Call Out Review 2015

A busy year for Lomond MRT with thirty two call-outs attended in 2015.

1. Sunday 28th December – Dumyat, Stirling

Requested to support Ochils MRT who had two ongoing call-outs at 14.57. We were asked to rendezvous at Sheriffmuir Road. With the imminent arrival of Rescue 177, members of the team were on scene to assist in packaging the female casualty ready for pick up by the Sea King. 15 team members attended.

2. Friday 6th March – Killearn

Two high-risk teenagers had escaped from their care home at 13.00.  The pair were located by Police Helicopter and found by police officers at 21.00. Lomond MRT Search Manager present to assist Police Scotland.

3. Saturday 14th March – Ben Lomond

Starting our annual ‘can shake’ at Ibrox, the Team Leader was contacted at 13.35 regarding a female walker stuck on steep, icy ground on the North West shoulder of Ben Lomond. Contact details for Casualty were passed on and the team contacted the walker. Whilst on the phone, a pair of experienced walkers arrived on scene. After a discussion with the Team Leader, they were confident that they could escort the lady to the summit then down to car park. Text updates followed until their safe arrival back to their vehicles was confirmed at 16.40.

4. Sunday 15th March – Ben Lomond

A walker, poorly equipped for winter conditions, slipped on ice and fatally fell 250m down into Leac na Cailliche, from the Ptarmigan Ridge on Ben Lomond. The call-out was initiated at 12.50. With the assistance of R177 the casualty was recovered while the SAS Helimed ferried his two colleagues down to control at Comer Farm. Six team members searched the area for personal belongings and items left on the mountain as a result of the fall. A very sad callout. 8 team members attended.

5.  Tuesday 17th March -  Ben Lomond

At 15.21 Police Scotland contacted the Team to advise of three inexperienced female walkers that had become stuck while out practising for a charity walk later in year. Not equipped for winter conditions the trio were unable to move due to the icy conditions located near two of the previous callouts. The team was mobilized and ascended the Ptarmigan path. SARLOC software gave the exact position of the walkers just below the summit of Ben Lomond. In due course, the casualties were reached, treated for mild hypothermia and were escorted down to Rowardennan, none the worse for their experience. The stand down text was sent at 10.44.

This rescue prompted a general press warning to the public stating that it was still full-on winter conditions in the mountains despite spring-like temperatures lower down.

6. Monday 23rd & Tuesday 24th March – Ben Oss, Tyndrum

Search for missing walker Daniel Bennett, from Bishopbriggs.

23rd: Contacted at 10:58 by Police Scotland and requested to perform a search of the West Highland Way from Bridge of Orchy to Tyndrum. On arrival tasking was changed by Police. Three LMRT personnel searched from Crianlarich to past Ewich. Three further team members arrived and continued until Tyndrum.

24th: One Lomond  MRT member acted as navigator for a SARDA dog handler, three LMRT joined two StrathPol MRT to cover ground on Ben Dubhcraig. On the descent the rucsack of the missing person was discovered, and then his body, to the North of the Col between Ben Dubhcraig and Ben Oss, by Tayside MRT. Mr Bennett was recovered by Police Helicopter to Cononish where he was then transported by Killin MRT.

7. Sunday 5th April – Ben Lomond

A call from the duty sergeant at Bilston Glen at 20.04 to say that two men climbing Ben Lomond had become separated - one arriving at Rowardennan car park at 14.45 and had just contacted the Police. Lomond MRT were enroute when the stand down text was sent as the missing walker turned up safe and well.

8. Tuesday 5th May – West Highland Way

Call from Police Scotland call centre at Bilston Glen at 00.01 informing the Team that a couple of walkers, who were tackling the West Highland Way section from Balmaha to Inverarnan, had failed to make a call to their daughter indicating their safe arrival scheduled for 18.30.  The reporting call came from the daughter in Kilmarnock.  Sarloc software was tried without success. Whilst waiting for further information a report came in that the couple had arrived at Inverarnan and we were stood down at 00.18.

