CALL OUTS in 1998 Incidents Report by Nick Owen

1998 Incident report .

Incident/Location	Date/time	What happened
1.Fellwalking Nab Scar Rydal	4th January at 17:37	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.
2. Search Blea Tarn Great Langdale	6th January at 14:21	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. Despite having no doubt saved many lives and much suffering, mobile phones are still lulling the unwary into false sense of security.
3. Fellwalking- The Band Great Langdale	15th January at 15:12	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.
4. Fellwalking- Nab Scar, Rydal	17th January at 18:19	Two people became benighted when their torch battery failed. Take a spare battery and bulb-PLEASE!
5. Search- Wrynose, Little Langdale	18th January at 16:30	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.
6. Fellwalking Tongue Ghyll Grasmere	31st January at 14:14	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.
7. Search Scandale area Ambleside	31st January at 15:30	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.
8. Fellwalking- Jacks Rake Great Langdale	4th February at 12:51	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.
9. Search Elterwater Lake Great Langdale	5th February at 18:32	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.
10.Fellwalking Mill Ghyll Great Langdale	6th. February at 11:18	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.
11. Sledging School Knott Windermere	1st March at 12:30	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.
12. Fellwalking Tongue Ghyll Grasmere	8th. March at 15:56	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.
13. Fellwalking Grasmere Lake shore	11th March at 11:49	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.
14. Fellwalking Elterwater Hall Great Langdale	13th March at 12:05	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.
15. Fellwalking East Raven Crag Great Langdale	29th March at 12:19	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.
16. Fellwalking Blea Rigg Great Langdale	29th March at 14.10	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.
17. Fellwalking Snarker Pike Kirkstone	12th April at 14:45	This man tore his knee ligaments when he slipped. He was stretchered to Kirkstone Pass and then taken to hospital.
18. Search Gimmer Crag Great Langdale	12th April at 22.07	Three climbers were reported overdue. We looked for them, but they outflanked us and turned up safe at the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.
19. Fellwalking Mill Ghyll Great Langdale	14th April at 15:38	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.
20. Fellwalking Low Pike Ambleside	17th April at 17:04	A young boy from a large party slipped and suffered knee injuries. They helped him down for a while, then we took over.
21. Fellwalking Wansfell Ambleside	26th April at 16:15	This woman slipped on a steep fellside. She was treated and a passing helicopter saved us the trouble of a carry off.
22. Fellwalking Loughrigg Ambleside	3rd May at 11:54	A 37-year-old woman slipped and sustained a suspected ankle fracture.
23.Fellwalking Mickleden Great Langdale	9th May at 18:20	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.
24. Fellwalking Todd Crag Loughrigg	11th May at 14:33	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.
25. Fellwalking Stake Pass Great Langdale	13th May at 18:11	An elderly man slipped and sustained serious lacerations to his leg. He was treated and evacuated to the valley.
26. Rock Climbing Scout Crag Great Langdale	23rd May at 11:08	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.
27. Fellwalking White Moss Common Grasmere	24th May at 15:15	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.
28. Fell Fire Lanty Scar Rydal	24th May at 16:52	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.
29. Fellwalking Loughrigg Ambleside	28th May at 14:15	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!
30. Fellwalking Far Easedale Grasmere	14th June at 14:15	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.
31. Fellwalking Calf Crag Grasmere	16th June at 16:18	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.
32. Search Crinkle Crags Great Langdale	20th June at 19:30	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.
33. Fellwalking Red Tarn Great Langdale	23rd June at 08:04	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.
34. Search Easedale, Far Easedale Wythburn, Grasmere	23rd June at 21:30	This man was reported missing by his boss after he went for a walk on his afternoon off. We decided to start a search at first light next day. SARDA helped out. The search was called off when the Police found out he was wanted in Oxford for theft.
35. Fellwalking Silver Howe Grasmere	7th July at 14:45	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.
36. Search Scafell, Esk Hause, Three Tarns Great Langdale	12th July at 18:45	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.
37. Ghyll Scrambling Mill Ghyll Great Langdale	15th July at 16:38	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.
38. Fellwalking Coffin Route Grasmere	16th July at 11:43	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.
39. Rock Climbing Middlefell Buttress Great Langdale	19th July at 12:12	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.
