At 15:53 this afternoon, the team was contacted by GMAS for our urgent assistance at a call at the extreme western edge of both the county and the team’s operational area, regarding a youth who had fallen down a ravine. A GMAS crew from Billinge ambulance station were able to scramble down to the youth but were unable to evacuate him up a very steep sided ravine gully of Dean Wood, Orrell. Helimed 08 was also called but was unable to land any closer than the top of the ravine, although the crew were able to join the GMAS paramedics in dealing with the 16 year old male youth with a suspected leg fracture.
A full team response was made alongside a GMAS operations manager also responding to the same incident. Our first team members were on scene at 16:28, being joined shortly after by other responding members and our four team vehicles. The casualty’s location was at the bottom of a steep, muddy, wooded ravine, lying immediately alongside the stream.
The casualty lay at the bottom of a mud slide in a ravine, on the banks of a stream. Team members transfer the casualty onto a Troll mountain rescue stretcher.
The steepness of the slope is clearly seen – it is very fortunate that the casualty escaped further serious injury.
Because of the very narrow muddy paths leading out of the ravine, the stretcher carry required relays between 18 team members present in order to safely evacuate the youth. By 17:30 the youth had been evacuated to the GMAS ambulance at the Orrell House Farm roadhead, for onward transfer to Wigan Hospital.
Team members strap the casualty to the stretcher prior to commencing evacuation to the top of the ravine.
The stretcher party in the final stages of the evacuation, approaching the top of the wooded ravine.
This incident yet again illustrates the excellent joint smooth working relationship between GMAS crews, GMAS control, NWAA Helimed 08, and our team. This particular location was largely unknown to team members, and as one team member mentioned, “it never ceases to amaze how many steep sided ravines exist around the Greater Manchester county.”
