dalegarth centre but alas, there was no news of the fell walker. As instructed, I set off for the camp site to check the tent in which they were camping; the husband had given us specific information of the type, colour and pitch location. Walking through the grounds with torch beam scanning for the tent I was considering the multitude of possibilities that might have occurred to this damsel in distress. Nearing the tent I noticed the entrance flap was pegged in the open position and, just inside the main dwelling area, was a scantily clad lady, half in a sleeping bag, staring ahead at me. I suspect she assumed I was her husband and was intending to make amorous amends for her late return. The sleeping bag was hastily lifted to the base of the chin covering essential parts of the torso; just as well it was dark to hide two sets of blushes! All s well that ends well. Steve Jones Training in Chamonix Historically, the Team s winter training has taken place over a weekend, in the Scottish highlands. The intention has been to help keep winter mountaineering skills up to scratch, both on a personal and Team level. In recent years, the poor winters have meant, more often than not, a wet grey windy traverse of the Aonach Eagach ridge or similar. Also, due to the timing of any Scottish winter conditions, the trip has taken place in late February early March. Considering its purpose of brushing up skills in time for our Lake District winter, the timing could be better too! So, the training committee put its thinking cap on, and in October, nine of us headed off to Chamonix for an organised programme of winter mountaineering. We set off from at 2.00am on the 27th, and once we had finally navigated our way into the long stay car park at Above: On the ladders from the Liverpool Airport we headed for checkin. Obviously, we had a lot of Mer de Glace. shiny spiky heavy gear with us, and needed extra baggage (which we had prebooked). Unfortunately, the well-known orange airline omitted to make it clear that although we had paid for extra bags, we hadn t paid to put anything in them. Some serious gear reshuffling and donning of extra layers and heavy mountaineering boots eventually saw us on the plane and off to France. The conditions were mostly excellent. We had a cloudy misty day followed by two days of dawn til dusk sunshine and blue skies. The fells were quiet, being very early in the season, and there was plenty of varied snow and ice to go at, with a fresh snowfall just before we arrived leaving a deep layer of powder on the rocky ridges. The training entailed three full days working in small groups with four English guides. They were excellent, and worked hard to ensure we got out of the trip what we required as a Team. On arrival in Chamonix on the Saturday, the whole group had a run up to Montenvers Station and back, in the sleet and snow to break us in. It s about 1,100 metres ascent and I wouldn t recommend it with le Big Mac and pomme frites on board! Day two, and our first with the guides, was blustery in the valley with 72 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 73

12 Left: Avalanche training. Above: Ice climbing on the glacier. high winds high up and this combined with a 60cm dump of snow overnight closed the Telepherique lift to the Aiguille du Midi, which had been our primary route of choice into the mountains. Once we all had our salopettes on the right way round, we ascended via the railway instead, to Montenvers and dropped down to the Mer de Glace via the metal ladders. Training on the glacier was in small groups and included crampon technique, snow and ice anchors, tying in and moving together on a rope and some ice climbing in a large crevasse. A good first day in the mountains. Day three started early, after a great breakfast, and saw us all at the top station of the Aiguille du Midi. We were first out along the snow arête off the Midi, which was interesting following the fresh snow very narrow with, shall we say, an excellent view down either side! We descended into the Vallee Blanche and spent the morning on a mixed route over snow covered rock ending at the Cosmiques Hut. In the afternoon, we had an avalanche workshop, with good instruction from the guides, stressing the importance of command and control, to enable organised and accurate searching through an avalanche site. It