Any Mountain Rescue Team members here?
Discussion
Oopps, need to post up that rescue - forgot about it.
I'm not posting all the training as there's a fair bit of repetition, just in differing locations. However, here's how cool you look when you're going through some field medical training and you don't want to die from midgy bites...
I'm not posting all the training as there's a fair bit of repetition, just in differing locations. However, here's how cool you look when you're going through some field medical training and you don't want to die from midgy bites...
Not much to update as training has been further variations and last night was Going over the various medical packs and drugs/medication used.
One thing that is also critical to the team is the fund raising. Each MRT is a standalone charity and is funded by public donations and those that work in the teams are volunteers and not paid. We have people that do not go near the hills but are vital in many other areas such as communications, mechanical, kit management, call out management, finances, media and other areas - all just as important as the guys out and about.
I was at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells on Tuesday rattling a bucket with a few other team members. First time I'd ever done something like that and it was an interesting experience. One thing that was obvious that the people from around the area are hugely supportive of the MRTs and willingly put their hands in their pockets. It was great.
I also got nicely tanned.
Eta - forgot to mention the team have had 12 call outs over the last 10 days!
One thing that is also critical to the team is the fund raising. Each MRT is a standalone charity and is funded by public donations and those that work in the teams are volunteers and not paid. We have people that do not go near the hills but are vital in many other areas such as communications, mechanical, kit management, call out management, finances, media and other areas - all just as important as the guys out and about.
I was at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells on Tuesday rattling a bucket with a few other team members. First time I'd ever done something like that and it was an interesting experience. One thing that was obvious that the people from around the area are hugely supportive of the MRTs and willingly put their hands in their pockets. It was great.
I also got nicely tanned.
Eta - forgot to mention the team have had 12 call outs over the last 10 days!
Edited by Mothersruin on Thursday 21st July 16:08
Not much to update over the last few weeks - it's been mainly medical stuff (classroom) with the odd bit of medical simulation for triage scenarios.
Today, however, was a good old fashioned Search and Rescue, over terrible terrain for my team.
If you have a look at the track below, taken from my Garmin, you'll see the start/finish location in the layby on the A470. My team took the SSW path and then split NNWto where our search area was. It was path until you can see the split and me and another chap started out to the West to get some elevation and we were in thick bracken, so we needed to get some eyes over that way - the other two in the team carried on North on the track. What you can't see is that when it wasn't bracken, it was killer babies heads! 3ft high tall clumps of grass that you could stand on but if you missed the exact centre of the clump, you'd either miss it or slide off and drop down into bog. We were in that stuff for a good 45mins - it was brutal. Extremely tiring, danger of braking your ankles, you're still trying to search and we were each carrying 40-45lb bergens.
Then we get the call that one of the other Teams had found a casualty (broken Femur) and we were re-tasked to go back and get the extraction kit - so back to close to the start point and grab the stretcher. On the track you can see the route go to the far West, that's where we took the stretcher to - I'll sleep well tonight!
According to my Garmin, my total walked was just under 7km, climb of 400m and just under 1,400 calories over the three hours.
Eta; some images from the Team's Facebook page of the training. I'm in the black jacket.
Today, however, was a good old fashioned Search and Rescue, over terrible terrain for my team.
If you have a look at the track below, taken from my Garmin, you'll see the start/finish location in the layby on the A470. My team took the SSW path and then split NNWto where our search area was. It was path until you can see the split and me and another chap started out to the West to get some elevation and we were in thick bracken, so we needed to get some eyes over that way - the other two in the team carried on North on the track. What you can't see is that when it wasn't bracken, it was killer babies heads! 3ft high tall clumps of grass that you could stand on but if you missed the exact centre of the clump, you'd either miss it or slide off and drop down into bog. We were in that stuff for a good 45mins - it was brutal. Extremely tiring, danger of braking your ankles, you're still trying to search and we were each carrying 40-45lb bergens.
Then we get the call that one of the other Teams had found a casualty (broken Femur) and we were re-tasked to go back and get the extraction kit - so back to close to the start point and grab the stretcher. On the track you can see the route go to the far West, that's where we took the stretcher to - I'll sleep well tonight!
According to my Garmin, my total walked was just under 7km, climb of 400m and just under 1,400 calories over the three hours.
Eta; some images from the Team's Facebook page of the training. I'm in the black jacket.
Edited by Mothersruin on Monday 8th August 13:22
Kit
My basic hill kit loadout.
From L-R Top Row;
Osprey Atmos 65AG Bergen, mozzie head net, DEET Spray, Thin waterproof gloves, beanie, head torch, chocolate bars and trail mix, Leathermans, Climbing harness with a basic rack (a few slings, Carabiners, prussiks, belay), helmet, refuse bags, ziploc with spare headtorch batteries, medical gloves, USB stick, fire strikes pens, survival blanket, lighters, compass, other ziploc bags - another bag with paracord and bungies.
Middle Row;
Light fleece, Vango mess tins with a solid fuel burner, brew kit, porridge sachets, sporks - Map, main compass, whistle, pens for map marking - Dry bag with a full change of baselayers and winter gloves - tissues, 2xMREs, Duct Tape, Mountain FAK, wetwipes and cottonwool balls.
