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| Tayside Mountain Rescue - The Team |
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Tayside
mountain rescue currently (September 2009) has
25 active volunteer members
who have a wide variety of jobs and interests and
include teachers, managers, engineers as well as
a number of folk who work professionally in the
field of outdoor activities. Members come from
all over Tayside, some are avid climbers whilst
others are keen walkers, a number of whom have ‘compleated’ the
Munro’s – one having done so twice!
A few also have a number of years of alpine experience
(no Everest summiteers yet!). Some have a particular
aptitude for all things medical and a number have
a keen interest in technical matters and could
be described as gear freaks.
We
have four active team members who are also search
dog handlers
who, as well as operating
as ‘normal’ team members, can be
called on to assist other teams or the police
anywhere in Scotland.
The team trains on
a monthly basis in various areas in Tayside
in order to keep skill levels
high in areas like first aid, casualty evacuation,
stretcher lowering, searching difficult ground,
night searches, navigation, radio communications,
water hazards, gorge rescues and climbing. We
also have joint training events with our colleagues
in the Tayside Police S&R Unit, RAF, Fire
and Rescue and neighbouring rescue teams. All
team members are volunteers giving of their free
time but also need to obtain consent from an
employer to be released for incidents during
work hours. We are grateful to current employers
who do so. The team members also like to socialise
(!) so as well as the odd beverage there are
usually a couple of weekends away and an occasional
bar-b-que.
Although not team members, the partners
and families of team members ought to be regarded
as honourary team members due to the support
and understanding they provide. As well as seeing
their man or woman (yes, we currently have a
female member) heading away at least once a month
for training, they are to be commended for their
forbearance when the phone interrupts a nights
sleep or just as the evening meal is about to
be served.
No formal qualifications
are required for prospective team members but
it is vital that they are good
all round mountaineers with at least several
seasons of summer and winter mountaineering in
Scotland and elsewhere. You should be thoroughly
competent in map and compass skills, able to
navigate confidently in all weather conditions
and terrain. Although you don’t need to
be an active rock climber, you will need to be
confident moving around on steep ground. You
will need to be a team player and also have a
good sense of humour! |
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One of our more unusual
’customers’!
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Joint training with our
Police
and Fire & Rescue
colleagues |
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If
you, or someone you know, wishes to apply
for team membership,
please
email team@taysidemrt.org.uk
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