MAYO MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAM
INCIDENTS MMRT RESPONDED TO BY YEAR
2007
25
October: First response team from MMRT on standby at Croagh Patrick for
Celebrities Go Wild TV Show for RTE People In need. Team rendezvoused with
celebrities and production team at shoulder and accompanied them to summit
and then back down to base at rear of mountain.
29
Sept: Team called out to Croagh Patrick to assist female in her 30th with
fractured tibia located about 1/3 of the way up the cone, casualty
stretchered off mountain and removed to MGH for further treatment.
19 Sept: Team call out to Croagh Patrick to assist Male in his 60's with
suspected cardiac complications, Casualty stretched from toilet block area
at shoulder to mountain rescue base and removed to MGH for further
treatment.
13 Sept: Team put on stand by for elderly man at the top of Croagh Patrick
experiencing difficulties, called for assistance but managed to walk
almost to the statue unaided. Was met by members of 1st response team
around the statue area. Rest of team stood down
8 Sept: Team called out to an 83 year old Male casualty who had got into
difficulty whilst climbing Croagh Patrick, Casualty had become fatigued
and could not proceed further. Favorable weather conditions allowed for
mobilisation of Coast Guard helicopter which winched casualty to Murrisk
car park. No further treatment of casualty required.
1
Sept: Mayo MRT provided a first response team on standby at MR base for
Gael Force Adventure race Reek Climb leg. No major incidents occurred. 1
person treated at base for negative reaction to energy gels and drinks
with mild hypothermia and dehydration requiring hospitalisation. Other
minor treatments for blisters, cramps and misplaced competitors.
28
Aug: 4 separate casualties on Croagh Patrick: At approximately 15.30hrs
MMRT got a call out for a male in his 50's who had suffered a lower leg
injury near the saddle of Croagh Patrick. A first response and stretcher
team were dispatched to the casualty. En route another casualty was
encountered who had suffered a wrist injury due to a fall. The male with
the ankle injury was stretchered off the mountain to Murrisk for removal
to MGH. The wrist injury was treated and was able to walk off the mountain
themselves. Another male casualty who had sustained cuts and bruises after
a fall was also treated near Murrisk car park. Just before standing down
the team were alerted to another casualty, a 16 y/o male who had sustained
a fall near the summit. A stretcher party composed of the previous crew
plus some later arriving team members headed back onto the mountain for
another stretcher evacuation. The casualty had sustained a broken femur in
the fall and was stretchered down to MMRT base for removal to MGH. Team
stood down at approximately 23.15.
23
Aug: Team leader contacted by Gardai who had received a call from a
concerned husband worried that his wife and sister and four children on
Croagh Patrick who had still not arrived at Murrisk at 10.20 pm. First
response team mobilised but stood down when party located on path near
Murrisk by Gardai.
19
Aug: Group of four young English male tourists set off from Killadoon/White
Strand area to climb Mweelrea on Sunday afternoon. Locals became concerned
when they hadn't returned to car by nightfall and alerted Gardai. Team put
on Standby at 1am for commencement of search in morning Team
mobilised to Westport Gardai station and search groups dispatched onto the
mountain. Party returned safe and unharmed to car at approx 9.30 am having
spent the night on the mountain after becoming disorientated in the
darkness. Team stood down.
16
Aug: Team mobilised to assist a female in her 50's who had sustained an
ankle injury on the Murrisk path side of Croagh Patrick. Casualty
stretchered off mountain and removed to Mayo General Hospital Castlebar
for further treatment.
4
Aug: Elderly male sustained a fall near the summit of Croagh Patrick
suffering facial, limb and rib injuries in the process. One of the first
persons on scene was a retired member of Kerry MRT who offered initial
assistance and first aid. First response team from MMRT dispatched to
casualty and whole team mobilised for stretcher evacuation. Due to
concerns about casualty's condition and favorable weather
conditions the Coast Guard Helicopter from Sligo was tasked and the
casualty was airlifted off the mountain to Mayo General Hospital for
further treatment.
2
Aug: Team put on standby for possible search for missing person on Croagh
Patrick (The Reek). Person located and team stood down.
29
July: Annual Reek Sunday Pilgrimage: Mayo MRT coordinated safety and
rescue for the 9 Mountain Rescue and 1 Cliff Rescue Teams attending on the
mountain for the Annual Pilgrimage. Fine and clear weather on the mountain
saw an increase in numbers climbing estimated to between 20,000 and
30,000. Thanks to the weather incidents and casualties were minimal
numbering about 45 in total dealt with by both MRT and Order of Malta. In
all Mountain Rescue processed 15 incidents through MR base, the most
serious of which was a cardiac arrest about 500 metres from the Medical
Post. The casualty, an elderly male was airlifted off the mountain by the
Air Corps Alouette and was in Mayo General Hospital Castlebar some 35
minutes after the alarm was notified to Mountain Rescue. Approximately 4
other cases required helivac off the mountain by the Air Corps helicopters
put at our disposal for the day, This marked a historic day for the Air
Corps as it will be the last Tasked Mission that these Alouettes will take
part in for the Air Corps, they are planned to go out of service later
this year. Main incidents on the day involved fatigue, some young children
in distress and some concerns about general medical conditions. In
addition, as normal, MR and Order of Malta personnel assisted numerous
pilgrims treated with blisters and barefoot difficulties along with
handling some missing persons alerts.
