Water

Jun 19 2017

Incident 46/2017 – Assist RPMRT with a Water Incident, Greenbooth Reservoir

Whilst responding to Incident 47/2017 Rossendale & Pendle MRT received a second call for assistance with an incident at Greenbooth Reservoir, Rochdale.

Oldham MRT who neighbour RPMRT on the Rochdale side were already committed to a separate water incident, the water team members responding to the Ewood Park incident redirected to assist with the Rochdale incident, swinging by our base to collect the boat and other water equipment.

On reaching Greenbooth Reservoir, the team fell under the control of the primary emergency services of Greater Manchester Police and Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service. After assessing resources, the team were deemed to be surplus to requirements and were stood down.

A short time later a boys body was recovered from the reservoir.

We would like to pass on our condolences to the boys family.

 

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Jan 12 2017

Incident 10/2016 – MPSRO joint response to potential tidal flooding at Scarborough

At 19:17 this evening the MPSRO Silver command group was activated with the aim of requesting appropriately qualified resources from across the region to support our colleagues at Scarborough and Ryedale MRT.

Due to the forecast for possible tidal flooding and overtopping along the East coast of the UK, Bronze and silver command locations had been setup in North Yorkshire to coordinate the response to any major incident.

Rescue teams in the Mid-Pennine Search and Rescue Organisation were requested to provide a ‘type-C’ flood rescue team to support the operations of multiple volunteer and statutory emergency services assembling at strategic locations along the east coast.

Colleagues at Calder Valley Search & Rescue Team were desginated as the lead team from the region, and were supported by three members from Bowland Pennine MRT and two from our own team.

A type C team comprising a team leader and five swiftwater rescue technicians was assembled and all travelled to Scarborough Fire Station, arriving at 02:00 on the morning of Friday 13th January for a briefing in advance of the forecast high tide at 04:15.

Teams at Scarborough included North Yorkshire Fire Service, North Yorkshire Police ,HM Coastguard, York Rescue Boat, and a mountain rescue contingent from the MPSRO and Swaledale teams.

Thankfully there were no issues reported from the high tide in the early morning and no deployments from our holding location were necessary. The teams remained on standby, bunking down at Scarborough Fire Station to cover the next high tide, 12 hours later.

At around 16:00 in the afternoon (after a full English breakfast very kindly supplied by our colleagues at Calder Valley SRT!) teams were deployed to the coast after reports of waves overtopping the defences on the north and south Scarborough coastlines.

The purpose of the deployment was to provide an immediate response to any incidents along the coast or elsewhere, and to work with Police and HM Coastguard to warn and inform members of the public who had gathered to watch the waves.

Teams were deployed for several hours on the coast during the high tide and thankfully only a number of minor incidents were dealt with, with no serious issues warranting our attention.

Following the worst of the high tide, teams returned to Scarborough Fire Station for a welcome brew and debrief, after which they were stood down and returned home.

Our thanks are due to the staff of the North Yorkshire Fire Service at Scarborough Fire Station, who were very welcoming and provided accommodation (and plenty of tea and coffee) for us during our stay.

 

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Dec 26 2015

Incident 99/2015 – Major Flooding Incident at Lower Broughton, Salford

At 16.30hrs a mixed Bolton MRT / Cheshire SART convoy departed Incident 98 at Prestolee, with instructions to proceed to a large scale flooding incident in the Bury area.

034Whilst en route, this emergency response was slightly delayed with traffic restrictions at the scene of a storm related gas explosion, with GMFRS granting emergency access through this fire ground cordon (thanks to the Officer on scene for facilitating this)

The emergency convoy was then redirected to GMP Bury Police Station, but on route at 16.51hrs the Bolton MRT was contacted by an NWAS Officer, requesting the teams urgent assistance at an incident in Lower Broughton, with the report of a one year old child and family members trapped by flood waters, in fear of drowning.

It was reported that no immediate GMFRS resources were available due to multiple weather / storm related emergencies.

The Cheshire SART element of the convoy was instructed by our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE to proceed with a small Bolton MRT contingent to Bury Police Station, to deal with that tasking, whilst five Bolton MRT vehicles proceeded to Lower Broughton.

Our first vehicle arrived on scene at 17.15hrs, liaising immediately with a large GMP presence, and an NWAS crew / Emergency Ambulance.

The River Irwell had burst its banks overflowing a flood defence wall, and had flooded a large part of the Lower Broughton Estate, bounded by the River Irwell and Lower Broughton Road.

