Incident Reports 1978

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Incident Report #43 1978

A 22 year old man from Liverpool collapsed with exposure/exhaustion while on a college expedition. His friends had escorted him most of the way down before the Team arrived. He then collapsed again at Stool End Farm, Langdale. The Team used the REVIVA on this man and carried him by Team transport to Ambleside, then by Ambulance to a Kendal hospital.
Weather conditions: COLD, CLEAR, SNOW AND ICE ON THE TOPS, SNOW AND ICE UNDERFOOT.

Incident Type

Incident Report #42 1978

A 21 year old man from Durham slipped and fell 80 ft while descending from after rock climb. He sustained two fractured femurs, head and spinal injuries. The Team carried him on stretcher then by ambulance to a Lancaster hospital.
Footnote: Most climbing accidents seem to happen when climbers are descending after completion of a route.
Weather conditions: COLD, RAINING, DULL, VERY WET ROCK

Incident Type

Incident Report #41 1978

Nine students from Leeds were reported missing by friends when they failed to report at Langdale. The Team and SARDA made a search of the fells - at 12 midnight the students were found by the Team at Angle Tarn suffering from exposure. The Team escorted all nine to safety. They were seen by a Doctor and then taken to Windermere for baths and bed.
Footnote: This party had little equipment and with the weather as it had been all day - appalling - they should never have started out - once again bad judgement.
Weather conditions: HEAVY RAIN, LOW MIST, COLD, VERY WET UNDERFOOT

Incident Type

Incident Report #39 1978

A 71 year old female from High Wycombe slipped on the wet fellside and broke her left leg. She was carried on a stretcher, then by Team's Land Rover / ambulance to a Doctor in Ambleside. Footnote:This lady had smooth sol shoes which could have contributed to her fall. Weather conditions: DRY, CLEAR, WARM, WET UNDERFOOT

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Incident Report #38 1978

Four teenage ATC cadets from Chester le Street, Co. Durham required assistance when they became completely lost , and one was reported to be in a collapsed condition. A search was mounted by three MR teams and SARDA and they were found at 1.30am next morning. Three were escorted down - one had to be carried ona a stretcher. All were seen by the Team Doctor and allowed togo home after treatment.
Footnote: The first grid reference for the location of casualties was about 2 miles out.
Weather conditions: CLEAR, DARK, DRY, WARM, WET UNDERFOOT.

Incident Type

Incident Report #36 1978

Two 18 year old youths from Kingston uopn Thames and Enfield collapsed with exposure/exhaustion at Martcrag Moor. One youth had to be carried on a stretcher, the other had to be assisted off the fell. Both recieved treatment in Langdale, neither went to hospital
Footnote: This group decided to walk at high level when the weather was appalling. - their judgement was wrong- their word not ours - but we agree
Weather condition: SEVERE GALES, RAIN, MIST DOWN TO 500ft., VERY WET UNDERFOOT

Incident Type

Incident Report #31 1978

Two climbers — one a 27 year old man from Warwick and a 15 year old girl from Birmingham, were descending after a rock climb. They both slipped and fell 150 ft. The young girl walked away with minor injuries but the man sustained a fractured pelvis, leg injuries ans spinal injuries. He was Stretchered down by the team and then by ambulance to Kendal hospital.
Incident Type

Incident Report #30 1978

A 63 year old man from Birmingham collapsed with an Heart Attack, some D of E boys assisted his wife at the scene. The Team carried him'off the hill by stretcher where he was seen by the Team Doctor, then to a Kendal hospital by ambulance. Footnote: This man had a history of heart trouble, but had not had an attack for some time. Some good work was done by the D of E boys who were on an expedition. Weather conditions: DRIZZLE, DULL, LOW MIST, WET UNDERFOOT.
Incident Type

Incident Report #28 1978

A 14 year old boy from Seaford, Sussex fell 12 ft. from first pitch of a rock climb. He sustained injuries to the spine and arm. He was carried by the Team on a stretcher and then by ambulance to Kendal hospital. Footnote: Incorrect use of a stitcht belay plate resulted in failure to arrest the fall. Weather conditions: HOT, SUNNY, DRY, CLEAR, DRY ROCK.
Incident Type

Incident Report #27 1978

A 40 year old woman from Holland was reported missing by the leader of a group of Dutch campers who were camping at Limefitt Park, Windermere. She had not been seen for two days prior to the search. Search was called off when she turned up at the camp site. She had been to CHESTER with two Americans. Footnote: This woman had been taken by two Americans to Chester for a few days without telling anyone. She seemed rather an odd sort of woman with some very strange habits and ways.
Incident Type

Incident Report #25 1978

A search was started when a 43 year old man from Sheffield was reported missing by his friend, who had left him at the summit of Hart Crag at 4.00 p.m. Four more teams and S.A.R.D.A. were called in at first light to continue the search. The search was called off when the man was found on Windermere railway station at 10.30 a.m. Footnote: This man had spent all night in a Guest House in Grasmere and was returning home by train. There seems to have been some disagreement between these so-called friends.
Incident Type

