Mountains Part Two
Again from my time on the local Mountain Rescue Team.

I don't think that anyone who was on the team that night will forget that night. Forevermore it shall be etched into our minds.

A group, who had been climbing and scaling rocks for about a week, had come to the end of their journey. So they decided to go out on one final scale before returning homeward. They had roped themselves up in three groups of six. Two group leaders plus four young teenagers per rope.

The third group wasn't as experienced as the rest, so they went last. Apparently two of them lost their footing on some shingle and dropped off the rockface, taking the others with them.

I remember getting that call-out as if it were yesterday. "Multiple injuries, 6persons (4child+2ad)"

I got to the base and got a quick briefing from the Team Leader, a good friend of mine, and we both headed out to the scene, along with the others.

When we got there, we booked the helicopter for the ones who weren't badly injured, and called it for a return on those who needed hospital treatment. I was dealing with one of the more fortunate victims, when I was called over to help the Team Leader and another member with a less-fortunate child.

The first task was to remove the large boulder which had dislodged when they fell and landed on his face. When I managed to heave the boulder away, my Team Leader's face turned a visible shade of green as he uttered, "Where's his face?" before vomiting next to the victim. He still had a pulse, and was breathing, so that's good enough to attempt a resuscitation. Which we did. We managed to get him stable, but he died later in the hospital.

We were all offered counseling after that shout, which most of us accepted. But that image, just after I removed the rock, will remain with me for a long time. He was 13.
(Spicy McHaggis Should have been doing work on, Tue 4 Mar 2008, 19:06, 5 replies)

Jesus.
You're a brave soul.

I don't even want to imagine that.
(Captain Skippy pooed in a bag and left it on your doorstep, Tue 4 Mar 2008, 19:41, closed)

fuck, that's harsh
hat's off to you.
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Tue 4 Mar 2008, 20:34, closed)

.
Shit.
(TDub Nunc id vides, nunc ne vides on, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 1:22, closed)

Could have been me.
As someone who's been carried off by the MR, have a click.
(all my scars face forward possesses 2.5% of a hyperalloy combat chassis, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 10:01, closed)

.
As a Search and Rescue, I must commend you for both these stories. They're both well written, though unfortunate to experience.
(Grey_Ghost has yet to decide on a sig on, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 12:50, closed)