Avon & Somerset Search & Rescue

11 ASC Log No. 607 The team was called out for a missing person search in the Bridgwater area at 18:45. The missing person was located and the team stood down 19:30.

10 ASC Log No. 831. The team was called by police control room, to a female who had reportedly collapsed at the top of ‘Jacob’s ladder’ in Cheddar Gorge at 14.45. The team responders arrived at the same time as the SWAST paramedic responders. An injured female was located some way up the cliff path away from the top of ‘Jacob’s ladder’, with lower leg injuries. The patient was treated and made ready for a carry off. For medical reasons a decision was taken to extract the patient by air ambulance. Considerable difficulties were encountered in trying to find a suitable, working helicopter. The Wiltshire police helicopter (air ambulance), was eventually used to convey the patient to Frenchay hospital. The team was stood down at 21:55.

09 ASC Log No: 1072 The CRO happened to be driving up Burrington Combe at 19:15 and was flagged down by the Churchill Ambulance crew asking for assistance with an incident in Sidcot Swallet. A young male had been reported as being trapped in the ‘lobster pot’ at the bottom of the cave. Mendip Cave Rescue were alerted via Ambulance EOC and they took over the underground rescue. HART was in attendance with several paramedics. All other emergency responders were stood down by the police as the male was reported to need no medical attention. The incident was stood down at 21:15

08 ASC Log No: 738. (ambulance incident no:0528). The ASC control room called the CRO at 15:51 and ambulance control confirmed this at 15:59. The incident was a 19 year old male trapped under ground in ‘Rock of Ages’ cave. The location turned out to be Sidcot Swallet, Burrington Combe. The CRO attempted a rudimentary call out of the cave rescue service, with limited success and then responded to the incident. With the assistance of three other local cavers the lad was located and released from his entrapment. He was brought to the surface where a paramedic examination revealed minor injuries. He was carried to the road and the waiting ambulance. The cave rescuers were assisted in this incident by a full team of HART paramedics, a double crewed ambulance, and seven fire appliances with fire-fighters; none of which entered the cave. The incident was closed at 17:30.

07 ASC Log No. 1111. The CRO was called at 20:11 hrs by the police control room, reporting a male climber in difficulties on Avon Gorge with an upper limb injury. The CRO contacted the FIM, to be told that the FIRE BRIGADE had stood A&S SAR down.  By chance A&S SAR had members in the Avon Gorge – indeed a team member had made the first call to the police. The duty CRO was in the Portway and chanced upon this small incident on Sea Walls.  The duty CRO introduced himself to the police officer who informed him that a SAR helicopter was inbound from Portland and it was very nearly dark.  The CRO took over air to ground communication with the helicopter and effectively became the on scene commander for the SAR incident. The AFRS line rescue team made contact with the casualty, and removed him to a place of safety.  As usual in these matters the ambulance (GWAS) service provided a very adequate paramedic back up service in the form of their HART, and the FRS supplied very large numbers of support personnel and equipment in addition to their line rescue team. The incident was stood down at 21:45.

06 ASC Log No. 410 GWAS incident 0186. The CRO/Mendip responder was alerted by GWAS EOC control to an incident on Dolberry Warren Hillfort, involving a young male with lower limb injuries. The paramedic crew were unable to access the patient and required 4X4 vehicle access. SX was responded and bolt cutters were used to open the gates where keys were not held. The patient was successfully treated and removed and the incident was stood down at about 19:30. There was no requirement for any other resources to be deployed.

05 ASC Log No. 830. The Mendip based CRO was alerted to a large cloud of black smoke coming from the Priddy Mineries area near to the Stock Hill plantation at approximately 15:15 hours. The CRO self deployed and discovered a large heath land fire surrounding the upper pond at Priddy Mineries.  The Fire brigade and other emergency services were alerted, and a quick sweep was made around the edge of the pond to ensure that there were no anglers or other tourists trapped by the advancing fire.  There appeared to be no immediate threat to human life or stock animals. The CRO remained on scene, providing medical back up to the fire fighters, until the incident was stood down at 18:30.

04 ASC Log No. 997. The CRO was contacted initially by the A&S police and then by the Wiltshire police who were involved searching for a missing female in the Swindon area. The Wiltshire Polsa made contact and the SAR team was put on an informal stand-by in case our services were required to assist in the search.

The team was never formally called, but several contacts took place between the CRO and the Polsa, during 23/24 March. The body of a female was found and the search was stood down.

03 ASC Log No. 612 The CRO was called by the police control room at about 15:30 advising of female stuck and injured in a cave in Burringtion Combe. The CRO notified the relevant Cave Rescue services including the MCRO. It was established that an 18 year old female had a lower limb injury in Goatchurch Cavern. The rescue services were on hand and the MCRO was assisted by HART, GWAS, SWAST ambulance teams and teams of fire fighters from Weston Super Mare, Blagdon and Winscombe. The incident was co-ordinated by the A&S Police. Fortunately the 60 or so rescue personnel who were present at the scene were able to recover the woman who was only a few feet inside the cave.

