UKC

On a recent nightime rescue of two visitors who had driven to the Lake District, to camp on Red Screes, a rescue team member fell 150 metres.

Although the two campers were each fined £200 by the Police, the team member has not got off so lightly and is, I believe still in intensive care, with what are described as life changing injuries.

Patterdale MRT have links to a Just Giving appeal page for the team member. 

The incident reminds me how much we owe our rescue volunteers. 

Here's the link to the Just Giving page:

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Chris-Lewis-Support-Fund-LDSAMRA-Patterdale-MRT

I was clearing out some things last week. Found a rather old brochure which I thought might be worth a few quid so I put it on Facebook asking for donations for Patterdale MRT. Pleased to see £30 donation confirmed last week.  
 

plan to keep selling more and give it all in donations.

Superb. Thanks for sharing. A very worthy cause. 

There has been much discussion of this tragic incident since it occurred, over on the UK walking Forum.  I read that the injured MRT member is paralysed from the neck down, as well as having facial injuries.  He may never walk again. There are many news articles.  Here is one that covers recent news. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-56081225 1

I find it quite humbling that they don't judge the foolish idiots that called them out.

this “foolish idiot” may have broken lockdown rules but that is a separate issue and it has been dealt with by fixed penalty. (My views of course) but the call to MRT for a potential ACS in the hill is a separate and appropriate call. The guilt of living with these unfortunate events is surely punishment enough without all the online hatred. Lockdown or no lockdown, it could have happened to any of us. 

Risk of injury is an accepted consequence of MRT work. It’s an absolutely tragic event and I can’t imagine what the rescuer and his family are going through at this time. Thoughts out to all involved.

I completely agree with your view.  But it took a number of bad risk choices for the he pair to end up were they did when they did.  Hence it was totally avoidable. Yes we all make errors of judgement and they must be accepted and Learned from, but if I made a series of errors such as those reported in this incident, then I might well consider myself an idiot too. I just hope my judgement is never that poor that I have to live with the consiqueces, but I completely accept no one does it on purpose.  It just bad judgement calls that can add up and catch us all out.

Did they actually do anything foolish, in a mountaineering sense? Not that I've read everything, but my impression is that one of the party had a heart attack during a wild camp, which can happen, I guess. (obviously the lockdown issue is a different story).

jcm

Ah, maybe there was more to the story than what I read? I was under the impression the two had just gone for a wild camp? 
 

A tragedy for both parties. Life is a fickle b&£$%. 

Hi are you referring to UKH or a different forum. If you are referring to UKH, aren't the forums on UKC and UKH the same?

It sounds like he made an error in bringing the wrong first aid kit which didn't have his medication in (in all honesty I forgot to take my anti depressants before, it's an easy error to make if you don't have an excess of medication to leave spares in first aid kits etc).

I saw some comments about it being an inappropriate place to camp as well, not sure if they were the usual bottom half of the internet comments or from intelligent people with knowledge of the area (which I don't have).

Agree, a totally avoidable accident, not because the pair decided to camp at altitude in poor weather and not because one of them had a medical emergency but because they decided to travel from Liverpool and Leicester to the Lake District when there are clear COVID rules that say stay local.

Dave

A different and independent forum.  Where the views expressed are some what different from here.

https://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=41609.0

The regulars on that forum are no less experienced in these matters though. So it intrigues me as to why the views expressed differ.

There my position comes across as left wing nice guy, who supports the actions of the two camping illegally. Here my similar view appears to come across as right wing, hater of any one who dares to venture into the mountains without written permission from their mum. Guess you can't win on the internet.   

Role on a return to face to face conversation.  Until then I shall continue to enjoy the discussions on both forums and try to just be honest and open with what I think. (I think that is mini rant over thx for reading )

Leaving aside discussion of responsibility, just a reminder of the appeal for Chris Lewis, the injured MRT member. now at 95% of target.  
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Chris-Lewis-Support-Fund-LDSAMRA-Patterdale-MRT

Looks like the £500k target has now been removed from the page.

I suspect the speed with which they’ve raised cash so far, it could go well in excess of that. £1m perhaps...?

Let’s hope so. 

No disrespect was meant with my comment and I hope it didn’t come across that way. Just sharing a view  

You said it though, roll on normality.
 

None taken. Perhaps idiots was a bit strong, but I stick by foolish.

See i agree with you, the accident that the MRT person had is something that could of happened just as easily outside of the pandemic and while saving competent climbers.