Multi-agency Cave Rescue Led by A&S SAR Member
The following letter is from a Scout Leader rescued from a cave by an A&S SAR member, last February, operating in his role as a Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS) co-responder at the time. The rescue involved a local caver, GWAS HART (Hazardous Area Response Teams) and a GWAS paramedic. This shows how volunteers regularly operate alongside full-time emergency service colleagues to help the public.
Dear Mark and the Rescue team,
I’d just like to make my gratitude known to the rescue team. I was rescued on February 12th in Sidcot Swallet (I think) while caving with my Scout group and the very experienced and exceptionally trained members of the West Sussex County Caving Team. I suffered a nasty knee dislocation whilst pushing through a squeeze. I wedged myself in the squeeze and stayed there with my knee still dislocated for about an hour. A very helpful cave leader from an unrelated group to my group helped me through the squeeze after my knee naturally relocated after I’d relaxed. Although i was in the cave for many hours i would like to thank the rescue teams that came to my aid.
Without them the situation could have been a lot worse, luckily I didn’t dislocate my knee in the lobster pot because that would have been almost impossible.
Thank you for your swift, effective and amazing rescue (and for giving me an interesting story to tell). I am very grateful and intend to make caving one of my more regular hobbies.
My knee is recovering very well and physiotherapy will ensure that it won’t happen again.
When my knee is fully functional i am organising a fund raising event, a 50km hike over the South Downs. All of the money raised will be donated to the rescue teams, as a ‘thank you’ for helping me when i was in a very bad state.
Once again, thank you for the rescue and the help and support that was given in the cave from the point of cave rescue making contact with me, to me being put in an ambulance and being taken to hospital.
Your’s gratefully,
Alastair Barnes,Young Scout Leader 1st/9th Horsham Scout Group