As the rest of the Bolton MRT response arrived at 17.23hrs, it became immediately apparent that a large number of dynamic responses / tasking’s were required, and our SAR Boat was launched to start undertaking these at 17.30hrs, in association with briefings from GMP and NWAS personnel on scene.

IMG_4445Cheshire SART and those Bolton MRT resources at Bury were immediately summoned to assist at this incident (no tasking’s were immediately required at Bury)

We quickly established our Incident Control Vehicle to manage this incident, and started to collate a listing of those residents requiring evacuation from information being collated by GMP.

At circa 17.45hrs a large convoy of some thirteen plus MRT vehicles from Oldham MRT, RPMRT and the PDMRO Water Response Team arrived on scene, having been requested to attend this incident, at the conclusion of their involvement with a flooding incident in Littleborough.

IMG_3113The Bolton MRT Incident Control Vehicle became the ‘Incident Tasking and Deployment Cell,’ with the Oldham MRT Control Vehicle being set up to assist as a duplicate Bronze Control, and RPMRTs Control vehicle being set up to act as a Silver control should such be found necessary.

A GMFRS Water Rescue Unit and supporting Pump appliances also arrived, and together, utilising the 3x Inflatable SAR Boats, 3x Inflatable rescue sleds, and 6x large canoes (though not all were ultimately utilised) now available on scene, all the responding services commenced a co-ordinated integrated rescue / evacuation of those residents requiring such in this area.

As the incident unfolded, 2x NWAS HART teams arrived, providing medical support to those in need, once the MRTs / SARTs had effected their rescue.

Multiple tasking’s were carried out, in conditions of regular torrential rain, interspersed with drier conditions.

IMG_3106Resources also responded from this location to other nearby flooding events, including a caravan / camping site, where there was a threat to life, with many requiring immediate evacuation to a place of safety.

Here members from the Lower Broughton response, met up with GMFRS crews, including their TRU (Technical Rescue Unit) and the Water Rescue Unit from Heywood Community Fire Station, to evacuate residents, with some being loaded on to a truck which safely drove through the flood waters.

Back at the Lower Broughton incident, waters started to recede around 21.00hrs, quickly subsiding after this – much to the relief of Bolton MRT member Michael Wakerley who had acted as the water entry / exit point, and had braved the downpours all through this incident.

By circa 22.15hrs all tasking’s had been completed, and a stand down of MRT / SART resources commenced.

The incident scene was then visited by GMP Assistant Chief Constable John O’Hare, who made great efforts to praise and thank all the emergency responders present.

RPMRT had left at this stage, redeploying to NWAS tasking’s, with OMRT and PDMRO resources leaving by circa 22.30hrs, Cheshire SART by circa 22.40hrs and finally the Bolton MRT assets deployed, leaving at 22.50hrs.

At least 17x completely separate tasking’s were made during this incident, by the combined emergency services on scene, many involving multiple numbers of the public affected, including family parties.

a number of these incidents involved medical emergencies, which were dealt with by NWAS and NWAS HART personnel.

Bolton MRT went back to our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ to wash down all vehicles, put kit out to dry and carry out some minor urgent repairs on kit damaged during todays responses.

We closed this incident at 01.00hrs in the early hours of Sunday 27th December 2015.

Over one hundred volunteer members of MRTs / SRTs had been involved in this incident, all giving up their Boxing Day afternoon and evening, indeed all present had actually been deployed elsewhere commencing from early or mid morning, so had seen little of their families on this festive day – we were all happy to turn out and assist our community in this time of need, where the threat to health and indeed life was all too apparent.

The following resources were directly involved at this incident during the ‘rescue phase’;

