Please take care especially on frozen ground

 

26th November 2016, by Anne


PLEASE TAKE CARE and be well prepared for being out doors!
Unfortunately the freezing conditions today (25 November 2016) resulted in a 3LW walker slipping on ice, on the track above Arrochar, where water had been running over the path and frozen (verglass), with no thawing over the last few days, as the sun is low behind Ben Reoch all day.
The lady was fit and agile but tried to cross from one side of the track to the grass on the upper side and fell heavily, which we later found to have broken her hip, being an elderly walker and more vulnerable to such an injury.
The alarm was raised by a companion on a mobile phone and an Ambulance Crew along with Police and Local Mountain Rescue Team members successfully extracted the casualty from the track, transporting her to the RAH in the early afternoon.
So please be very careful on the icy sections, as recovery can take some time following an emergency call, given the awkwardness of some locations and time it takes to muster the services to a scene.
You' need to remember that in these conditions you should carry extra clothing, a hot drink and possibly a walking pole or long handled ice axe for an extra point of contact. Despite having extra clothing and using their daysacks to insulate the fallen walker, she was pretty cold by time she was put onto the MRT stretcher for onward transfer to the Ambulance at the Tarbet track end.
Anyway the lady was comfortable and in good spirits as she was taken onboard the Ambulance.
With thanks as always to Ambulance Scotland and Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team. We are lucky to have these services available. Thanks.
 

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