Wednesday 3rd August 2016 – 9.00am – Claire Brown.
It was a joint rescue effort between the ambulance and fire service last night after a cyclist injured himself whilst out riding with his friends on the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire.
West Midlands Ambulance Service received a 999 call just before 7.30pm to reports of a cyclist who had fallen off his bike and sustained a leg injury. Due to the difficult location of the patient, ambulance staff were directed to meet a friend of the cyclist on Jubilee Drive near to Malvern Hills Hotel. An ambulance, a responder paramedic, the Midlands Air Ambulance from Strensham and the Trust’s Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) were sent. Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service were also requested to attend.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived and were met by the injured man’s friend who then directed them to the patient located on the hillside, approximately 15 minutes’ walk away from the road. The air ambulance landed as close to the patient as possible on the hillside but, due to a lack of a suitable clearing to safely land, the air crew also ended up walking a distance to reach the patient.
“Once with the cyclist, a man in his 30s, it was obvious to ambulance staff that he had sustained a fractured ankle. He was given pain relief to help ease his discomfort before his leg was immobilised. Once stable, the cyclist was safely bought down from the hillside along narrow steep paths using the fire service’s all-terrain vehicle. The awaiting land ambulance then took the man to Worcestershire Royal Hospital for further trauma care.
“The quick thinking of his friends ensured we were able to reach the patient as quickly as possible. This was an excellent example of joint working between emergency services which ensured the patient received the best possible care despite the difficult location.”
ENDS