Mountain Rescue respond to back-to-back callouts as heavy snow hit Northumberland
Mountain Rescue teams carried out three back-to-back rescues in Northumberland as heavy snow hit the region.
On Monday, January 5 during freezing temperatures, crew from Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team (NNPMRT) and North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team had an extremely busy morning.
At around 8:30am, teams first responded to an incident in the Elsdon area. A call came early from the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS), following a report of a casualty with a suspected lower leg injury in a quarry.
Due to poor road conditions, team vehicles were deployed while others remained on standby. Access for emergency services was confirmed and, within 30 minutes, a community paramedic was on scene and able to manage the incident.
At around 9:15am in the Thropton area, a second call from NEAS was received for a dog walker with a serious injury. With worsening weather and road conditions, fully crewed Team vehicles were once again deployed.
Curlew Echo based in Rothbury quickly arrived on scene along with the Community Paramedic who together with a Mountain Rescue Paramedic assessed, treated and stabilised the casualty.
The casualty was then evacuated on a stretcher in a Mountain Rescue vehicle when it became clear an Ambulance would not reach the location due to the snow. The casualty was safely handed over to the Ambulance crew further down the Coquet valley later that morning.
Finally, at 11:20am, a further request was received for a vehicle that had left the road and overturned into a burn.
Two Team vehicles were immediately diverted from the previous incident and travelled on blue lights up the Coquet valley to just beyond Hepple, along with the Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS).
Having stood down from the previous incident, the third Mountain Rescue response vehicle arrived on scene shortly after, alongside Northumbria Police officers.
The Fire crew stabilised the vehicle and swiftly gained access before both occupants were assessed by a Mountain Rescue Paramedic.
The occupants’ three dogs was also safely extricated from the vehicle. Fortunately no serious injuries were found and all were discharged at the scene.