South Eastern Mountain Rescue and Coast Guard Helicopter 117 were in action yesterday as they carried out an operation to rescue an injured walker from Coumshingaun.
The walker slipped on their way down from Lough Coumshingaun. An Garda Síochána were first to arrive on scene.
Shortly afterwards, SEMRA and Search and Rescue Dog Association (Ireland) members began arriving and started carrying essential medical equipment and a stretcher up to the casualty location. Initial assessment was carried out by SEMRA and a decision was taken to task Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue 117. While Rescue 117 made its way to the site, SEMRA members provided medical assistance to and packaged up the casualty. The casualty was boarded onto the helicopter by the winchman with additional support from SEMRA. A successful multi-agency operation.
Friday's operation follows a busy day on Tuesday when the rescuew organisation dealt with Stwo callouts, in the Slieve Blooms and in the Comeragh Mountains. The first callout was in the Slieve Blooms after a call came in from National Ambulance Service (NAS) at 10:42 reporting an injured cyclist, on the blue trail near Kinnity Castle. SEMRA members were first on scene and located the injured casualty who had taken a fall and sustained a head injury. Initial medical assessment and treatment was provided and shortly afterwards both NAS and SEMRA vehicles had made their way up the trail to the casualty site. NAS staff provided additional assessment and with the assistance of SEMRA packaged the casualty onto a stretcher and transferred them to the nearby Ambulance. SEMRA and NAS staff were off the hill by lunchtime.
Then at 15:55 SEMRA received another call this time for a couple of lost walkers near Coumshingaun. SEMRA quickly established the location of the walkers and by 16:25 the first SEMRA members started arriving at the start of the trail and shortly after the first SEMRA hill party started making their way up the mountain to meet the walkers. Visibility was found to be poor at higher levels due to dense fog and conditions were breezy. Shortly after 17:30 this hill party made contact with the walkers who were taking shelter behind a rock outcrop. SEMRA blizzard smocks were provided to the two walkers who were fit and well but cold. The blizzard smocks provided great comfort to the walkers and they were soon warmed up, on the move and escorted by SEMRA members down off of the hill. By 18:49 the walkers were at their vehicles and all SEMRA members were off of the hill.
pictures, text and video reproduced courtesy of South East Mountain Rescue
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