Last Row;
Hard Shells, Jacket and trousers, a large dry bag, long cable ties and a USB charger/battery
The other thing I carry but I was actually wearing is a decent soft shell jacket which is extremely versatile - Arcteryx Gamma MX Hoody.
There's also a 3 litre Camelbak reservoir in the bergen.
That's the basics. Different stuff will be carried depending on the terrain and weather etc... There's also the kit we get issued depending on the nature of the search/rescue which can add a lot of weight.
Any Qs, ask away.
My basic hill kit loadout.
From L-R Top Row;
Osprey Atmos 65AG Bergen, mozzie head net, DEET Spray, Thin waterproof gloves, beanie, head torch, chocolate bars and trail mix, Leathermans, Climbing harness with a basic rack (a few slings, Carabiners, prussiks, belay), helmet, refuse bags, ziploc with spare headtorch batteries, medical gloves, USB stick, fire strikes pens, survival blanket, lighters, compass, other ziploc bags - another bag with paracord and bungies.
Middle Row;
Light fleece, Vango mess tins with a solid fuel burner, brew kit, porridge sachets, sporks - Map, main compass, whistle, pens for map marking - Dry bag with a full change of baselayers and winter gloves - tissues, 2xMREs, Duct Tape, Mountain FAK, wetwipes and cottonwool balls.
Last Row;
Hard Shells, Jacket and trousers, a large dry bag, long cable ties and a USB charger/battery
The other thing I carry but I was actually wearing is a decent soft shell jacket which is extremely versatile - Arcteryx Gamma MX Hoody.
There's also a 3 litre Camelbak reservoir in the bergen.
That's the basics. Different stuff will be carried depending on the terrain and weather etc... There's also the kit we get issued depending on the nature of the search/rescue which can add a lot of weight.
Any Qs, ask away.
Edited by Mothersruin on Monday 8th August 11:59
Is that the Petzl helmet? I've been testing and evaluating a new helmet from Team Wendy in the USA, their SAR helmet. It's very comfortable, even for long stints, has a SOLAS reflective kit for night ops and a set of picatinny rails either side, for mounting lights. I'd recommend having a look.
Mothersruin said:
This is what's make me tetchy about posting stuff. Please don't think I'm being bold about it - Just answering the OP, doing something that I'm really enjoying and working with some really cool people.
I'm not posting anything that isn't up on the Team's Facebook, just explaining what's going on.
As someone with absolutely no knowledge or understanding about any of this, I think it's very interesting and noble. Please don't hesitate to post more! I'm not posting anything that isn't up on the Team's Facebook, just explaining what's going on.
Mothersruin said:
Kit
From L-R Top Row;
DEET Spray,
Do you find deet to have any effect on plastics / waterproofing? - I am a midge magnet, and react badly to the bites!From L-R Top Row;
DEET Spray,
(they seem to use the smell of smidge to find me)
A huge thank you to you, never had to call you out, but hugely grateful that you are there!
Huge thank you to everyone that works in rescue, luckily never had to call you out. But I have rescued one yacht for the RNLI so they could do another job, got a bottle of whiskey for that :-) And two other RNLI rescues I got involved in.
Do you guys ever have any fun out of it? It seems to me you go out in crappy weather and then practice in crappy weather! I understand why but do you ever get to go out on a good day to practice?
By the way whats The USB stick for?
Do you guys ever have any fun out of it? It seems to me you go out in crappy weather and then practice in crappy weather! I understand why but do you ever get to go out on a good day to practice?
By the way whats The USB stick for?
Peanut Gallery said:
Mothersruin said:
Kit
From L-R Top Row;
DEET Spray,
Do you find deet to have any effect on plastics / waterproofing? - I am a midge magnet, and react badly to the bites!From L-R Top Row;
DEET Spray,
(they seem to use the smell of smidge to find me)
A huge thank you to you, never had to call you out, but hugely grateful that you are there!
Don't thank me, yet. I'm still in training until at least the end of the month - and then I go on probation. It will take a good 3-5 years until I start to even get close to earning my stripes, so to speak. It's a real 'experience' game this, and I'm working with guys that have been doing this for 25yrs plus. I'm hugely respectful of them.
Major Fallout said:
Huge thank you to everyone that works in rescue, luckily never had to call you out. But I have rescued one yacht for the RNLI so they could do another job, got a bottle of whiskey for that :-) And two other RNLI rescues I got involved in.
Do you guys ever have any fun out of it? It seems to me you go out in crappy weather and then practice in crappy weather! I understand why but do you ever get to go out on a good day to practice?
By the way whats The USB stick for?
The weather isn't really an issue - I just stick on the appropriate kit and get on with it, with a bunch of people that when it's really sDo you guys ever have any fun out of it? It seems to me you go out in crappy weather and then practice in crappy weather! I understand why but do you ever get to go out on a good day to practice?
By the way whats The USB stick for?
tty, make me laugh and we get on with the job in hand. Best bunch of people I'm met since I left the forces.USB? No idea, in this day and age I'm sure to need one, so I have one and it doesn't weigh anything. The SAR/Police/Ambulance/Air/Hospital/Someone might want to transfer files - I'm your man.
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