Busy and Tragic October Start for the Team
A guest post by Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team
The first two weeks of October have been exceptionally busy for the Wasdale team with 12 incidents in the first nine days.
Five of these occurred on a single day, all within 4 hours of each other. The incidents included two trauma, one medical emergency with the remaining nine being searches for lost and missing walkers. All of the rescues have been on Scafell and Scafell Pike, two of the highest mountains in England.
Two of these rescues tragically were fatalities and the team's hearts go out to the families and friends of the two walkers involved. Our thanks to Duddon and Furness MRT and to Keswick MRT who responded throughout this period with additional team members and to the Cockermouth MRT who also offered their support. Thanks also to the Great North Air Ambulance crew, the North West Ambulance Service and the two Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopters from Caernarfon and Prestwick.
It is also a timely reminder that we are now approaching winter when the weather conditions change dramatically and those wishing to venture on the fells need to be well prepared, especially as the hours of daylight are reducing and temperatures falling.
The weather during the nine hour rescue on 06 October changed dramatically as evening approached. It was appalling weather preventing flying and causing massive disruption to evacuation and communications. It is also worth noting that the rescues involving the nine searches were all truly avoidable if properly planned.
Ask yourself three questions before venturing out.......
- Do I have the right gear?
- Do I know what the weather will be like?
- Am I confident that I have the knowledge and skills for the day?
Key to safety is a map and compass, a torch and the ability to navigate. Reliance on smart technology can and will let you down. Take a power bank to ensure mobile phones are kept fully charged. Please stay together as a group and walk at the pace of your slowest member. All the advice and guidance you need to keep yourself and your group safe can be found on https://www.adventuresmart.uk/
Photo by Wasdale MRT and used with permission.
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Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions.