LONDON, UK (Team Geared Up) - The Bray Air Display was on in Dublin, Ireland this weekend. A couple of photos of the Sikorsky S61N helicopter Rescue 116 that participated in the display have appeared on Flickr.

Rescue 116 is the helicopter based in Dublin Airport that provides the air service to Dublin/Wicklow Mountain Rescue team. This helicopter has a huge rotor-span of 19m. It operates with a crew of 4 - pilot, co-pilot, winch operator & winch-man. The main cabin has seating for approx 17 passengers that can be air-lifted off mountain or ship.

Bonus Question: Can anyone tell me (in the comments below) where the number 61 in S61N comes from?

-Robin-

(Image Credit: Howth Coast Guard at Bray Air Display by Jaimie)

LONDON, UK (Team Geared Up) - Via mountaintraining.ie we’ve been alerted to the man who fell from 6m and somersaulted mid-air out of the fall to land on all-fours rather than his head! It was said his training as a ballet dancer helped him avoid serious head injuries!

Coastguards said the man had been on a 100ft (30m) climb of the ‘Arrow’ on Sunday when his gear came loose and he fell. He injured his shoulder and aggravated an old foot injury after landing on the ledge below on all fours.

He was subsequently assisted by a Coast Guard cliff rescue team who lowered in from the top, and then evac carried out by RAF helicopter winch.

The casualty was a 33-year-old experienced climber from London, and the climb was The Arrow at St Govans Head, near Castlemartin described as fantastic seacliff climbing from mostly non-tidal stances. The Arrow is described as being an E1 5b Classic and the area. It’s interesting that the gear is described as excellent, and this is what caused the accident.

Probably the most popular route in Pembroke follows cracks and flakes up the right-hand side of the buttress. The climbing is never too difficult, the gear is excellent and it’s even got some flowstone! It is becoming a bit polished. Start just to the right of the flake of ‘Cupid’s Bow’. Climb up to gain a rightwards trending line of cracks. Climb this, past the flowstone, to a tricky move right into a groove. Most people finish rightwards to a ledge and easy grooveabove, but it is better to pull straight through the roof with no increase in grade. © ROCKFAX

It makes a good headline anyway. Mind you, I have never seen a ballet dancer somersault ever, have you?

-Robin-

(Image Credit: Howth Coast Guard ‘Cliff Rescue Unit’ on training exercise, by Author.)

LONDON, UK (Team Geared Up) - The U.S. Coast Guard announced during a ceremony today in Grand Haven, Mich., for its 217th birthday that 1,109,310 lives have been saved since its establishment in 1790. Thanks to Irish Coast Guard member for news-tip.

Top ten rescue videos is available here

-Robin-

LONDON, UK (Team Geared Up) - Spotted in the London Metro as my cameraphone shows below. A 19yr old Irish student trying to get the best photo he could on a swing bridge in New Zealand (Abel Tasman) fell 20m into the water and ended up being airlifted out.

Photo Credit: Author Sea Kayaking with mounted camcorder in the Abel Tasman, New Zealand. By Author.

3 people have been taken to hospital following an incident at the annual Galway Air Show during which the door of an RAF helicopter fell off.
The incident happened at around a quarter past six this evening as the Merlin helicopter took off to return to the UK.
The aircraft had earlier been on static display at the show.

I don’t see any fresh news on the air show website. Let’s hope all is well for the 3 injured.

-Aisling-

LONDON, UK (Team Geared Up) - Over the weekend we tried to find out a little bit about our readers. It proved a great experiment - we’ve a number of serious adventurers hi Alan, Neil, Rick, Shane, Mariano & Richard. We’ve got Sunday Times journalists, Adventure Racers, marathon kayakers, kayak surfers, mountain bikers, Skydivers, Snowboarders, Paragliders, Power Kiters, venture scouts and a SAR Manager from the US. Hi again Rick!

Let’s take a look at Rick’s SAR team Ridge Meadows based in B.C. Canada. Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue was started in 1969 and have grown to a total of 35 active members with about 5 reserve members today. They’ve moved from being equipped with some hardhats, shovels, rope and a stretcher or two to now today having a 1993 Ford 1 ton Command Post, a 1989 Chevy 3/4 ton service truck used to haul equipment and a 19 ft aluminum twin outboard rescue boat, and a 1982 Chevy 1 ton 4×4 and rescue equipment includes rope rescue gear, first aid, and communications. They have now progressed from just search and rescue to preventative measures

They get some serious call-outs, here’s a run down of the big ones since November.

March 28,2007 - Missing Man in Hammond
March 26,2007 - Missing Man in Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
March 25,2007 - Mudslides near Fraser River
November 6,2006 - Flood Evacuations in Maple Ridge
November 6,2006 - Missing Hikers on the North Shore
November 5,2006 - Vehicle Crashes into Pitt River

Photo of their Helicopter Hover-Exit Training on their website look fantastic. This is when you learn to leave a hovering helicopter for situations where a touchdown is too unsafe.

If you’d like your SAR team featured - leave a link in the comments.

-Robin-