Safety Advice
There are many, many ways to enjoy the countryside around us – be it walking the dog in the park, taking a picnic with the family, or enjoying more strenuous exercise walking, climbing, running or cycling. Accidents happen in the blink of an eye – a simple slip is all it takes.
Quite frankly we’d rather you didn’t become just another mountain rescue statistic! But what if you do become involved in an accident? If you or your companions fall ill or are injured, and you think you need our help, stay calm, dial 999 and ask for the police and mountain rescue explaining your situation. Then follow these simple guidelines.
- Safeguard the casualty against further injury and ensure you and all your party are safe.
- Note the casualty’s state of consciousness. If he or she is unconscious, they may start moving vigorously or become violent on regaining consciousness.
- Check the airway, breathing and pulse of the casualty and continue to monitor.
- Stop any bleeding by pressure with a handkerchief or first aid dressing.
- Make the casualty as comfortable as you can. Keep dry, insulate from the ground, moving them as little as possible in the process (especially if there is a possibility of spinal injury) and make warm with extra clothing or a survival bag if you have one handy!
- Try to attract help by shouting, whistle blasts, torch flashing or use the distress signal. The International Distress Signal is six good long blasts or torch flashes within one minute (Reply – Three blasts or flashes within one minute). Then keep signalling until help arrives.
- Once you have called
for help, and given the emergency services as much information as possible,
stay at the telephone until the police or mountain rescue team make
contact. Or stay where your mobile phone is known to be making contact
– and leave it switched on.