CALL OUTS 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 – A very busy snow day

CALL OUTS 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

Yesterday (2/1/2021) saw a very busy start to the year for the team with five separate calls outs over the day assisting the North West Ambulance Service!

#01 At around 10:40 the team were deployed for the first time this year to assist a 70yr old gentleman who had been out up Pendle (having walked from Nelson!) but unfortunately slipped on his decent. He had sustained a lower leg injury, was treated by NWAS crew on the scene before being placed into a cas bag to keep warm and stretchered off to the awaiting ambulance. Thank you as always to Pendle house farm for their assistance and The Cauldron for a brew afterwards.

As returning to base at around 13:00 the team were placed on standby with NWAS due to the deteriorating weather and road conditions.

#02 By 14:00 the second call came in for assistance at a farm in Clivager, to a patient who was having difficulty breathing. This patient had received a positive covid test so additional precautions were taken. Whilst one of the team paramedics treated the casualty, some additional gritting by residents and team members meant that the ambulance was able to get to the farm and once it arrived a handover was made with the crew so they could transfer the casualty to hospital for further care. Again the team returned to base and cleaned/disinfected equipment and restocked vehicles.

#03 Just as many team members made it home, came the third call-out at 16:45 for a photographer who had sustained a lower leg injury whilst walking around Watergrove Reservoir, Wardle, Rochdale. Team members met HART paramedics on scene and assisted with the evacuation of the casualty.

#04 at 17:15, just as the team were deploying to the previous incident one vehicle along with a selection of other team members were redirected to the Nick of Pendle where there were reports of a sledging incident. As team members arrived on scene the casualty had been assisted to a family members’ vehicle to get transported onto hospital so the team were stood down and immediately re-tasked to #05

#05 At 17:35 the team were deployed to another Sledding casualty in Darwen – due to how busy the team were we also requested assistance from Bolton Mountain Rescue Team. Team members arrived on the scene along with an RRV. Team paramedics provided pain relief, packaged the casualty into a vacuum mattress (full body splint), cas bag for warmth and then onto the spencer stretcher to sledge across the playing fields before a short carry the final section to the awaiting ambulance.

Team members called past Blackburn A&E to collect equipment from the final job before returning to base and sorting the vehicles once more. Finally departing for home at around 20:00.

With all of these incidents can we please pass on our thanks and gratitude to other members of the public who have helped keep casualties warm and assisted the team in finding them as quickly as possible.

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