  • Bolton Mountain Rescue Team; 23x operational members, 4x Land Rover Defender Mountain Rescue Ambulances, Ford Transit Minibus Ambulance, VW Crafter van based Incident Control Vehicle, 3.4m semi rigid inflatable SAR Boat, 6x large canoes.
  • Oldham Mountain Rescue Team; 18x operational members, 2x Land Rover Defender Mountain Rescue Ambulances, Control Vehicle.
  • Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team; circa 9x operational members, 2x Toyota Hilux mountain Rescue Ambulances, 1x Land Rover Discovery Mountain Rescue Ambulance, 1x Control Vehicle.
  • Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation Regional Water Response Team; consisting of MRT members from Derby MRT 6x, Woodhead MRT 7x, Kinder MRT 3x, Glossop MRT 7x, Edale MRT 7x, each with a Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulance – five total, and Buxton MRT 7x, with a Mountain Rescue Crewbus Ambulance. PDMRO Water Team also deployed with 2x inflatable rescue sleds.
  • Cheshire Search and Rescue Team ; 18x operational members, Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger Ambulances, Control Vehicle and Incident Support Vehicle, 1x inflatable SAR Boat, 1x inflatable rescue sled.
  • (Total MRT / SART personnel involved; circa 103x)
  • GMFRS; At least 2x Pump Appliances, 1x Water Rescue Unit Appliance and Rescue Boat from Eccles Community Fire Station, 1x Watch Manager and 1x Station Manager.
  • GMP; Numerous Divisional Officers and vehicles, with Tactical Aid Units and vehicles, Senior Officers in the role of ‘On Scene Incident Commanders.’ Also present was Assistant Chief Constable John O’Hare and a Superintendent.
  • NWAS Greater Manchester Area; 2x Emergency Ambulances and their crews.
  • NWAS Hazardous Area Response Teams; 1x HART Team from Merseyside, 1x HART Team from Trafford Park.
  • National Police Air Service; 1x Helicopter.

By • 2015, Incident • • Tags: ,

Dec 26 2015

Incident 98/2015 – Major flooding event on Riverside Drive, Prestolee, Kearsley, Bolton

Whilst assembling at our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ to standby at the request of NWAS Greater Manchester Area, on this Boxing Day of stormy weather, at 11.41hrs, GMP contacted our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, for the team to respond to a very serious flooding incident, affecting a large number of properties in the Riverside Drive area of Prestolee, Kearsley, Bolton.

IMG_3081GMP informed further that no GMFRS resources were immediately available due to other tasking’s, on this day that was already beginning to stretch and test the Greater Manchester Emergency Services.

In torrential rain, and once more members had arrived, the team departed our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ at 12.08hrs, arriving at the Prestolee area at 12.20hrs, with the River Irwell almost touching the underside of Church Road Bridge, way above its normal flow height.

Turning in to Riverside Drive, our responding members were met with an inundated housing estate, alongside the River Irwell, with residents cars already partially (and some totally) submerged.

027Some immediate rescues and self rescues had already taken place, with team members immediately involved in ‘dynamic rescues,’ including wade rescues, whilst others speedily launched our SAR Boat, which commenced further rescues from flooded properties.

Our Incident Control Vehicle became the focal point for the joint GMP / Bolton MRT rescue effort, with listings being compiled of those residents requiring evacuation.

A GMFRS Pump Appliance arrived next, with its crew lending their assistance.

A female resident with a medical condition had to be stretcher evacuated from her property to an NWAS Emergency Ambulance, via the rabbit warren of rear gardens, as flood waters over 5 foot deep were preventing any vehicular access.

022In order to safely and quickly evacuate this lady, whilst avoiding the flood waters, a number of adjoining residents took out or broke down their high garden fences to allow us access and egress.

Thanks are expressed to three members of the public who kindly assisted us with this stretcher evacuation.

With a rapidly developing flooding situation, and at this early stage a still unknown number of persons requiring evacuation, at 12.53hrs we called out Cheshire SART to assist us, who were already on heightened standby.

By 13.45hrs, all known persons requiring evacuation had been taken from their flooded properties to a place of safety, by Bolton MRT members using our SAR Boat.

003At this stage a GMFRS Rescue Boat arrived on scene, and commenced further checks of properties.

By 15.00hrs, Cheshire SART arrived on scene, just as all emergency vehicles were moved from Riverside Drive, to the higher point of Church Road at its junction with Market Street, alongside the Grapes Public House, as there was a real worry that all the responding emergency vehicles might become trapped by rising river water – thankfully after we all moved, the river level actually dropped slightly.

Cheshire SART then commenced deployments in the local area, checking out other nearby properties, in answer to a considerable number of calls for assistance from nearby concerned members of the public, as the flood waters started to threaten their properties.

018By circa 15.30hrs all the GMFRS assets on scene departed for other priority tasking’s, whilst the Bolton MRT and Cheshire SART remained on scene, with a considerable GMP presence, in case of further need.

The Bolton MBC responding ‘On Call Officer,’ did a sterling job keeping residents informed and advised as to what help was coming and what to do immediately, whilst the local Church opened up to provide shelter, and a rest centre.

Just after 16.00hrs it was established there was little else required from a rescue perspective, and we began to pack away our kit used, in readiness for other possible deployments elsewhere as the rain once again commenced.

