- Incident
- 21 in 2006
- Type
- Callout — Injured & Medical
- Location
- Corridor Route, Scafell Pike
- Diagnosis
- Head Injury
Police paged the team to respond to a mobile phone ‘999’ from an informant on the corridor route. A 44 year old male had fallen over a boulder on the summit of Scafell Pike and had been reported as having injuries to his face and a possible limb injury. The mobile phone was called but there was no answer (no signal?). The party had set off for Scafell Pike along the corridor route via Styhead Pass. Not being able to contact the informant, (a number of attempts were made), it was not known at which end of the corridor route the casualty was to be found. Casualty was eventually found near Skew Gill on the Corridor route. Keswick team had been asked to assist but were subsequently stood down when the casualties condition and location was established. The gash to the head had been sustained on Scafell Pike and he had made his way back down with a bandaged head. There were no other injuries. The team doctor checked him over and he was able to make his own way off the fell with the assistance of his group. His support vehicle (he was part of a group doing the 4 x 3,000 peaks) was waiting for him at Seathwaite. The incident was closed at around 3.00 p.m. It was subsequently established that the injured person had not called the team and was unaware that the team were looking for him whilst he made his way down the mountain. It had been a bystander who had decided to call the team but unfortunately not stayed put to receive subsequent calls from the team.It is worth remembering that when a ‘999’ call is made for mountain rescue it is vital that the informant stays in a position where they can be contacted and also gives clear details of exact location, what has happened, when it happened, who is injured and what the injuries are. The team leader will call back to discuss.The following is a message from the casualty to put the record straight on what actually happened that day
Richard I would like to update entry of my incident this year :6/23:24/06/06 ( 11:07 hrs ) – Saturday Although I was seen by the doctor on the mountain and allowed to walk to Seathwaite, I did in fact have a fractured Eye orbit, with severed nerves and eventually impaired vision. the gash I also sustained has cleared up to a lovely scar and the vision back to near normal, however the nerves may take up to 2 years and I’m still numb on parts of the left side of the face and gums. The break has healed on its own with no need for surgery that was discussed at length in the days that followed The number you were given by the police was in fact, uselessly, mine. but as I was out of any signal range walking down the corridor route I never got the calls till back in the hospital that night. The subsequent call to chastise me received a few days later left no number and was from an unobptainable number so I could not reply and set the record right. I have just seen the entry on the web page and thought I ought to put the record straight. I was as you say in the report unaware throughout that you were looking for me and had indeed refused help on the way down from other walkers most of which were very keen to get the helicopter out ( i guess out of concern and the spectacle it would have caused) I organise the charity event that i was part of and take H&S very seriously, we have risk assessments of all our events, clear processes and plans for emergencies and injuries and a support team throughout including first aiders and first aid equipment with us on the walks. I got the distinct impression from the comments left on my phone and in this report that i in some wasted your time and was not worthy of your attention on that day. hopefully the injuries that i did sustain will go someway in correcting the view. I am self sufficient by nature and was not keen on making a fuss however although I personally did not call you out I still feel that the those that did, made a good call based on the facts they had before them at the top of Scafell Pike. The final point was that the facts they gave the police were that the number given was mine, they gave the number of those in our party the time we left the summit our direction and route. the police seemed comfortable that this was exactly what you needed to mount the correct level of support at the time.. they also agreed that as it was freezing cold and blowing a gale at the top that if I could walk it would be best to do so. Clearly not interested in entering some great debate on this, merely to set the record straight as I will be up there again next year with a group, yep not put off despite everything!! despite all of this I would like to donate money to the mountain rescue as the role you all perform is tremendous and worthy. Not sure how much would be useful for you so it would be great if you could give me a call to see what we could arrange Could you please let me know how i do this and if you have the time please give me a call on my mobile
Incident started at 11:07.