Incident Report #23 1978

The Team was asked to assist S.A.R.D.A. and 3 other Mountain Rescue Teams to search for three 16 year old females, who had become separated from a party of 8 fellwalers when on a fell walk from Duddon to Borrowdale. The girls were found at 2.50 a.m. at Styhead uninjured — benighted and lost. Footnote: Basic failure to keep party together at all times, especially in poor conditions. This will repeat itself again and again. Weather conditions: LOW CLOUD, MIST, RAIN, GALE FORCE WINDS, DARK, VERY WET UNDERFOOT.
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Incident Report #22 1978

A 19 year old youth from Farnham slipped and fell on the screes, sustaining head and arm injuries. The Team escorted the youth down the fell, he was seen by the Team Doctor, then by own transport to Kendal hospital. Footnote: Screes seem to take their toll of fellwalkers. Great care should be taken when descending them. Weather conditions: DRY, CLEAR, SHOWERS NOW AND AGAIN.
Incident Type

Incident Report #20 1978

A 17 year old youth from Flixton, Manchester collapsed with torn ligaments and muscles in his right leg. The Team carried the youth 1 Yz miles on a stretcher and then by own transport to hospital. Footnote: The youth had attempted to walk with his injuries, but the severe pain had been too much. Weather conditions: CLEAR, SUNNY, COOL BREEZE, DRY.
Incident Type

Incident Report #19 1978

The Team and S.A.R.D.A. searched the above areas when it was reported that two male student climbers from Durham University were overdue when it was time for the coach to leave Langdale at 8.30 p.m. The search was called off at 1.00 a.m. the next morning when they turned up at Durham. Footnote: If climbers and walkers gave a little more thought to their actions, it would save Rescue Teams a considerable amount of expense and time. These two climbers had HITCH HIKED home without telling anybody.
Incident Type

Incident Report #17 1978

A search was started by S.A.R.D.A., Patterdale and ourselves when a male fellwalker from Macclesfield failed to turn up in Patterdale after leaving the Grasmere Y.H.A. He left a route card at Grasmere to say he would be going to Patterdale via Helvellyn and Swirral Edge. The overnight search was called off when he turned in for work at 7.00 a.m.
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Incident Report #15 1978

A 17 year old youth from Manchester received burns and scalds to his foot after a pan of boiling water was knocked over. He was carried down the fellside on a stretcher, seen by the Team Doctor, then taken home by his parents. Footnote: Any kind of camping stove and the utensils used in making a meal should be treated with the utmost care. Weather conditions: DARK, COLD, FINE. GROUND WET IN PLACES.
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Incident Report #14 1978

A 31 year old Preston man slipped and fell 200 ft. after completing a rock climb. He sustained injuries from which he DIED. The Team recovered his body. Footnote: This climber had finished his climb and was descending when the accident happened — he was very experienced. Weather conditions: DULL, CLEAR AT TIMES - WET ROCK IN PLACES.
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Incident Report #13 1978

A search was started when fellwalkers raised the alarm in Patterdale that a group of 8 A.T.C. and 2 adults were suffering from exposure between Hart Crag and Fairfield. Patterdale and Penrith M.R.T. assisted and searched all known escape routes. Search called off at 8.15 p.m. when the A.T.C. Group walked off the fells, unaided, in Grasmere. Footnote: Why this inexperienced group had set out on a high level walk Nobody seems to know. The weather had been bad all day in addition to deep snow and ice at high levels. This group had no crampons or ice axes.
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Incident Report #6 1978

A 24 year old man from London slipped and fell 20 ft. in snow and ICE. He sustained a dislocated leg & spinal injuries. He was carried on a stretcher to an awaiting ambulance at Brimmer Head Farm, then to Lancaster Hospital. The Team was assisted by Kendal M.R.T. & Leeds Outdoor Pursuits Club. Footnote: No crampons & ICE AXE. Weather conditions: As in Call-out No. 5.
Incident Type

Incident Report #5 1978

Four men aged from 19 years — 23 years from Thornton Cleveleys, Lanes, fell between 750 ft. — 1,200 ft. from FAIRFIELD near the summit on snow and ice. 1 Man DIED 1 Man MULTIPLE INJURIES (SINCE DIED) 1 Man SERIOUS INJURIES 1 Man NO INJURIES - JUST SHOCK The Team carried all the injured men on stretchers down to Grasmere assisted by the Keswick M.R.T. then by ambulance to Lancaster Hospital. R.A.F. Helicopter assistance could not be given due to BLIZZARDS AND MIST. Footnote: No ICE AXES or CRAMPONS. TEAMS had to be called in from Keswick, Kendal, R.A.F. Leeming M.R.T.
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Incident Report #4 1978

A man from Nottingham slipped and fell 300 ft. on ice and snow. He sustained a broken ankle and suffered exposure. He was attended to by the Team, and Patterdale M.R.T. then flown to hospital in Carlisle by R.A.F. Helicopter from Boulmer. Footnote: Severe ICE & SNOW conditions made fellwalking very dangerous. Weather conditions: DEEP SNOW & ICE, VERY COLD, DULL - BLIZZARDS AT TIMES
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Incident Report #1 1978

The Team assisted Coniston M.R.T. in recovering the body of a 26 year old Bolton man when he fell 340 ft. down a disused mine shaft at TAYLOR LEVEL MINE, RED DELL, CONISTON. Footnote: This man had climbed over a fence around the mine shaft — Two years earlier a similar accident occured — this time the victim lived. Weather conditions: Rain, Mist, Cold, Darkness.
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