Rescue – Abbot Hag Wood, Rievaulx

SATURDAY 15TH MAY 2021

The Team was contacted at 2154 hours by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust requesting our assistance with a report of a man semi-conscious in Abbot Hag Wood near to Rievaulx Abbey, a few miles west of Helmsley. An ambulance crew was in attendance but needed help moving him to the ambulance due to his location and the hilly, woodland terrain.

Team members were called out from their homes and directed to an RV-point on nearby farmland. Two Team Land Rovers with medical and rescue equipment on board were also deployed.

Upon our arrival the man was found to be disorientated and was given protection from the cold as he had apparently been there for some hours. He was then wrapped in one of our casualty bags and lifted onto a rescue stretcher. Owing to the sloping nature of the woodland and as conditions underfoot were very difficult due to rain and mud a ‘back up’ rope system was attached to the stretcher which was then carried and ‘sledged’ for approximately 200 metres down to the roadside and the waiting ambulance. We wish him well for his recovery. Our thanks go to nearby farm staff who assisted with local knowledge and access across their land.

Twenty-three Team members attended with one other person co-ordinating our response remotely. The incident lasted approximately 2.5 hours plus return travel time to our Base and homes (with the added time to decontaminate and wash our equipment & personal clothing).