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On
Sunday 24th February Moffat and Galloway Teams held
a joint exercise based in the Forrest Lodge Estate
north of St Johns Town of Dalry.
The scenario -
three hillwalkers, on a walking holiday based in Dalry,
had not returned from a walk on the Rhins of Kells.
The evening before the group of three had descended
down the west side of Corserine instead of the east
and one member of the group, Ken, slipped and fractured
his lower left leg. One of the other members (Bob)
made their way to Backhill of Bush bothy but was unable
to go for help due to severe chest pains. During the
early hours the uninjured walker (Raymond) who stayed
with his friend on the hill decided to go for help
and headed east but ended up cold, disorientated and
exhausted.
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 Police
Search Managers and Chris (Depute Leader) were
presented with only the bare facts and plans
were made to deploy the 40+ Galloway / Moffat
MRT members.
Group Leaders
were then briefed on their tasks and this information
passed to members of their group.
Groups were
then deployed mainly on the eastern slopes of
Corserine covering all the major escape routes
from the Rhins of Kells ridge.
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Just over an hour
after the first search groups were deployed casualty
Raymond was found. Instructions from base enabled
Raymond to be quickly stretchered back to safety.
He was also able
to give some details of where the other casualties
were and other teams were deployed and both other
casualties were found and evacuated back to base by
4 pm.
The search teams
had a difficult task in poor weather with severe conditions
to contend with on the main ridge.
Support was provided
by the staff from Forrest Lodge who guided vehicles
along the forest roads, gave valuable local knowledge
to the search planners and helped ferry members to
and from drop off points.
Following the
exercise everyone moved down to Dalry Hall where the
Chief Constable, Mr David Strang, presented members
with Queen's Jubilee Medals and Badges.
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