Incident 25/2014

This afternoon, whilst walking on the southern side of Turton and Entwistle Reservoir, waterside track, a 64 years old male walker (From Lower Darwen) slipped sustaining serious suspected lower left leg fractures.

An NWAS Emergency Ambulance and the NWAA Helimed 08 was despatched, and upon arrival at the nearest points they could access, respectively at Batridge Road Car Park on the Reservoir Dam and at the western end of the reservoir, a request was made for mountain rescue assistance.

We were paged at 13.47hrs, with three team ERDs (Emergency Response Drivers) immediately making their way to our vehicle garage locations, whilst our Deputy Team Leader Geoff Seddon contacted NWAS EOC Broughton, to ascertain more information on the casualty location.

A full team pager call out was made at 14.00hrs, with our first team member Matthew Hailwood arriving at the Batridge Road Car Park RVP shortly afterwards (After abandoning his lunch in a nearby restaurant!)

Matthew than proceeded to run to the incident location on the reservoir shore path, being collected by our Deputy Team Leader, who had accessed the track network in his 4WD, and both arrived at the casualty site at 14.10hrs.

The NWAS and NWAA crews had jointly treated the mans injuries, splinting his fractured lower leg, and administering various much needed pain relief (Gas and Drugs)

Mention is made here of at least two passing female joggers who had stopped to comfort and help the injured man, whilst awaiting the arrival of the emergency services.

Our Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulance BM3, then arrived and accessed the casualty site arriving at 14.22hrs.

With no further requirement on scene for Helimed 08, the helicopter departed at circa 14.38hrs.

The injured man was then put on to one of our specialist mountain rescue stretchers, and placed in the rear of BM3 on the purpose designed stretcher carrying frame, the Land Rover then transporting the casualty and an NWAS crew member back to the Ambulance RVP at Batridge Road.

Here other responding Bolton MRT Call Out list members were on hold, including our Land Rover BM1, which had originally been deployed to the A666 ‘Cadshaw’ entrance to the track network around the reservoir.

At circa 14.56hrs the NWAS Emergency Ambulance departed the scene with the casualty en route to hospital.

The following resources were involved in this rescue incident;

• NWAS ( Lancashire); EOC Broughton – Airdesk, One Emergency Ambulance and two crew, from Darwen Ambulance Station.
• NWAA; Helimed 08 Air Ambulance, from Blackpool Airport.
• Lancashire Constabulary; Two Divisional Officers / one Patrol Vehicle.
• Bolton Mountain Rescue Team; Two Team Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulance Vehicles on scene, one stood down responding. Ten Team Call Out list members involved on scene, with a further four stood down responding.

In the concluding stages of this incident, Team Support Group member Andrew Hitchon, who was co incidentally walking in the same area, chanced upon us, gaining a little insight in to the operational work of the team.

We would like to thank the many passing walkers today for their kind and appreciated comments of support for the work of the team.

Thanks also to our colleague at Bowland Pennine MRT, for once more allowing us the use of their ‘Winter Hill Repeater channel’ to aid our radio communications during this incident.

This incident today represents the third accident so far this year involving walkers around the waterside tracks of Turton and Entwistle Reservoir, who have sustained lower leg and ankle injuries, necessitating our response alongside NWAS and other resources.