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Walker Rescued After Being Swept Over Waterfall the Grey Mares Tail

At 10:30 on 14th January 2023 Moffat MRT received a call from Police

Scotland requesting the assistance of the team in the rescue of an injured

person in Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall near Moffat.

 

The original call was made to the Scottish Ambulance Service who mobilised

HM Coastguard Rescue 199 and Helimed Trauma Team helicopters to the

location, as well as contacting Police Scotland. Given the complex terrain, the

local Fire and Rescue Service was also asked to respond in order to help

Moffat MRT place the teams specialist bridge and assist in the extraction of

the casualty if the helicopter teams were unable to do so.

 

Some members of Moffat MRT were already at the base preparing for

probationer training so were able to respond quickly to the location.

Helimed arrived on location first, passing on a grid reference of the casualty

location to MMRT who were then able to make their way to that location.

Helimed then landed nearby.

 

A winchperson from Rescue 199 extracted the casualty from the water to a

safe location on the path, then joined by members of MMRT to assess the

casualty.

 

The casualty had been swept down a burn and over a waterfall sustaining

multiple injuries in the upper section of the Gey Mares Tail. Pain relief was

administered and the casualty was packaged in a vacuum mattress, casualty

bag and stretcher before being winched to Rescue 199 with members of

Moffat MRT tending to the Hi-line to stabilise the stretcher during the winch.

The casualty was then conveyed to a major trauma centre for further care.

Helimed were stood down as the injuries sustained did not require their

involvement, as were Fire and Rescue as Rescue 199 was able to safely

complete the extraction. The Police Scotland MRT arrived on scene but were

also stood down.

 

The casualty’s rucksack remained in the water therefore Moffat MRT set up a

technical rigging system and retrieved the rucksack before returning to base.

With gusts of wind up to 40mph all teams involved had a challenging day on

the hill before being stood down at 14:30.

 

The quickest way to get help on the hills if you need it is to dial 999, ask first

for POLICE, then MOUNTAIN RESCUE.

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