OVMRO/NEWSAR/Bristows joint training – Sunday 18/10/2015
On Sunday a small group of NEWSAR team members travelled to the Ogwen Valley in Snowdonia to take part in a joint exercise between the volunteer Mountain Rescue members of Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation (OVMRO) and NEWSAR, together with a Bristows SAR helicopter and crew from Caernarfon.
The scenario was that a walker had fallen, sustaining a head injury. A head injury can be very serious and usually needs rapid evacuation. The photo set below shows the team members setting out on foot from OVMRO base with their usual equipment ready to stretcher the casualty from the hill if necessary. Fortunately this wasn’t needed as the now familiar red and white Bristows SAR Sikorsky S-92 flew in. After “landing on” the Bristows Paramedic qualified winchman came over to the assess the casualty, who was then loaded into a vacuum matress (which imobilises the patient) and then put into a special type of bag that can be winched directly without the need for a stretcher.
In this case the exercise casualty was then carried to the side door of the helicopter before being flown off the mountain.
Team members were also flown from the site with “engines running” entry and exit.
An excellent days training which permits time to try out new ideas and practice existing skills.
Thanks to OVMRO for hosting NEWSAR team members and of course to Bristows SAR (Caernarfon) for coming out to work with us.
[flickr-gallery mode=”photoset” photoset=”72157660046772372″]
Original Flickr photo set by NEWSAR team photographer Babs Boardwell