02 ASC Log No. 941 Chief Rescue Officer was contacted by the Police FIM at 20:02. Incident: red flares sighted in the vicinity of Cheddar Gorge; requested attendance by the team member for advice on scene. Member deployed to liaise with Police and Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue. After general search and deployment of police helicopter, incident was stood down at 21:20.

01 ASC log No. 568 The FIM (Force Incident Manager) called the CRO at 12:03 to notify of a caving incident in Sidcot Swallet, on the Mendip Hills. The police were unable to contact the cave rescue team, so the CRO responded on behalf of A&S SAR, and with the assistance of some caving instructors, entered the cave. The male caver had a knee injury, and was extricated to the surface, with the assistance of HART paramedics and some cave rescue personnel who arrived later. The incident was completed at 15:30. The casualty was taken to Weston hospital by GWAS ambulance.

40 ASC Log No. 0032 (20/12/10). 22/23/24 December 2010. The search and technical rescue team were called to assist the police with an ongoing search for a missing female in Clifton, Bristol. The persons house was very close to the Avon Gorge, so a thorough search of the woods, cliffs and other steep ground was required. The search and rescue team was on call for 72 hours, but unfortunately nothing of significance was found. The search was hampered by heavy snow fall and extremely low temperatures. Ice axes were issued to team members as a safety precaution. The team was stood down on 24th December at 14:00.

39 ASC Log No. 586. The CRO was called by police control at 23:05 alerting the team to a missing 48 year old female in Keynsham. This person was known to be vulnerable and the snowy weather and extreme temperatures (-7 degrees of frost), made the case urgent. The team was called out at 23:21. The RV point was Keynsham Police Station. The CRO arrived and directed the police to search down towards the River Chew, where the casualty was quickly located. The team first responders provided on scene medical care until the paramedics arrived at 00:15 and the casualty was transferred to hospital suffering with hypothermia. The team was stood down at 00:12.

38 ASC Log No. 955. The CRO was called by police control at 20:10 alerting the team to a vulnerable missing person in the vicinity of Chew Valley Lake. A 68 year old male had gone missing from the visitor centre, on the lake shore at 13:30. The Water and Search teams were called at 20:22. The search teams worked with the available police resources, including search dogs and police helicopter. The male was located at his home address at 22:45 and the team was stood down at 23:00.

37 ASC Log No. 516. The CRO was called by police control at 15:15 to alert the team to a climber who was in difficulties in Cheddar Gorge. The Technical Rescue team was called out, and discovered two climbers, stranded at about 300 feet above the road. A technical rescue was made, in the dark, and the climbers were returned, uninjured to a place of safety. The A&S SAR team was assisted by D&S FRS and AFRS (Line rescue). They assisted with lighting and vehicle logistics. The team was stood down at 20:48.

36 ASC Log No. 0578 At 14:16 the CRO was contacted by the crew of ‘Helimed 64’ the Bristol air ambulance, alerting the team to a fallen climber in Avon Gorge. The technical rescue team was put on standby. The team was not called by the police, and the climber sustained a broken wrist. The incident was dealt with swiftly by the HEMS crew (air ambulance), HART- USAR team, with attending officers and tactical support officers, AFRS line rescue team and support officers, and a double crewed GWAS ambulance. The police were also on scene. The team was stood down at 17:11.

35 ASC Log No. 1035. The Avon FRS control notified the CRO of an incident occurring on the Bristol end of the Clifton Bridge at 16:45. The A&S police and GWAS ambulance confirmed the callout. The incident involved a young male who was acting suspiciously on the structure of the bridge. The technical rescue team was deployed to the bottom of the bridge onto the Portway. The incident was successfully resolved and the team was stood down at 19:33.

34 ASC Log No 993. The CRO was called by South West Ambulance Control At about 17:15, asking for assistance in locating a female with extreme abdominal pains and bleeding somewhere in the Cheddar Gorge area. The CRO made an assumption, from the description that the female was on the High Rock side of the gorge. This turned out to be incorrect and the woman was actually on the National Trust side, not far from Lion Rock. The team had been put on standby the police helicopter (Q99) and Rescue 169, the RAF Seaking at Chivenor. In the event the air ambulance, landed and conveyed the woman to hospital. Communications in the gorge were very poor, and this hampered the efficiency of the rescue. The team was stood down at 18:25.

33 ASC Log No? Whilst driving home from the previous incident in Clifton the CRO was on the A38 near Felton at Bristol Airport. A vehicle a few cars in front, burst into flames, and the driver had to be removed to a place of safety very quickly. Other team members rendered assistance. The ambulance and fire services were called. The patient was transferred to the BRI with burns.

32 ASC Log No 1210 The CRO was called by the PolSA at 09:42, to ask for assistance with a search on the Clifton Downs for a male who had been missing since Friday. The search and technical teams were called to the Sea Walls area of the Downs. The search quickly produced a find, near the observatory, and the casualty was reported as being alive. The medical team was dispatched and ambulance was called. The patient was transferred to the BRI. The team was stood down at 13:50.