2003

The second incident of the day came through on the radios from GMAS, just as the team were packing up the equipment from the Pike incident. We were called to assist GMAS in Ince-in-Makerfield, where an 2 young off-road motorcyclists had collided head on. As our ambulances arrived on scene, the first casualty, with serious lower leg injuries, was just being taken to hospital. Again, however, we used our casualty shelters to protect the second casualty – a 14 year old boy – from the elements, whilst the second GMAS ambulance was brought to the scene (at a fairly isolated location on a muddy track.)

On Boxing day, whilst the team were out in the area, we were alerted to an incident in the early afternoon, involving a collapsed person at the summit of Rivington Pike.
A 61 year old lady had collapsed, with shortness of breath and dizziness. The windy conditions and rain on the summit meant we had to protect the casualty against the elements, and we also administered oxygen, whilst we waited for Helimed 08 to arrive.
She was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital in the air ambulance (along with our team leader, who also managed to skive a lift!)

At 20:13 on the same day (our 3^rd incident of the day!) the team was called out by GMAS, to assist in an incident where two persons were trapped in mud, on former coal mine workings on the Atherton/Westhoughton boundary. A multi-agency response took place, involving ambulance, fire and mountain rescue resources. The team was stood down responding when the ambulance crew managed to rescue the two persons – one of whom was taken to hospital, suffering from hypothermia.

Whilst returning back to base locations from the previous incident, the Team Leader was contacted directly by LAS to respond to an initial report of a injured motorcyclist. As the Team arrived on scene it was established that the casualty was a Mountain Biker, the Team was Stood Down on Scene, as a LAS Ambulance vehicle could access the incident. Helimed 08 was also stood down whilst above the scene.

On 09:40 on Sunday, the team was contacted by GMP for assistance in the continuing search for a 56 year old missing male. The search was centred on the Platt Bridge area of Wigan. As the Team was assembling at the search control point, the man was found deceased by family members who were out searching for him. The Team was Stood Down shortly afterwards, with the body recovery element handed over to the Underwater Search Unit.