First Wednesday evening weekly training exercise of the year takes place within Jubilee Tower, Darwen

This evening our Training Officer Alistair Greenough, set off the years training with an exercise actually based within the moorland landmark of Jubilee Tower, Darwen (aka Darwen Tower)
The scenario involved two persons who had fallen inside the tower, on the spiral stone staircase, sustaining fractures, and giving access and evacuation difficulties in regards to the narrow staircase.

Our ‘casualties’ for tonight were (just returned to the fold) team member Matthew Hailwood and Support Group member Naomi Horan.

Team members initially met at the car park to the Royal Arms, Roddlesworth, where our Incident Control (vehicle) was set up with Alistair Greenough and his young (?) apprentice Heath Doran.

Team members were transported up to Step Back Brook / base of Aggies Staircase in our team Land Rovers, and then walked to the Tower, where team member Mark Scott was on hand to direct the exercise, which involved twenty team members effecting the rescue.

Matthew ‘fractured’ his ankle, whilst Naomi ‘fractured’ her femur.

The usual requests were made for ‘exercise helicopters,’ whilst casualty care including splinting was carried out.

Prior to this, our Trailing Dog Boris with Handler Steve Nelson and navigator Elaine Gilliland had played out their part in the exercise.

Once all present on scene had swopped and completed casualty care on both Matthew and Naomi, it was a return for all back to Aggies, where they met late arrivals Neil Aspinall and Craig Lamb, who had walked up from Roddlesworth.

In total twenty six operational team members and one Support Group member was involved in this evenings exercise.

This same evening, back at our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ, our Team Treasurer Martin Banks assisted by Phil Crook, were putting our accounts in to order, whilst our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE with Steve Fletcher, were putting the final touches to our latest Team Training and Events Programme, Number 1 – 2016, and carrying out some Incident reporting administration.