Kinder Mountain Rescue Team

It’s been a busy few weeks on the training front this month (and I thought it was going to be a fairly quiet month for training!)

It started with several members from the crag team attending (along with other national teams and agencies) the annual rope rescue weekend seminar held by Oldham MRT.

Several members attended an Opiate training day (along with other regional teams) held by Woodhead MRT.

Quarter of the team attended the helicopter familiarization training day over at RAF Leconfield. This included various winching drills.

May’s monthly team training evening was a series of trauma and medical scenarios at various locations around Hayfield. This allowed groups to respond to the various ‘snatch’ incidents using available resources.

The probationers also had their ‘assessment exercise’, which allowed them to put all their recent training into practice by taking the lead roles (section leaders, casualty carers, navigators, radio operator etc) in a simulated multi casualty exercise.

Not forgetting the members who are also participating in Advanced Driver training.

The team exercise at the end of month will be ‘out of area’, and will have another interesting scenario for team members…

Phil Ridley – Training Officer

Saturday 28^th April saw Sheffield University’s Duke of Edinburgh Society set up probably the highest cafe in the Peak district at Kinder Downfall. Rose Pritchard organised the event to support the Kinder Mountain Rescue Team, and convinced members of her society to bake a variety of cakes which were carried up to the downfall by her team of helpers and sold, along with tea, coffee and hot chocolate to the surprised and grateful walkers enjoying a somewhat cold and blustery day on the hill.

Additionally supported by members of the team, and her parents, Rose and her helpers braved the wind and managed to raise £221.54 for the team in 2 and a half hours.

They plan to set up the cafe again on Saturday 5^th May and would appreciate any help or support.

The Kinder Cafe in action at the Downfall

Not one for making probationers lives easy – last weekend was going to be busy with several sessions both on the hill and in base covering some of the basic search & rescue techniques that are ‘bread & butter’ to most teams. It would be sessions number 5 & 6 of their ‘foundation training’ package.

Saturday 21^st April.

The first morning session would be on the hill carrying out practical training in Line, Echelon, Footpath and Open Country searching. The idea is simple enough – to cover a designated area (with full hill party kit & stretcher) safely and thoroughly, hopefully locating the placed items (be they either small items of evidence or a body).

Echelon Searching – probationer training

Once a series of search scenarios had been completed, the training emphasis would change to the CAS site management aspect of the ‘find’. This would be an opportunity to illustrate the various roles & responsibilities that people take on when they are on site.

After lunch (well a brew at least), the session would revert indoors to run through the basic communication equipment used; base radio, handset radio, link set up combined with the various voice procedures & protocols.

Unfortunately, the forecasted ‘bad weather’ of hail, heavy rain and thunder storms didn’t materialize, so some of the realism lost. However, the probationers still had plenty of opportunity to practice carrying the good old Bell Stretcher and fully packed rucksacks across typical moorland terrain (won’t mention swapping probationer day sack for training officers bergen….but use your imagination…)

Example of the NEW 'light weight rucksack'

Another probationer training session which coincided with Full Team Training Exercise (and for some team members the MR Casualty Care practical Exam).

Today’s probationer session would be subdivided into three:

Vehicles, Link Communication and preparing & loading the various stretchers.

First off, the probationers would have their induction to the team’s 4×4 ambulance vehicles, and the standard kit carried on board.

Next, would be the setting up and working in the ‘mobile control on link radio’ as part of the ongoing main team exercise.

Finally, before de-rigging the mobile control the probationers would prepare the vehicle to accept the incoming stretcher (with exercise casualty) for evacuation.

At least today’s weather proved more acceptable – plenty of wind and rain…

And to round off the day just to keep everyone on their toes – a ‘shout’ came in….so the final part ofthe exercise was quickly ‘binned’ as the team became operational.

All in all, a successful weekend – the probationers (and a few of team members) were out for getting on 18 hours this weekend (and they’re still keen).

Phil Ridley – Training Officer

• Type –Injured walker
• Locations – Pagoda rocks, southern edges of Kinder
• Team members –34 KMRT
• Duration 3 1/2 hrs or 109 man hours

During our monthly Sunday exercise, which today was split between providing cover for one of the local fell races whilst at the same time running a probationer training session and a casualty care exam for 11 of our team, we were asked to assist a walker who had a lower leg injury. Those on the hill were quickly diverted to the location where the casualty was given suitable pain relief before being stretchered off to our team LandRover where they were then taken down to a waiting ambulance. As an aside, all those taking the exam passed so well done to them.

