2022 Incidents

With a thick band of cloud laden with heavy rain approaching the area, we were put on standby to assist in the event of expected flooding.

The partially constructed flood defences in Hawick were shored up with additional temporary defences and held the majority of the water back. There were 17 flood warnings across the Borders and one in East Lothian but our services weren't required and we were stood down just as the next callout came in.

14:01 The team was contacted by NNPMRT to assist with the rescue of two people on the Pennine Way.

The visiting trail-runners had been caught out by wintery conditions on the tops and had made the sensible decision to make their way to the Lamb Hill (Yearning Saddle) Hut to take shelter.

BSARU was called out but once it was established that NNPMRT personnel could access the hut more quickly, we were put back on standby.

Many thanks to the passing walkers who helped the pair by providing hot drinks and layers until rescuers arrived.

After an assessment, the runners were given extra clothing and assisted down the south side into Northumberland.

A Kelso callout came in as the majority of the team was attending a two-day first aid course.

Those not in attendance, along with TVMRT, BWRT, SARDA Southern Scotland, SAR-AA undertook a search of woodland in the area.

Thankfully the missing person was located safe.

The team was requested to assist East Lothian Police and FRS with a bankside search of the River Esk, downstream of the railway bridge at Musselburgh.

Thankfully, the young man we were searching for was located safe and well.

09:42

Callout to assist Tweed Valley MRT with the search for a missing man in the area around Hopetoun House near South Queensferry.

Ochils MRT, SARDA Southern and SAR-AA, HMCG, RNLI also involved.

Nothing found by dusk so search stood down until further information acquired.

09:41 - Search for a missing person north of Kelso, who was located safe. 

Team stood down at 14:47.

Team members responded to reports of a missing 18 year old.

Thankfully, he was found safe as the team was deploying.

A brief callout to assist East Lothian Police in the search for a missing person in the Haddington area.

The man was located safe and well as the first team members were arriving at the RV.

13:13  The team was called out to assist an injured walker on the St Cuthberts Way near to Mounthooly.

Once the location was determined, we accessed the casualty and were joined by a Scottish Ambulance Service crew .  They checked her over and she was able to walk to nearby vehicles.

We wish her a speedy recovery and hope she and her walking group can continue their hike.

We were called out to assist Tweed Valley MRT, searching for a missing man in the Lindean area.  15 minutes after the call came in, we were contacted by police in East Lothian who were searching for another missing person.  We diverted from the first callout to the second.

Team leaders were contacted by TVMRT to assist them with a search in the Roslin area.  The missing person was quickly found before a full callout was issued to the team. 

We were called in to assist an ambulance crew to carry a casualty who had sustained a serious leg injury on steep ground.  Just as the team was monilising, we heard that the casualty's friends had assisted and we were stood down.

16:01  We were contacted by Scottish Borders Police after a man had been heard shouting for help in a wooded gorge near Pease Bay.  After extensive searches by police and team members, covering a 500m radius, we stood down at dusk, having found no sign of anyone in the area.

12:30 The team was called out to go to the aid of a scrambler who had become cragfast on Traprain Law in East Lothian.

Local members of the team reached the man, made him safe with helmet, harness and rope, and guided him to up to safety at the top before descending the well used path.

It's always better to call for our assistance if you've got into a position where you feel it's unsafe to ascend or descend, than to try something risky and end up a casualty.  Thankfully, the man was unhurt and made the right call.

Due to tricky access and a difficult location, the team was contacted by the Scottish Ambulance Service requesting assistance with the extraction of a casualty who had fallen from a horse at Seacliff near North Berwick. 

The Ambulance Service Special Operations Response Team (SORT,) arrived on scene shortly after we were contacted and we were stood down before any callout was sent to the rest of the team.

A farmer contacted local team member to inform us that an elderly walker had injured her ankle on hills above his farm.  Following contact with the police, the team was deployed to assist in her rescue.

Other walkers had helped to keep her warm whilst awaiting our arrival and an ambuance crew had also been called so were on scene for speedy onward journey to Borders General. We wish her well in her recovery.