9. Wednesday 6th May & Thursday 7th May – Loch Ard Forest Park

The team was called out at 19.57 to help support the SAS find a man that had made a 999 call just after 18.00. His calls were indistinct and the conversation broken and incomplete. Loch Ard Forest Park and Loch Ard in particular was identified as a search area. With little information to go on with, all the main tracks were searched either by vehicle or on foot by 28 team members (coupled with Police help) an extensive search was carried out with no success.  With Police agreement, the search was suspended at 02.30 with intention of resuming at 07.00 with additional help sought from SARDA and Ochils MRT.

At 7.00 on Thursday, eight Lomond MRT, three Ochils MRT and three search dogs from SARDA met up at the rendezvous. The dog teams searched the loch and a combination of vehicles and searches on foot all the tracks on the southern side of Loch Ard were thoroughly searched during daylight.  In tandem, Police enquiries had continued: searching the outlying car parks, checking with the local B&Bs, hospitals etc. They even made a request via social media for news of anyone missing in the Loch Ard area. Finally, in consultation with a Police Scotland search officer, it was agreed to stand down in the absence of any new information. The stand down text was sent at 12.48.

10.  Tuesday 26th May – West Highland Way

A call at 00.19 to inform the Team there was a mountain biker missing on the West Highland Way.  A 43 year old had got separated from his companions somewhere between Ptarmigan Lodge and Inverarnan. A full callout was decided upon. As the first MR turned up at the post, news came in that the biker had turned up at Bein Glass Farm and the stand down text was sent at 01.04. 14 team members attended/

11.  Wednesday 8th July – West Highland Way

A report of two tourists lost near to Inversnaid. The callout text was sent to team at to 21.36 to RV at Inversnaid Hotel. On arrival there, two members went north and two went south along WHW. As more members arrived, further two couples were sent both North and South... then wait until we got more info. Our Southbound search party located the missing couple in a tent at 23.10. Stand down was sent at 2320.

12. Tuesday 14th July – West Highland Way

Call Out text at 17.20.  A walker on the WHW had found a mountain biker approximately 1km North of Inversnaid. The Loch Lomond Boat crew was contacted and they made their way to the casualty recovering him to Inversnaid where the Team loaded him into the Helimed.  The 63 year old casualty had fallen heavily from his bike and though conscious now, he felt that he may have been knocked out, and exhibited severe pains in his ribs and shoulder with superficial bleeding from a wrist laceration.  The stand down text was sent at 19.08

13. Tuesday 21st July – Ben Venue

Police Scotland texted at 13.51 indicating that there had been a male who had fallen on the summit of Ben Venue. The caller was one of a party of three making their way off the summit when the 23 year old male fell and sustained a lower leg injury which prevented him from moving on. The group were instructed instructed to remain where they were – suitably equipped with a group shelter and were otherwise warm and fine. The callout text was issued at 13.58 meeting at Leannach car park. Ten team members arrived and quickly located the casualty, and his party, administered first aid and packaged the young man into the stretcher.  The stretcher party then evacuated down some steep grassy rakes to the path in the glen to the vehicles parked at the forestry track end. 8 team members

14.  Saturday 25th July – Carron Valley

Call-out to a missing female walker in the Carron Valley at 20:43. The walker was out looking for the stnding stones in the area with her partner. She made one last effort to locate the feature, leaving her partner and lost her bearings –she called the police at 20.15. After a search she was located safe and well by Lomond MRT personnel - the search was made more complex by the lost individual not staying in one place as requested. The Stand down text was sent at 00.28. 8 team members attended and one search dog.

15. Monday 3rd August – Campsies

The sighting of a red flare above Blanefield by a team member at approximately 21.30 lead to the team being placed on standby (21:51) Twenty three Team members attended and the area surrounding Ballagan Spout was combed. The search was called off once all teams had completed their tasking with the last members leaving the hill at 03:30.  Subsequent information, uncorroborated, was that the flare was set off by a local resident unaware of the consequences.

