Saturday 16 April 2011

Busy week

The ECMR Advanced weekend was followed by two days of REC level 2 course teaching. And what a change in weather: from tropical to sub-arctic in twenty-four hours.

   On Thursday I lead a group of Alpine Italian lads up Lliwedd and Snowdon. Sadly they didn't get to see much; visibility was down to 20 metres in places (and as is typical the cloud really began to lift on our descent). Afterwards, Steve picked me up from Pen-y-Pass. We were heading home down the Llanberis Pass when we saw flashing blue lights in a layby ahead of us. A paramedic was making his way up the scree to a fallen climber. I shouted to see if they needed help and he said he had just alerted the MRT. (our SMS had failed to go off as we were in a blind spot). So Steve and I drove down to base to pick up extra equipment such as a stretcher, the KTD (in case of fractured femur), the Vac Matt  for spinal immobilisation and then headed back to the scene of the accident.

   Our casualty was lucky. He had taken an 8 metre fall and had fractured his lower leg and lower arm. However there had been a long delay between the emergency call going out and the Rescue Team being alerted. Remember in the mountains always ask for the Police and Mountain Rescue; not an Ambulance which was what had happened here. Add the information that the casualty was only 30m from the road, it is easy to see why an ambulance was sent! Unfortunately, that 30m was up a steep and loose hillside.

Last night Cluanie and I were called out to help search for an elderly lady in the Conwy Valley. Sadly as of yet, she is still missing. We were back in bed for 3.30 am. Today has been a lazy day with a lovely walk over Moel Eilio with the dogs and Steve.

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