Stretford

Whilst en route to provide standby rescue cover for the David Staff Memorial Charity Fell Race this morning, we were contacted by GMP, again requesting our assistance with the continuing search operation for a missing 76 years old woman in the Stretford area of Manchester.

We deployed immediately after our standby rescue cover commitment, and arrived at the same Search RVP as yesterday, just after 14.00hrs.

Tasking’s were similar to yesterday, with SARDA and other search dog assets once again involved, plus the NWPS&UMU and our colleagues from Rossendale and Pendle MRT (Who had had two call outs of their own only yesterday)

Searching actively commenced around 14.18hrs, running through until 18.48hrs.

This involved DVSD, Air Scenting and Trailing mountain rescue search dogs, mountain rescue search parties and Police assets covering specific search areas in and around the River Mersey, Ousel Brook and Kickety Brook areas of Stretford, alongside the M60 Motorway.

The operation concluded on scene at circa 19.10hrs with Police enquiries continuing.

We would like once again to extend our thanks to Kiwi Nurseries, of Bradley Lane, Stretford, Manchester, who kindly allowed their premises and customer car park to be used as the search RVP for this operation.

The following resources were deployed during this search incident;

• Greater Manchester Police ; One Missing Person Search Manager, Two Divisional Officers acting as GMP / mountain rescue liaison.
  North West Police Search and Underwater Marine Unit.
• Bolton Mountain Rescue Team ; Three Land Rover Defender Mountain Rescue Ambulances, Ford Transit crewbus / Ambulance, VW Crafter Incident Control vehicle, Team SAR Boat, 20x Call Out list members, one Trainee team member and five probationary members.
• Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team ; One Land Rover Defender Mountain Rescue Ambulance. one Toyota Hi Lux Mountain Rescue Ambulance, ten team Call Out list members.
• SARDA Ireland North ; DVSD Dog Handler Dave Marsh (Also included in Bolton MRT figure) and DVSD Dog Sasha.
• British Transport Police ; DVSD Dog Handler Mike Dermody and DVSD Dog Quincy.
• SARDA England ; Mountain Rescue Air Scenting Search Dog Handler Steve Garofalo (Also included in RPMRT figure) and Search Dog Finn.
• SARDA Wales ; Mountain Rescue Trailing Search Dog Handler Steve Nelson, Navigator Elaine Gilliland (Both also included in Bolton MRT figure) and Trailing Dog Boris.

Footnote; At circa 20.30hrs on the evening of Sunday 30th November 2014, a member of the public alerted GMP to the discovery of this missing woman, very cold and suffering from the damp prevailing conditions, very close to the M60 Motorway, on the fringe of the search areas tasked on Saturday and Sunday.

NWAS (Greater Manchester) were then called to assist GMP Officers, with the woman being taken to hospital for treatment.

All involved in this two day search operation (three days regards the Police involvement) wish a quick recovery to full health for this woman.

At 15.14hrs this afternoon, we were contacted via Sarcall / pager, by Greater Manchester Police, to assist with a developing search operation for a missing 76 years old woman in the Stretford area of Manchester.

Team members already present at GMFRS Community Fire Station Open Day, quickly relocated to our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ, to collect other responding team members and further equipment.

The woman had been missing since the previous day – Friday 28th November, in circumstances giving GMP considerable concern for her welfare, given her age and the time of year.

Team members were tasked alongside GMP Officers with specific search areas in and around the River Mersey, Ousel Brook and Kickety Brook areas of Stretford, alongside the M60 Motorway.

Also involved was a GMFRS USAR Search Dog, in a search operation that commenced at circa 17.30hrs and finished around 21.05hrs.

This search marked the first operational deployment of our newly graded Drowned Victim Search Dog Sasha, under the guidance of her Handler Dave Marsh, a UK Mountain Rescue search operation first first we believe, regarding the deployment of a DVSD Dog.

The conclusion of the search operation in this area, saw Police enquiries continuing to try and locate the missing woman.

We would like to extend our thanks to Kiwi Nurseries, of Bradley Lane, Stretford, Manchester, who kindly allowed their premises and customer car park to be used as the search RVP for this operation.

The following resources were deployed during this search incident;

• Greater Manchester Police; Two Missing Person Search Managers, Tactical Aid Unit and Divisional Officers.
• Bolton Mountain Rescue Team; Three Land Rover Defender Mountain Rescue Ambulances, Ford Transit crewbus / Ambulance, VW Crafter Incident Control vehicle, Team SAR Boat, 19x Call Out list members, and one probationary member.
• SARDA Ireland North; DVSD Dog Handler Dave Marsh (Also include din Bolton MRT figure) and DVSD Dog Sasha.
• GMFRS USAR Dog Handler Mick Dewar and USAR Search Dog Ace.

Late this evening at 23.15hrs our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE was contacted directly by the GMP Force Duty Manager for the teams immediate assistance in the search for a 36 years old male in the Sale Water Park area of Manchester, due to Police concerns as to his well being.

At 23.19hrs a full team pager call out was initiated, with our first member Alan James on scene before midnight to join in with GMP Officers in searches of the path network to the north west of Sale Water Park.

Just after midnight, our Team Leader, Deputy Leader and Dave Healey met up with the Police Missing Person Search Manager and formulated an immediate search plan, continuing the searches that the Police had already conducted including the use of their Air Support Unit helicopter India 99.

As more team members were assembling, Police investigations led them to believe the missing man was no longer in the Sale Water Park area, and the need for the team to be involved was no longer required, with us being stood down at 00.52hrs on the early morning of Friday 25th September 2009.

The team left shortly afterwards with GMP Officers continuing their efforts to locate this missing man.

The following resources were involved in this search;

• Bolton MRT 14x Team members, two Team Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulances and our Control Trailer. Our Canoe / Kayak Search Unit was also mobilised.
• Greater Manchester Police, 1x Missing Person Search Manager, and twelve Divisional Officers, including the on duty Inspector, with a Tactical Aid Unit stood down on route.
• Greater Manchester Police Air Support Unit helicopter India 99