16.  Thursday 6th August – Bealach Nam Bo

A call out from Police Scotland came in at 19.20. Six mountain bikers making their way along the south side of Loch Katrine had become exhausted and had abandoned their bikes and become disoriented in the region of the Bealach nam Bo. A Sarloc text was sent and their position confirmed. Team members walked to their location, this coincided with the arrival of a rib, crewed by a local Killin MRT member. The bikers were evacuated to the pier by boat. The stand down text sent at 21.20. 19 Team members attended

17.  Saturday & Sunday 8/9th August - Sallochy

For both days during the weekend the Team, along with many other assets were deployed to search a large area of rough shoreline between Rowardennan and Cashel for a missing fisherman. The Team worked along with dog teams from SARDA, the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat, The Loch Lomond Ranger Boat and Police Scotland helicopter and divers. Despite a thorough search through difficult terrain, the search proved to be unsuccessful.  9 team members attended on each day.

18.  Tuesday 11th August - Ben Lomond

Police Scotland texted us last night at 22:33 with a report of four persons lost on Ben Lomond, one with an ankle injury. The call-out text sent out at 2250 to meet at Rowardennan. Our first team member set off up the Ptarmigan path at 23.27 and arrived with the family at 23.44 after spotting the light from their mobile phone quite quickly. Cold and tired with a few minor bumps and scrapes they were walked down from the hill. Underestimating the distance, difficulty and time needed to traverse Ben Lomond they had become benighted without torches. The stand down text sent at 0048. 13 team members attended. 

19.  Wednesday 12th August - West Highland Way

Contact from Police Scotland just before 18:00 on behalf of the Scottish Ambulance Service requesting help to extract a 57 year old female walker on the West Highland Way - 2 miles North of the Inversnaid Hotel.  Helimed couldn’t land nearby because of tree cover. We requested water borne assistance from the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat from Luss. Whilst enroute, R177 Sea King managed to extract the casualty and take her to hospital. The Rescue boat transported her companions to their campsite at Inverarnan. The stand down text was sent at 18:59 with 13 members enroute or on scene.

20.  Sunday 16th August - Inchlonaig

A further request from Police Scotland to search Inchlonaig island, Loch Lomond. This was a continuation of the search for the missing fisherman Joe Brown. With no success.

15 Team members participated.

21. Friday 28th August – Kinlochard

A Duke of Edinburgh group of six girls reported overdue at their campsite. Concerned supervisors contacted Police Scotland. Whilst the team was being mobilized the girls turned up safe and well. Stand Down 21.36 17 Team members were enroute

22. Saturday 5th September – West Highland Way

Callout text at 1200.  At Rowardennan, and after speaking by phone to the American friend of the casualty, we were convinced the casualty was south of Inversnaid. The friend had walked to Inversnaid for help and she said it took her 30 minutes. Unfortunately as the group's mobiles had international numbers we were unable to use Sarcall to locate the casualty. Loch Lomond Rescue Boat’s assistance was requested. The casualty was brought to Rowardennan Lodges pier in the rescue boat, with the Park Rangers boat escorting at around 1415. Casualty, and friend, were transferred to SAS and taken to hospital.

Thanks to the 11 team members who arrived at Rowardennan.

23. Friday 11th September -  Fintry

Missing person search for a high risk thirteen year old youth. The call out text from Police Scotland arrived at 18.13. Whilst the team was assembling, news came in that the missing girl had been found in woods by Police search teams. Stand down text sent at 18.36. Thanks to the 13 team members who were enroute.

24.  Saturday 3rd October – Ben Lomond

“Please contact Police Scotland re rescue of injured female.. Female has fractured ankle and is stranded with father”

 So started a busy day for the team, already training/providing safety cover for the Ben Venue hill race. In discussion with the casualty’s dad, they were not in the indicated area but just below the third gate on the main tourist path of Ben Lomond.  Team members quickly splinted the 20year old casualties ankle

and stretchered her off to the top forestry access point and down to a waiting ambulance.