011At circa 16.30hrs in a mixed Bolton MRT / Cheshire SART convoy, we departed to attend another priority tasking (see Incident 99)

During our time at Riverside Drive, we would like to make mention of an appropriately equipped and experienced young man who assisted us with water rescues and checks on flooded properties.
With utter devastation all around and all too obvious to see, and a great many totally flooded properties, with many families made immediately homeless, we were humbled at the thanks we were receiving from so many we had assisted and also from the general public present witnessing our efforts.

Throughout it was heartening at what should have been after all a happy festive time of the year, to see so many kind local people offering help, and there was no shortage of offers of sandwiches and hot drinks, from local residents, not just to us the emergency responders, but also to other members of the community rallying around to help in whatever way they could.

IMG_3092zoomOur records show that we in Bolton MRT directly rescued 14x persons, 1x Dog (evacuated from a flooded property in a wheelie bin – as was at least one person!) 4x cats and a budgie!

At least two of those rescued had medical conditions warranting being taken to Hospital by Emergency Ambulance.

A further additional 14x persons were checked upon, but wished to remain in their flooded properties.

Regardless of who and what we in Bolton MRT did, this was truly a multi agency / multi team rescue incident, with all agencies present, MRT / SART / Fire / Police / Ambulance / Local Authority, working seamlessly together to assist this stricken community.

005From all of us at Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, we extend our thoughts to all at Riverside Drive affected by these terrible events of Boxing Day, and we hope that the path to recovery will be a quick one.

During the latter stages of our involvement in this incident, team member Diane Blakeley present in our Control Vehicle, received a telephone call that her Bradshaw home was at risk of imminently flooding.

Colleague team member Phil Horner took her home, and along with neighbours moved furniture and other items upstairs.

Thankfully the surrounding waters did not enter her home, and she returned with Phil later to partake in our Incident 99.

015The following resources were directly involved at this incident during the ‘rescue phase’;

  • Bolton Mountain Rescue Team; 22x operational members, 4x Land Rover Defender Mountain Rescue Ambulances, Ford Transit Minibus Ambulance, VW Crafter van based Incident Control Vehicle, 3.4m semi rigid inflatable SAR Boat, 6x large canoes.
  • Cheshire Search and Rescue Team; 18x operational members, Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger Ambulances, Control Vehicle and Incident Support Vehicle, 1x inflatable SAR Boat, 1x inflatable rescue sled.
  • GMFRS; 1x Pump Appliance with a Watch Manager and four crew from Stockport Community Fire Station (actually on relief standby at Bolton Central Community Fire Station) 1x Water Rescue Unit Appliance and Rescue Boat / with supporting Pump Appliance, all from Heywood Community Fire Station.
  • GMP; Numerous Divisional Officers and vehicles, at least two full Tactical Aid Units with vehicles, Senior Officers in the role of ‘On Scene Incident Commanders.’
  • NWAS Greater Manchester Area; 2x Emergency Ambulances and their crews, 1x Operational Area Manager / Paramedic in a Rapid Response Vehicle.
  • Bolton MBC; 1x On Call Emergency Officer / Civil Contingencies Unit.

By • 2015, Incident • • Tags: ,

Dec 26 2015

Incident 97/2015 – The start of a long busy and very wet day!

Our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, after a full morning of telephone liaison calls with colleague MRTs / SART, Lancashire Constabulary, GMP, and NWAS, regarding the worsening and very wet weather conditions, was requested by NWAS Greater Manchester Area, to place the full Bolton MRT on Base / HQ standby, as a result of the inclement weather and its likely impacts.

A full team call out was paged at 11.21hrs, and as team members, including our Team Leader, were assembling at our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ at 11.41hrs, our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, was directly contacted by GMP to respond to an urgent local serious situation.

A ground floor property on Chorley New Road, Bolton, had totally flooded, with concerns for the welfare of the male resident, reported to be present within the building.

With GMFRS already in attendance at other multiple incidents, GMP had turned to Bolton MRT to seek any immediate assistance.

A team Land Rover, with three crew on board, was despatched from our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ at 11.54hrs, one of the crew being dressed for water rescue.

Arriving on scene at 12.00hrs, to meet a GMP Officer also despatched, our responding crew was fortunately informed that the resident was safe and well and had not actually been in the property.

Other Bolton MRT appropriate resources, about to join in this incident were stood down.

A false alarm call with good intent – better to be safe than sorry.

By • 2015, Incident • • Tags: ,

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