Howth Cliff Rescue Pics (Heavy Bandwidth)

tricky D · 15-05-2008 6:39pm #1

About 16:30 I heard the Coastguard helicopter over the cliffs at the Nose of Howth and look out to see in an odd position, not over the cliffs but over Kilrock at the end of Balscadden Road. I grabbed the camera and got these. Here's a a selection and you can see the others from the 50 snaps if you 'follow the filenames'. Enjoy!

Young fella broke his leg, his girlfriend was with him at the time. I know the area like the back of my hand and there is no doubt that he was very very lucky to fall where he did.

Returning to hold over Howth harbour

Returning

Coastguard lads

Over Kilrock

Winching up a rucksack. Emergency equipment perhaps

Back to hold over harbour without the casualty on board. I might be able to get up to beside Kilrock in time........

Pay Attention!

First photo of scene

Heli returns

Casualty strapped in, winchman in attendance.

Heli aborts, not ready on the ground (I can hear them talking as they are only 50metres away)

Larger view of scene. He fell from about 5metres to my right.

tricky D · 15-05-2008 6:40pm

Winchman clears the area.

Returning with winch lowering.

It's awfully close <50metres :eek:

Tally Ho!

Hats off to you

DFB discussing where to get ice cream. 'You deserve it,' sez I. 'You're buying'. 'No problem with that.' Though they didn't take me up on it.

He fell from above where they are.

Random · 15-05-2008 10:41pm

Nice photos - more photos of emergency services in action is what's needed !

Cork_Rebel · 16-05-2008 10:32am

Has to be some of the best pics I've ever seen of an Irish rescue, well done. Hope the chap is doing ok.

Fyr.Fytr · 16-05-2008 1:28pm

Excellent pics, top notch

Cork_Rebel · 16-05-2008 4:21pm

How do you get to the rest of the 50 pics?

tricky D · 16-05-2008 4:37pm

Cork_Rebel · 17-05-2008 8:44am

Did you send these into the newspapers?

stooge · 17-05-2008 8:58am

great pics mate. more of these types of pics are needed on here!

gerire · 17-05-2008 3:28pm

Excellent pictures man;

The Black Oil · 17-05-2008 8:18pm

Nice shots and fair play to all involved in the rescue.

greatgoal · 18-05-2008 6:09am

amazing pics mate,great stuff.

lostexpectation · 19-05-2008 12:46pm

where did he fall, did fall down something or just trip on a slope?

topper75 · 19-05-2008 12:55pm

Right photographer, right time, right place.

miju · 24-05-2008 12:34am

very nice pics, the guy apparently is going to make a full recovery according to howth coast gaurd http://www.howthcoastguard.com/2008/05/15/man-falls-at-balscadden-cliff/

Dave! · 24-05-2008 11:19am

Great pictures, well done

Remmy · 25-05-2008 1:23pm

Some great pictures there!:D

Dr_MaSoN · 25-05-2008 2:09pm

Great to see good pic's of the ES's in action.

tricky D · 27-05-2008 1:02pm

The current edition of the Northside People (page 2) has the one where the winchman is a few feet from the door with his legs a bit spread.:)

sgthighway · 27-05-2008 8:01pm

Great Pics. Looking at the Terrain; there are a lot of pathways. Just wondering could he have been strechered to an Ambulance or was it a dangerous spot to get the road from.

tricky D · 27-05-2008 9:14pm

sgthighway wrote: »

Great Pics. Looking at the Terrain; there are a lot of pathways. Just wondering could he have been strechered to an Ambulance or was it a dangerous spot to get the road from.

Possibly, but unwisely. There are 2 ways down:

One way is to loop around from south through east to north, down to the cliff walk bit shown in the warning sign pic. In places it is a bit steep, some of it is rocky path with loose gravel, and some is a bit boggy/wet, but generally wide enough four 4 stretcher bearers except for a short stretch. Also have to raise stretcher above bollards in pic.

The other way westwards is longer and has a gentle slope except for one quarry spoil heap kind of bit. However at least a third of it is thin, so 2 stretchers bearers only and has nettles and thorns galore.

The best decision was always to take him up. The other ways are just not safe enough, far too much bad terrain and bad footing. It reminds of a story a bloke in a wheelchair once told me in the casino where I used to work. Basically most of the tournament we were running was upstairs and the boss being helpful said it would be no problem to get one of the bouncers to carry him upstairs. The fella's answer was simple. He had been temporarily in the wheelchair for an injury and he got dropped while being lifted up the stairs and now he's permanently in the wheelchair. Says it all really.

Fyr.Fytr · 27-05-2008 9:57pm

Stretcher bearing would be uncomfortable, could be dangeours if the p/t had a spinal injury and slow as the bearers would have to take breaks and swap around etc esp the fre brigade lads in turnout gear.

Howth Cliff Rescue Pics (Heavy Bandwidth)

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