seemed a long drag through the deep snow of the Vallee Blanche back up to the Midi, and a few well earned beers were drunk that evening! Day four was cold but clear and sunny and after a quick discussion at the bottom of the Midi, we decided to split into two groups. One headed to the mid station and one back to the top. The mid station group worked on some further workshops, covering crevasse rescue techniques, T-axe, deadman, buried rucksack belays and an avalanche transceiver exercise. The top station group descended the ridge again and crossed the Vallee Blanche to ascend various ice and mixed routes in small groups, on the Pointe Lachenal. Both groups had another great day, and the final debrief with the guides at the end of the three days spoke for itself, with all members of the group having gained good experience and knowledge, regardless of their previous winter mountaineering abilities. This was our Team s first foray into winter training abroad. The Team members who attended, had mixed levels of winter experience, and it was tribute to the guides flexibility, that everyone returned home with new skills and techniques. Was it relevant to winter rescue in the Lake District? Well, less than a week after the trip, I was sitting in a bucket seat anchored to a snow bollard, lowering a stranded paraglider from a blank snow slope on the front of Grasmoor so yes, I believe it was. Finally, thanks go to Dave, Phil and Neil for organising the flights, the excellent accommodation and guides and generally putting the whole trip together. I would certainly recommend it to Team members for next year! Oh and it was Tom who put his salopettes on back to front, Phil who had a major strop when he couldn t think of a pop star beginning with H, and Russell who won the Most Gullible Team Member of the Trip award. Andrew McNeil 74 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 75

13 Comments from the casualties Thanks to you and the Team for the sterling work done during Andy s rescue from the high level traverse on Pillar. Words cannot express my gratitude for all your kindness and selflessness when I fell whilst out walking. We are hugely grateful for your prompt, professional, caring and expert response to our call for help. Thank you all! We really don t know what we would have done without you all. We were impressed by both the quick response and the professionalism shown by the whole team, to say nothing of the camaraderie and banter which made a potentially traumatic experience much easier. Having experienced first hand the valuable work that you do and subsequently read your Annual Report and checked out your website, we think the dedication and commitment of the Team is amazing. Thank you also for the fabulously positive, good humoured and reassuring way in which my rescue was managed. 76 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 We were very grateful for the help we received for our friend who slipped and broke her ankle. Not only did the Team help her, you also ferried us back to our car which was most appreciated. We so much appreciated your expert help and were very impressed with your skill and empathy. I am writing to give you my heartfelt thanks for the fantastic service you gave me. You are absolute heroes in my mind. I shudder to think what might have happened had there been no mountain rescue team. I know that you do this very vital work on a voluntary basis and are only funded by donations. To this end I enclose a cheque. Above left: Montreal School. Above: School Reunion. Left: Workington Golf Club. Support the Mountain Rescue Team Gift Aid Declaration Form Charity Reg No: As a charity Mountain Rescue Team can reclaim the tax on any donation you make (providing you are a UK tax payer) and increases its value by nearly a third without costing you a penny. It is one of the most effective ways to help the Mountain Rescue Team members even more, and enable them to continue their rescues. Please treat the enclosed gift of as a Gift Aid donation. I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for the current tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for the current tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every 1 that I have given. Mr/Mrs/Ms Full Name Address Post Code Signature Date / / Please notify the Team if you: Want to cancel this declaration / Change your name or home address / No longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains. Please treat as gift aid donation as for: (tick all those that you wish to apply) Only this donation In the past 4 years In the future CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 77

