I’m looking for some general mountain rescue advice on joining criteria, likely amount of training time, how call outs work etc etc?

Clearly going to speak to the local team is important, but if anyone has anything worthwhile to share that would be excellent 🙂

I have been thinking for some while I would like to do some kind of volunteer work, give something back etc, and potentially this fits the bill very well. It would be good to be in a position to help people in an environment that I want to spend time in.

Thanks

What skills do you have to offer?

Training requirement will vary from team to team but one evening and one Sunday a month might be about average. This is just as much to “mesh” with the other members as to learn the appropriate skills. Teams normally recruit from a wide cross section – the right attitude and an ability to commit are more important than being fully skilled when you join, though obviously a good grasp of core skills, e.g.: navigation, will help.

You will not be expected to make every single call out but attendance should be as much as you can realistically manage. Heading away from work might not be possible but you can expect to drop days out with family/friends at no notice.

I worked with a great bunch in Scotland for not far off twenty years and never regretted any of that time.

Head down for a casual chat with the team secretary/leader.

http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=9310

This was quite an informative post from another forum.

Which team area will define numbers and technicality of call outs immensely….

Obvs don’t mean to be insulting to the OP but its not just a matter of “wanting in”. I’ve heard of one or two outfits that are very cliquey and can easily get enough folks from their own circle without entertaining unknown quantities. One recent example is a married fell running and climbing couple who on paper would have been great assets to the team. They got turned down without much of a justification.

Availability is a big thing too. You need to be able to drop everything and turn out consistently 365 days a year. They can build in some redundancy but need a certain level of predictability of who will turn out. Next door neighbour is a medic for our local team and hearing their land rover taking off in the middle of a work night is not uncommon.

If i wanted to get involved, i would spend some time volunteering in non front-line roles such as fundraising and maintenance and gets known as a committed and safe pair of hands. Also join whichever outdoor/climbing/running club a few other rescue team members attend and quietly demonstrate confidence and resilience in a range of situations and conditions. Couldn’t hurt to do outdoor first aid and basic ropework courses off your own back too.

I knew a guide in Glen Coe who was really chuffed when he got asked by Glen Coe MRT to join, it was the ultimate honour of the trade…

Footflaps….thats kind of what i was getting at….I think in a lot of cases its a matter of “don’t call us, we’ll call you”.

Glen Coe MRT is pretty special, one of the oldest MRTs IIRC and it’s founder, Hamish MacInnes, invented loads of kit dedicated to rescue…

My experience with the mountain rescue was very frustrating… Very cliquey very political, everyone vying for power… Huge amount of training to prove competence ( 20 competencies, each with 3 levels) mandatory attendance at 80% of non call out events. Expectation to patrol area at weekends just in case. Not much banter.

My dad’s experience in the 60s with Keswick mountain rescue could not have been more different. All best mates, no experience required (just being keen + fit), very welcoming, usually finished in the pub, lots of laughs and loads of tales.

As above. I’ll fill in there as I go along.

So far – Tuesdays are dedicated to SRT only – other weekends already in the calendar for the rest of the year.

As second poster said – you need to be able to offer something that a team needs. Which could be a variety of things.

If you’re willing, make yourself aware of what it will entail and that you’re willing to sacrifice a lot of your own time. Be aware you will not always deal with live casualties.

I’m quite looking forward to it. One month in now. First assessment done, second assessment in 5 months, lots of skills to learn.

Depends on which team. Ours (Holme Valley, West Yorkshire) involves training exercises on one Tuesday and one Sunday each month, plus equipment checking on one Wednesday per month.

On top of that there’s several money raising events, race cover, scout / guide talks etc of which members are expected to help when they can. Plus callouts obviously.
Ours isn’t so cliquey, there’s a bit of internal politics with the older crowd especially, but on the whole it’s good natured.

I’d suggest seeing if you can become a “friend” of the team (ie help out at some of the fund raising events) and see how you get on with them.You will then also get a better idea of what’s expected in that team.

Hello Bothy, i am the team Doc for a busy central lakes Mountain rescue team.
What would be correct answers to your questions for our team would be different for our three neighbouring teams.

I would imagine this also applies throughout England and Wales.

Some teams are lowland, some upland and some mountain rescue teams, quite a few are a mix. They all have their own environments, required skill sets and way of doing things.

The one thing they all have in common is their own personalities!

In our team we look for people who can take care of themselves in a mountain environment, are prepared to contribute, possibly have a special skill but most of all people we can get along with.
Not a clique just normal people, not 999 junkies, CV fillers or fantasists.

Depending on the team involved It can be a significant time commitment. Are your family in agreement?

I put a lot in, my family put up with a lot and i get a lot out of it.
In the lakes it is a community.

You need to approach them and see how you get on.

Good luck.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/103901323@N05/albums

As a current member of a Scottish team, I’d echo what polarisandy said – each team has distinct requirements depending on the area it operates in, and a unique character that’s shaped by the people involved. Ours isn’t at all ‘cliquey’, but as a newcomer, I was aware that some of the old hands had known each other for 20 years or more, and it was going to take a bit of time to knit into that social network. Like any group of people, there are some who are very open and friendly, and some who take a little longer to develop a relationship with.

We have a fairly reasonable expectation in terms of attendance at training once you’re through the initial probationary period, and don’t expect everyone to be available for every call out, different teams will have their own expectations on that front, depending on the size of their callout list.

As a bare minimum, we’d expect someone to be a competent winter hillwalker, able to navigate, competent wearing crampons and using an ice axe for personal safety. Other teams that regularly operate in more technical terrain will possibly want a bit more.

It’s probably also worth mentioning that you need to be relaxed about being non-judgemental about getting wheeled out of your bed at 1am to go and help someone who’s decision making leaves a lot to be desired. Generally people are pretty apologetic, but you do occasionally encounter people who seem to have no sense of how closely they’ve flirted with disaster, so you do need the ability to keep your own counsel and do what’s required to help them with good humour.

I’d thoroughly recommend getting involved.

I volunteered for a few months for an upland team down in England, but in the end decided that I couldn’t commit the time required for the training events, which probably didn’t bode well for dealing with multiple call-outs during the week. I think the time I met them at the top of a hill, while they were covering for a fell race, and I was out on my bike training for an upcoming race made me realise that I wasn’t prepared to commit fully to the team.

The training was good fun, with mostly a good bunch of folk, although there were some subtle and not so subtle cliques in play. I did wonder though at the very old demographic of the team, as the majority of them appeared to be over 60, which perhaps was a result of younger folk not having the spare time to commit, or some other reason.

I’m still keen to work with a team in the future, but work commitments at the moment mean that is impossible.

If teams here in the Peak District are anything to go by, just get your name down.

Waiting lists are long so you’ll have plenty of time to brush up on anything that may be required.