2007 Incidents

23 February 2007 – Train Crash,Oxenholme

Following discussion with the Emergency Services, the team's dogs, handlers and rescue personnel were placed on stand-by tonight following the train crash at Oxenholme , Cumbria .

As Scotland 's closest NUSARDG team, we would be able to provide a valuable resource in that our dogs are trained to search debris of major transport crashes and the surrounding area for casualties.

At this time, 2215hrs, we have now been stood down as there are sufficient resources at the locus.

24 March 2007 - Sheep rescue

Rescue of a sheep from crags at Dunglass nr Blanefield. Personnel lowered by ropes from top of cliffs onto ledge where sheep had been stranded for several days. Sheep caught, secured in a harness and lowered to the ground.

For the full story see the 'news' section.

May 2007 - Building collapse

The team was put on stand-by early morning when alerted to a small building having collapsed at Redding , nr Falkirk . Despite serious injuries being sustained by the occupant who was a surface casualty, no other person was reported missing or injured and the team was not mobilised.

June 2007 - West Highland Way Race

Annual first-aid and rescue cover for this race from Milngavie to Fort William (97 miles)

5 August 2007 - Church collapse

The team was alerted to a derelict church having partially collapsed in Bo'ness. Fortunately, there were no reports of anyone missing in the debris and the fire service were quickly able to ensure no-one could be in the rubble and so the dogs were not deployed

12 August 2007 - Woman falls from harbour wall

TSART members attending the Maritime Rescue Institute's SAR Team annual harbour festival at Stonehaven on the north east coast of Scotland went to the rescue when a woman fell from the upper harbour wall whilst watching a display by the Coastguard's new helicopter. She was diagnosed as having an internal shoulder injury and together then with members of MRI SAR and Grampian Fire and Rescue she was conveyed by stretcher to MRI's base whilst awaiting an ambulance.

26 August 2007 - Sea Rescue

While the team was on exercise on Cumbrae Island  off the west coast of Scotland , its rescue boat was dispatched to a canoeist who appeared to bystanders on the pier to have capsized and was floundering in the sea, drifting towards rocks. The rescue boat attended and ascertained it was a false alarm - he meant to be in the sea and was practising various techniques to get back into his canoe.

4 October 2007

Two dog teams assisted Aberdeen Coastguard with a search of inhospitable coastline for a missing fisherman whose boat was discovered smashed against the shore at Portlethen, south of Aberdeen .

Search dogs Gigh and Glen, along with Joanne, Iain departed MOD Forthside at 0530hrs to attend at Portlethen for 0800hrs for a search of coastilne north and south of the search for a missing fisherman. Unfortunately, the search proved negative.

Many thanks to Aberdeen Coastguard for their company and expertise on the job today, as well as Maritime Rescue Institute's SAR Team for their hospitality at their base in Stonehaven afterwards.