Lingmell Col, Scafell Pike

Incident

52 in 2011

Type

Full Callout — Injured & Medical

Location

Lingmell Col, Scafell Pike

Diagnosis

Leg Injury

Callout from the police for a female with an injured ankle on Scafell Pike. A party of 12 which included three teachers and 9 students were descending from the summit when one slipped and went over on her ankle. 21 team members attended and a further number of Duddon & Furness MRT also turned out to assist but were later stood down when sufficient Wasdale team members arrived. The lady was given analgesia and stretchered off the mountain to their vehicles in the valley bottom and driven to Whitehaven Hospital with a suspect fracture. Incident closed at 11.00 p.m.

Two interesting postscripts – firstly the incident location was only a stones throw from the previous callout, the second was when the team leader asked over the phone before the team arrived for a check to be made on blood flow to the foot. The party were asked to press on the toe nail and check capillary refill. This is where the bed of the nail goes white and then quickly becomes refreshed with blood and goes a healthy pink. They removed the boot and advised there was a slight problem… …the lady had painted toe nails…

It was also good to see that the group were very well equipped for the hill and were in good spirits when the team arrived, they were already warm inside their own bivvy shelter.