December 2004

As part of the support given to GMAS this new year we provided one person to “second man” a GMAS Rapid Response Vehicle (with GMAS Paramedic & driver on board) in Manchester City Centre. This task fell to experienced team member Louise Jorgensen who attended 3 incidents in the five hour period to midnight. These included 1 RTA and 2 patients requiring transport to hospital for general admittance.

The team was asked to attend to a female who had been taken ill with severe stomach pains in Westhoughton. Upon arrival at the house they found a lady in great discomfort and took her to the Royal Bolton Hospital for further treatment.

The team was asked to attend to a male who had fallen and had head injuries in Tyldesley. Bolton Mobile 1 was dispatched to the incident and arrived at the same time as a GMAS ambulance. Bolton Mobile 1 was stood down on scene and returned to base.

At 12.54 Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service contacted the team with a report of “persons trapped” in a car hanging over a 200’ drop on Scout Road. The team was mobilised with a full call out and as team members responded, the first fire appliance arrived on scene. Upon arrival at the incident it was clear that the car was not hanging over a 200’ drop and that the occupants of the vehicle could easily be safely removed (the team was therefore stood down responding).

This incident highlights the need for people reporting incidents to be very clear about what they have witnessed. Running to this incident were our 4 landrovers, 1 GMAS Ambulance, Police, 1 Fire pump from Bolton Central, 1 Pump from Bolton North, 1 Aerial Platform, 1 Pinzgauer (a 6 wheel drive all terrain fire appliance) and 1 Emergency Salvage Tender from Farnworth.