Reek Sunday evening 7.30pm: Team put back on standby for possible search
for missing person on Croagh Patrick (The Reek). Person located and team
stood down.
28
July: Team members preparing for Reek Sunday attended to 3 separate
climbers requiring assistance on mountain.
27
July: Members of team assisted climber that had got into difficulty on
Croagh Patrick just above the statue. Casualty walked off the mountain and
no further treatment necessary.
7
July: Team put on standby for possible search for missing person on Croagh
Patrick (The Reek). Person located and team stood down.
30
June: Team put on standby for possible Croagh Patrick (The Reek) rescue -
Stood done after an hour as not required.
28
June: Team mobilised to Croagh Patrick for dual casualties on mountain.
Both a Male and female climber had suffered injuries. The female was
stretchered off the mountain and the male was walked off.
13
June: Team mobilised to Croagh Patrick in response to a report of a female
having suffered an ankle injury on the mountain near the summit. First
response team searched for casualty from shoulder up the cone and then
responding to reports that casualty was making here way down Murrisk side
of mountain with assistance of other climbers. In the meantime a stretcher
party departed from base at back of mountain to provide assistance if
required. Casualty eventually located by Team leader at Murrisk Car park
having been assisted on decent by fellow climbers. Stretcher team returned
to base and first response team descended to Murrisk.
10
June: Mayo Team, with the assistance of Galway and Sligo teams provided
standby safety and checkpoint personnel for two Charity Mountain Climbs in
Mayo. Members of Mayo and Galway teams did check point duty on the
Mweelrea leg of the annual Focus Ireland 4 peaks challenge on a sweltering
hot days where the tempt at the summit reached 25 deg c. Thankfully no
casualties bar two cases of dehydration/heat exhaustion were dealt with
members of the Mayo and Sligo teams proved standby assistance on Croagh
Patrick for the GROW Charity fundraising climb. No casualties reported.
19
May: Team mobilised to assist a female climber who had sustained an ankle
injury on Croagh Patrick. Coast Guard helicopter also mobilised and
winched casualty to safety. Team stood down.
14
May: Team put on standby to search for a 13 year old American male who had
gone missing on Achill Island. Missing party located before team were
mobilised.
12
May: Team called out to assist a female walker on Croagh Patrick who had
sustained a lower leg injury half way up the mountain. Stretcher crew
mobilised and casualty evacuated down front of mountain to Murrisk car
park and removed to Mayo General Hospital by ambulance for further
treatment.
5
May: Team put on standby at request of Galway MRT regarding 3 climbers
that had got into difficulties on Knocknahillion mountain in Connemara.
Galway team dealt with incident and Mayo MRT stood down.
27
April: Team alerted to a female walker in her 50's on Croagh Patrick who
had sustained an ankle injury near the saddle of the mountain. Stretcher
crew mobilised and casualty evacuated down front of mountain to Murrisk
car park and removed to Mayo General Hospital by ambulance for further
treatment.
7th April (Easter Monday): Team alerted to a female walker in her fifties
who had got injured on Croagh Patrick while climbing with a colleague.
After the first response team had made contact with injured party half way
up the cone and on establishing that her injuries (lower back and arm)
prevented her from attempting a walk off, they mobilised the remainder of
the team for a stretcher carry off. Injured party reached base shortly
before 2300 hrs and was evacuated to Mayo
General Hospital by ambulance for further treatment.
4th April (Good Friday): First response team dealt with two walk off
casualties on Murrisk side of Croagh Patrick. Full team mobilisation not
required.
13 March: Team put on standby at request of Galway MRT regarding a female
climber that had got trapped on a ledge in Maamturk Mountains. Galway team
dealt with incident and Mayo MRT stood down.
2
March: First response team assisted two climbers on Murrisk side of Croagh
Patrick who had become fatigued. Escorted them to Murrisk Car park. No
further treatment necessary.
22
Feb: Team mobilised to Croagh Patrick to assist two American tourists who
had got into difficulty while climbing mountain. Walkers had started
ascent around lunchtime and had got into difficulty towards evening on the
descent. MMRT mobilised after darkness and stretchered one casualty and
walked the other off the front side of the mountain to Murrisk car park
where they were handed over to ambulance service for further treatment.