14 Above: Cyclewise presents donations to and Keswick MR Teams. Above right: George Williams receives a cheque from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. Right: Christmas Eve at Sainsbury s. Can you help the Mountain Rescue Team by giving a regular amount each month or year to help continue their work? If so, please fill in this form: Bankers Order Date To Bank Address Post Code Name of Account to be debited Account No Please pay to: National Westminster Bank, 23 Station Street,, Cumbria Code No , for credit of CMRT, Account No The sum of in words: Commencing (Date of first payment) And thereafter every (Month/Year) Until (Date of last payment or until further notice) and debit my/our account accordingly Signed Date Please complete and return this form to: Mountain Rescue Team (TR) PO Box 73,, Cumbria CA13 3AE 1761, 4play Cycles, Art & Craft Shop, Banks, Bassenthwaite Sailing Club Bassenfell Manor, Bassenthwaite Belle View Inn, Billy Bowman Music Shop, Bitter Beck Pottery, Bitter End, Black Bull, Black Sail YH, Ennerdale Bleach Green collection box Bolton Gate Old Rectory Bothy, Gillerthwaite Bowness Knott Bridge Hotel, Buttermere Brysons Bakers, Bush Inn, Buttermere Café Buttermere YH Castle Bar, Cricket Club School Coffee and Cream, Commercial Inn, Dearham Crag Farm, Buttermere Croft House B&B Dalegarth House, Buttermere Derwent House Surgery, Derwent Lodge, Embleton Dockray Meadow, Lamplugh Ennerdale YH Fagan s, Fairfield Garage, Fanny Mercer Firns, Fish Inn, Buttermere Fox & Hounds, Ennerdale Galloping Horse, Harrington Gates Garage, Egremont Gatesgarth Box Gatesgarth Van Golf Club, Grange Hotel, Loweswater Greyhound Inn, Bothel Gun Shop, Workington Harrison s Butchers, Heals Opticians High Crag Cottage, Buttermere Higham Hall, Bassenthwaite Honister Box COLLECTION BOXES The Team is very grateful to the people and places who display our boxes. New box holders are very welcome. Please contact Derek Tunstall, who will be happy to supply one, on or Honister YH Hundith Hill Hotel, Lorton Inglenook Caravan Park, Lamplugh Jennings brewery shop, Julie s Sandwich Bar, Junipers, Kingfisher Hotel, Kirkstile Inn, Loweswater Lake District Outdoors, Lakeland Crafts, Buttermere Lifestyle Fitness & Shapers Gym Lifestyle Repairs, Lily & Co, Limelighting, Link House B & B, Embleton Liz Hunter, Low Park, Loweswater Maureen at Gatesgarth Melbreak Hotel Merianda Mitchells, Moota Garden Centre Munchies Sandwich Bar, My Party and Angel New Bookshop, New House Farm, Lorton Number 17, Station Street, Old Posting House, Dean One Stop, Ouse Bridge, Bassenthwaite Paper Shop, Parkside Hotel, Cleator Party HQ, Pet Shop, Percy House Gallery, Pheasant Hotel, Bassenthwaite Quince & Medlar, Rose Cottage B&B, Royal Yew Tree Inn, Dean Sainsburys (inside), Sainsburys (outside), Scales Farm, Embleton Sheila Richardson Shepherds Arms Shills, Ship Inn, Dovenby Simple Drinks, Ski & Outdoor Warehouse, Longtown Slatefell Stores, Snooty Fox, Uldale Sole it, Lock it, Workington Stork Hotel, Rowrah Swan Inn, Swinside End, Lorton The Brow, Lorton The Howe, Mosser The Old Vicarage, Lorton Tithe Barn, Tourist Information, Travis Perkins, Walkinshaw Garage, Workington Wellington Farm, Wheatsheaf Inn, Lorton Wheatsheaf Inn, Embleton Whinlatter Visitor Centre Whitehaven Rambling Club, Whitehaven Wild Duck, Branthwaite Winder Hall, Lorton Wishes, Woodhouse Guest House Wordsworth Hotel, Wyndham Caravan Park, 78 l CMRT Annual Report 2013 CMRT Annual Report 2013 l 79

15 If you need mountain rescue, dial 999, ask for Cumbria Police, then mountain rescue Text a donation on your mobile phone. Text the message CMRT11 20 to number 70070, and we receive a 20 donation, simple as that! We are charged no fees for this service so we receive every penny of the amount you donate. Make an on-line donation via the Charities Aid Foundation website; Mountain Rescue Team, PO Box 73,, Cumbria CA13 3AE Design and production donated by Denise Bell & Andy Smith Smith+Bell Design ( Photography CMRT; additional work donated by Michael Lishman ( Printed by: H&H Reeds, Penrith (