Mountain rescue team members are on call, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to recover climbers from precipitous crags, reunite lost walkers with their pals and ensure injured and sick casualties are safely delivered into vital hospital care.
But they also regularly help search for missing children and vulnerable adults, on and off the hills, whilst administering sympathetic support to their families. They search river banks and swift water, and wade chest-deep through flooded urban streets aiding swimmers, kayakers and devastated homeowners.
And, between them, they rescue a frankly stunning number of dogs, cows, sheep and any number of other animals, from all manner of inaccessible places.
All this whilst continuing to practise and hone their first aid skills, technical ropework, water rescue and search management, and maintaining their bases, equipment and vehicles – not to mention taking time to maintain their own fitness. Oh, and did we mention they’re all volunteers?
Mountain rescue. So much more than mountains.