Ten Team members were in attendance.

25. Saturday 3rd October – Ben Lomond

“18:58 MALE WITH LEG INJURY STUCK - PLEASE CONTACT + MALE AND FEMALE TRYING TO MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN BEN LOMAND. THEY ARE ON THE MAIN ROUTE AND ARE FACING THE LOCH. 63YR OLD MALE HAS INJURED HIS LEG (NOT BROKEN). FEMALE WITH HIM IS A DR. SHE IS UNABLE TO ASSIST HIM DOWN. THEY HAVE NO TORCHES, FOOD, SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, AND IT IS STARTING TO GET COLD. THEY HAVE GOOD BATTERY LIFE AND CAN BE CONTACTED”

Lomond were called to Ben Lomond for a second time that day - the destination was the Ptarmigan ridge. A great response from the team saw a group meet the casualties and with encouragement and some food and drink coaxed them off the hill. Nineteen team members were in attendance.

26. Saturday 3rd October - Loch Ardinning, Blanefield

“21:12 FEMALE LOST - LOCH ARDINNING WILDLIFE TRUST ESTATE - CONTACT 01314406876 + Female, has become separated from her husband whilst walking at Loch Ardinning. Last seen by husband at approx 1930hrs. We are in phone contact with the female”

Whilst the second of the rescues of the day was drawing to a satisfactory conclusion, news came in from the attending Police Officers of a potential third incident. A lady had got herself separated and lost in the Loch Ardinning nature reserve area near Strathblane. The team deployed quickly to the third call-out of that day and, with the aid of the Police Scotland helicopter, quickly found the lady slightly distressed, cold and wet and having lost her shoe as she had stumbled around in the dark in wet boggy ground. She was escorted back, grateful and none the worse for her experiences. 21 team members attended.

27. Saturday 10th October – Ben Lomond

“17:01 FEMALE FALLEN - BEN LOMOND - POSS FRACTURED ANKLE”

In discussion with one of the party, it was established that the female walker had come to grief just below the rocky ‘bad step’. The team deployed and were quickly on scene. Given the mechanism of injury and, with the assistance of a German Paramedic (in training to be a Dr) it was decided to cut off the boot of the 60 year old lady to check the injury site. The ankle was well and truly swollen and so it was splinted – with a large quantity of Entonox – and the lady evacuated down to the road end by stretcher. 15 Team members attended.

28.  Thursday 15th October – Dumgoyne

“Hill walker lost on Dumgoyne became separated from his friend. The informant is making his way down the mountain to Dumgoyne Distillery. They are not experienced hillwakers.”

The call-out for a man who had become separated from his friend on Dumgoyne, on the Campsies, while looking for his dog which had run away - probably after sheep.  After a couple of hours, and getting dark, he phoned the police to request assistance. Soon after this, the two men found each other and continued down to the distillery car park. 16 team members attended.

29. Saturday 24th October – Menteith hills

Call-out 19.02 hours. Missing youngsters from a Renfrewshire school while on their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze assessment. Their route was to walk the Rob Roy Way from Callander to the campsite at Cobleland, Aberfoyle. Fortunately, we had mobile contact with the group of 5 and managed to ascertain approximately where they were located. As team members arrived, they were transported up the forest tracks towards the mast and then walked on to the open hillside.  In due course, the group was discovered; cold and hungry but unhurt! The group was quickly walked off the hill to Control then onward to their campsite. Thanks to the 16 team members in attendance.

30. Monday 23rd November – West Highland Way

Call out 20.43 Police Scotland passed on the contact number for the missing walkers.  After a phone conversation we were assured they were alright but had misplaced the WHW path, finding themselves down by the water.  Well equipped they could give an accurate location – 1 km north of the Inversnaid Hotel.  In the interest of speed the Luss Rescue boat was tasked to pick the couple up. The boat crew returned to Luss and stood down at 22.15.