A man was flown to hospital by air ambulance after breaking his leg on the west coast of Somerset over the weekend.
The injured man was injured while walking the coast between Helwell Bay and Watchet on Saturday evening (June 26).
The man, who was staying there, called the ambulance himself and the coast guard was dispatched to the scene due to his location.
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The victim was put on a stretcher and taken from the scene to the nearest vehicle access point, where the decision was made to use the air ambulance to retrieve the injured man.
An HM Coastguard Watchet social media post described the operation and shared footage of the air ambulance landing on Watchet Town Football Club playgrounds to transport the affected man.
The air ambulance arriving at the landing site during the operation near Watchet Marina (Image: HM Coastguard Watchet / Facebook)
The post said: “On Saturday evening, our team were tasked with a report of a visitor who fell with a closed fracture in his lower leg while negotiating the coast between Helwell Bay and Watchet Harbor Marina.
“The visitor who was staying there had succeeded in raising the alarm on 999 to the ambulance service which, due to the coastal location, asked the coast guard to be present first.
“Arrived at the scene, the injured was quickly located by our Coast Guard rescuers, who immediately proceeded to an assessment of the injured.
“Confirming the extent of the injury, the man was immobilized and tied to our cliff rescue stretcher before being evacuated from shore and returned to the nearest vehicle access point.
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“After updating the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust on the extent of the injury, the decision was made by the ambulance service to send ‘Helimed 10’ from the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance charity .
“After landing at the helicopter landing site, the air ambulance crew were also joined by a ground ambulance.”
As this situation continued, paramedics on site taking care of the injured were also approached about a second injured on the neighboring coast.
However, this second call was resolved at the scene and the victim was able to leave the scene with friends without the assistance of an ambulance.
Photos of paramedics and coastguard crew at the scene in Watchet assisting the injured man (Image: HM Coastguard Watchet / Facebook)
The update continued: “During the handover, as a member of our team maintained the security cordon on the HLS, they were approached by another member of the public reporting another medical emergency nearby.
“The coast guard and the paramedics were then confronted with two separate incidents.
Fortunately, the second incident was resolved on the spot and the person involved was able to return home with friends.
“The injured leg victim was stabilized at the scene and was transferred to hospital by the ground ambulance, releasing the air ambulance at its base in Dorset.
“Our thanks to the locals, especially the young soccer players who were using the memorial field at the time who happily walked away from the landing site and remained distant during the response to the incident.
“We remind everyone who visits our local beaches, cliffs and shores to be careful when negotiating the terrain and always check the tide times, if possible when walking alone, to carry a cell phone and know how to dial. 999 and ask for the Coast Guard. “
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Source: www.somersetlive.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-06-28 11:03:37