Neale Pinkerton

Team Leader

The highly acclaimed Tideswell Male Voice Choir will Be performing a Charity Concert “Do You Hear The People Sing?” at St Matthew’s Church, Hayfield on Saturday 5^th May 7.30pm. The choir can be guaranteed to perform a wonderful mix of traditional and contemporary musical pieces which will appeal to all. Proceeds from this concert will be going to Kinder Mountain Rescue Team and Partners in Education Swaziland who will both be present on the evening.  read more…

• Type – Civil Emergency situation, assisting motorists stranded by snow fall
• Locations – A515 Buxton, A6 Taddington and B5155 Bakewell/Monyash
• Team members –11 KMRT, also BMRT and EMRT
• Duration 5 hrs or 55 man hours

We were asked to assist in the location and evacuation of motorists trapped on the A515 out of Buxton following severe snow fall and strong winds that produced blizzard like conditions. Motorists had been stuck since early that morning in the drifting snow as members of several MRT’s worked alongside the Police and Local Authority to reach them.  During our deployment, Mobile 2 was retasked by the Police to Taddington to assist dig-out a Doctor who urgently needed to get to work in Chesterfield. Mobile 2 then found large numbers of stranded trucks and cars along the A6  around Taddington and then the B5155 Monyash Rd was found blocked with stranded vehicles too.

Neale Pinkerton

Team Leader

Today’s exercise was slightly different as it aimed to cover three topics:

• to practice remote RV control management
• to provide challenging footpath searches
• to practice multiple casualty site management & evacuation

The basic scenario was a party of three had gone for a walk around Cown Edge/Combes Rocks area. Following an injury to one of the party, the others set off to raise the alarm – needless to say they also suffered various mishaps (very unlucky group I know). To make matters worse, they’d split up, suffered from various other medical conditions and weren’t the best at map reading. It couldn’t really get any worse (well it could, but luckily for them it wouldn’t).

The initial ‘Exercise Call Out’ message would provide limited information. It wasn’t long before the team were assembling at the designated rendezvous location. On this occasion, we were working on the edge of our operating boundary, so we used a remote RV for control. It was also an opportunity for the team’s new probationer members to get involved with a full team session (and possibly ask the question – what have I let myself in for?)

Rapid response parties were deployed to the casualty’s last known location, covering obvious routes on the way. A more systematic search by other hill parties was also carried out.

 The first casualty was located a little quicker than anticipated (but that’s how it sometimes goes), quickly followed by the others (I’ve made a note to make it harder next time – but I should really be congratulating control for their planning and search party deployment).

With appropriate triage, casualty care, and treatment the evacuation concluded with one being able to walk off, one being evacuated by ‘paper’ air ambulance and the third being stretchered off to the waiting team landrover ambulance.

Exercise Casualty waiting to be loaded into landrover ambulance

Following the ‘End Ex’ it was time for everyone to enjoy the sunshine and have a beer in the nearby public house. Excellent round up to another successful training exercise.

Phil Ridley, Training Officer

• Type – Injured Mountain Biker
• Location – Edale Cross track
• Team members –13 KMRT
• Duration 2 hrs or 26 man hours

We were asked to assist a mountain biker who had come off his bike and injured his chest on his handle bars. We sent up 2 vehicles to assist him, as well as an EMAS paramedic. In addition, we had requested assistance from a Helimed aircraft. Fortunately one was available and arrived at the cas site to evacuate the casualty, who was being treated by our team, the EMAS paramedic and a passing doctor.

Neale Pinkerton

Team Leader

Click on the images for large versions.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Pictures from the Cas.Site courtesy of Bernie Stevens, KMRT

• Type – Lost Walkers
• Location – Kinder Plateau
• Team members –25 KMRT
• Duration 2 hrs or 50 man hours

We were asked to assist a couple who were concerned about getting down before darkness fell. I spoke to them via mobile phone and was given a description of where they were, along with a Lat and Long position fix from their phone – a new one to me. Quickly using an app on my phone, I was able to convert this into an OSGB grid reference which tied in with where I thought they were. A party was sent up and quickly located them before bringing them down to base. A quick and successful conclusion.

Neale Pinkerton

Team Leader

K.T – 7.5 weeks old

Things have moved on a pace since the last (actually first) entry. We (the family) have come across a litter of puppies out of Cromford. Following 3 visits we decided to take on the tri-coloured bitch and have named her KT.

Apologies to all you Kate’s out there! Aged just 7 ½ weeks we picked her up on the Saturday morning. She was driven home – a journey of around 25 miles in which time KT managed to throw up twice on my son to the great amusement of the rest of us. Once home KT and Anya were introduced.

For those of you who are not aware Anya is a bit of a croc-a-dog (bares her teeth and occasionally snaps). She prefers her own space and does not like being petted. One of my biggest concern is how the dogs will interact, but according to Jacquie, SARDA’s dog behaviourist , “Anya will be fine”. And she is – to a point. A lot of work required in this area but so far so good. read more…