40. Fellwalking Loughrigg Terrace Grasmere	23rd July at 10.50	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.
41. Fellwalking Stickle Tarn Gt. Langdale	23rd July at 17.14	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.
42. River Rescue Stock Ghyll Ambleside	31st July at 17.15	Two children were allowed to play on the banks of a fast flowing river. Both slipped in and were carried down stream. Ourselves, local Fire Service and Police retrieved them. Things could have so easily have ended differently.
43. Fellwalking Bowfell Great Langdale	1st August at 17.02	A woman slipped and fractured her ankle on Bowfell. It's a long way down, so Kendal MRT helped us out.
44. Orienteering Dale End Crag Little Langdale	5th August at 12.18	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.
45. Fellwalking Bright Beck Pavey Ark Great Langdale	8th August at 15.43	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.
46. Fellwalking Scandale Ambleside	10th August at 18.10	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.
47. Fellwalking Pike Howe Great Langdale	11th August at 17.46	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.
48. Fellwalking Kirkstone area	11th August at 19.25	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.
49. Rock Climbing Raven Crag Great Langdale	13th August at 11.15	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.
50. Recovery of stranded vehicle passengers Wrynose Pass	15th August at 20.30	We were requested by the Police to recover four elderly people form 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.
51. Fellwalking Helm Crag Grasmere	19th August at 14.24	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.
52. Fellwalking Tarn Crag Far Easedale Grasmere	21st August at 15.57	A 63-year-old woman slipped and fractured her ankle.
53. Assist Ambulance Service	23rd August at 14.30	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.
54. Search Pike O'Blisco Great Langdale	24th August at 14.47	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!
55. Ghyll Scrambling Upper Dungeon Ghyll Great Langdale	27th August at 14.41	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. Ask a few questions on their safety policy and go with a reputable organisation. This boy came close to going home in a box. Kendal MRT helped with the evacuation.
56. Ghyll Scrambling Mill Ghyll Great Langdale	29th August at 11.14	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.
57. Fellwalking Bright Beck Great Langdale	30th August at 14.52	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.
58. Fellwalking Easedale Tarn Grasmere	2nd September at 11.26	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!
59.Fellwalking Rosett Ghyll Great Langdale	14th September at 18.15	A 22-year-old woman slipped on this steep descent and sustained a suspected lower leg fracture.
60. Suicide Attempt Loughrigg Ambleside	15th September at 9.26	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.
61. Ghyll Scrambling Browney Ghyll Great Langdale	19th September at 16.38	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.
62. Fellwalking Bowfell summit Great Langdale	26th September at 15.07	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
63. Fellwalking Tarn Hows Coniston	27th September at 14.13	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.
64. Fellwalking Orrest Head summit Windermere	29th September at 16.36	A 54-year-old man slipped and sustained a suspected lower leg fracture. We did the usual stuff.
65. Search Great Langdale	1st October at 19.45	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. With the help of the Barman the woman was tracked down at the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, a mile down the road, having been in the wrong pub for nearly four hours!
66. Fellwalking Tongue Ghyll Grasmere	7th October at 10.50	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.
67. Fellwalking Colthouse Heights Hawkshead	7th October at 11.15	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.
68. Mountain Biking Rossett Ghyll Great Langdale	16th October at 19.45	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.
69. Fellwalking Bowfell Great Langdale	31st October at 14.15	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.
70. Fellwalking Bowfell Great Langdale	31st October at 17.30	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.
71. Fellwalking Sweden Bridge Ambleside	14th November at 14.17	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.
72. Fellwalking Oak Howe Great Langdale	26th November at 15.56	A 50-year-old man collapsed several times while walking with his friend. We were called out to find the man had managed to get to a farmhouse, where we examined him. He had a raised pulse and was flushed and hot to touch. He was taken to Ambleside Health Centre for a check up. He probably suffered an allergic reaction to something he had eaten or drunk earlier in the day.
73. Fellwalking Grasmere Common Grasmere	2nd December at 13.20	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!
74. Fellwalking Red Screes Ambleside.	5th December at 16.11	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.
75. Search Ferry Nab Windermere Lake shore	12th December at 10.10	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.
76. Search Ferry Nab Windermere Lake shore	13th December at 12.00	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).
77. Road Accident Kirkstone Pass Ambleside	27th December at 11.58	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.