Busy Afternoon

Three Rescues in 4 Hours

Saturday 28th April 2007

(There was a fourth incident at 9.30 p.m. that evening)

7:24 28/4/07 ( 15.43 p.m.) - Saturday

Whilst the team were returning to Gosforth in their vehicles a further '999' call came in from Great Gable.  This involved a male walker in his 70's who was walking with his daughter along the traverse path below White Napes when he slipped off the path and tumbled down the loose scree.  He lacerated his hands in the fall, injured his hip and ripped the sole off his boot and was unable to walk.  The vehicles were turned round half way down the lake and the team members climbing on Kern Knotts made their way quickly across the Gable traverse to the incident.  He was stretchered down the very steep scree to the valley bottom.  His daughter was taken to Styhead where a member of the Keswick MRT escorted her down to their car at Seathwaite.  The gentleman was taken to West Cumberland Hospital.  His daughter drove round from Keswick.  There were 25 team members on the rescue and the incident was closed at 8.00 p.m.

Casualty located high up on Gable below White Napes - rescue vehicles at the bottom of Gavel Neese in the far distance by the side of Lingmell Beck

Casualty confortable in the Bell Stretcher ready for the lower - care needed due to loose scree and falling rock.

Head guard protects the casualty from falling rocks

White Napes is the pointed crag directly above the head of the rescuer with the red helmet

Rescue over and back at the vehicles

7:23 28/4/07 ( 12.40 p.m.) - Saturday

Whilst the team were just about to send the second vehicle to the Muncaster Castle job (see below) a second call came in concerning a lady in her late 30's who had slipped on the Gable traverse just to the west of Kern Knotts.  It was reported to be a compound fracture of her leg.  The second vehicle was diverted to this potentially more serious leg injury and a helicopter was requested through the police. A Sea King was tasked from RN Gannet at Prestwick.  Fortunately there were a number of team members including the team leader climbing on Kern Knotts at the time of the call-out.  They attended whilst the stretcher and medical equipment were brought up from the valley bottom.  The casualty and her husband were eventually winched from their location and flown to West Cumberland Hospital.  The injury to her leg was not a compound fracture but a nasty, deep gash down to the bone.  12 team members attended this rescue.

Casualty being winched into the RN Sea King Rescue 122 and flown to West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven

You will need broadband to view this short video....images/rescue photos/rescue kern knotts - 28 apr 07/MOV04068.MPG

7:22 28/4/07 ( 12.04 p.m.) - Saturday

Following a mobile '999' call, the team were paged by Whitehaven Police to rescue a 77 yrs old female with a broken ankle in Bluebell woods on the Muncaster Castle Estate. The lady was found with some difficulty as she was not on one of the designated paths, however as soon as she was located, her ankle was treated and she was stretchered through the woods to the waiting ambulance and taken to West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.  Only six team members attended this rescue due to the incident 23.