Mountain Rescue - Rescue and Self Reliance

• A History of Rescue
• A Volunteer Rescue System
• Help the Teams - Be Self-Reliant
• What is Self-Reliance?
• Avoid Unnecessary Rescues
• Accident and Emergency Procedures
• Other Ways to Help
• Mountain Rescue Teams

A History of Rescue

There is a very close relationship between the mountain rescue services operating in Scotland and mountaineers, hill walkers and climbers. It was active mountaineers within clubs that set up the first 'Mountain Rescue Team', with the co-operation of other bodies such as the Police and landowners. Rescue teams grew up in an era when mountaineers had no choice but to be self-reliant. Teams were run by mountaineers for mountaineers with the first mountain rescue teams (MRTs) drawing their members from clubs. As they developed and covered more areas, the teams became autonomous and began to draw members from the local population. They then formed a separate organisation to co-ordinate their activity, the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland (MRCofS). This system continues to operate today.

Scottish teams rapidly became world leaders in mountain rescue and remain at the forefront of search and rescue techniques.

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A Volunteer Rescue System

Civilian Mountain Rescue Teams are run by mountaineers for mountaineers.

Teams are made up of committed mountaineers and hillwalkers who live in the local area and who know their hills extremely well. As volunteers, they all offer their help and expertise to anyone in distress in the hills. They also have members drawn from the local Police.

The Police have a statute responsibility for any accident, including those on the hills, and it is the Police that co-ordinate a rescue. They can call upon a civilian team or Ministry of Defence help including helicopter assistance if they feel it is necessary. There are currently 2 Police MRTs, 2 RAF MRTs and 22 Civilian MRTs covering Scotland.

The Search and Rescue Dog Association (SARDA) in Scotland is also operated by volunteers and is affiliated to the MRCofS.

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Help the Teams - Be Self-Reliant

It is the responsibility of mountaineers to be prepared for any eventuality. This means being committed to self-reliance from the outset.

With such a committed, expert network of people to help in the event of an accident, ill informed walkers and mountaineers may fail to appreciate that mountain rescue is an emergency service, not a support organisation for poor preparation and low skill levels. Also, although rescue teams are trained to operate in all conditions to reach those in distress, there are occasions when it becomes too hazardous for them to operate. Additionally it should be borne in mind that, although Scotland's mountains seem small, even in an area not regarded as remote, it can take several hours from the time of an accident before team members reach the scene.

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What is Self-Reliance?

Self-reliance means being able to cope with most eventualities that may befall you on the hill. You owe it to yourself as well as your friends to be competent at what you are tackling and to cope with any misfortune to the best of your ability.

• Learn mountaineering skills necessary to judge potential hazard - know what lies ahead through map reading, assessing changes in the weather, assessing avalanche risk, knowing what equipment to use and when, judging how your companions are coping and when to turn back
• Use local knowledge, guidebooks, reports and maps to glean as much information as possible about your intended route - including escape routes / river crossings and areas of avalanche activity
• Learn the skills of self rescue - mountain first aid / improvised carries / security on difficult or complicated ground/ rope techniques and evacuation from crags
• Keep informed of the equipment and clothing that would help you survive the severest conditions

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Avoid Unnecessary Rescues

Prevent Accidents

Incidents largely happen due to human errors of judgement or arise from a lack of understanding or skills. Use the following to guide you:

• Be aware of your level of skill/ experience/ understanding and choose routes accordingly
• Thorough route planning including identifying alternative or escape routes
• Ensure you have adequate first aid or survival skills
• Ensure you are adequately equipped for the conditions
• Make good navigational decisions and 'on the ground' route choices
• Keep people informed
• If route card details have been left with a responsible person, always report your return. Many hours of search time can be wasted if you fail to do so.
• Rely on skills, not technology

Learn the basics of map reading and compass work and use GPS navigation aids as a back up, not as a primary tool. Similarly, do not rely on mobile phones to summon immediate help - there are many areas on the Scottish hills where reception is still patchy or unavailable.

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Accident and Emergency Procedure

To witness an accident can be unnerving, even for the experienced mountaineer. The more serious accidents can be very frightening and can cause shock. In this state, it is difficult for anyone to make sound judgements and decisions about what to do for the best, especially if unprepared. For this reason, it is prudent for all hillwalkers and climbers to have a prepared set of actions that they may carry as part of an aide memoir or be adequately rehearsed in. Outlined below is a procedure which might help you manage an incident:

1. First, ensure your own safety and that of the rest of your party
2. Attend to Airway, Breathing and Circulation of casualty
3. Make quick assessment of injuries - treat as necessary
4. Provide shelter and comfort for casualty and group - identify location and mark it with bivvy bag/ group shelter or similar
5. Decide whether you can deal with the situation yourself, or require outside assistance. If in doubt, always be cautious and call the emergency services.
6. Write down the position of the accident site including grid reference, injuries, time of accident and weather; and telephone numbers of other members in the gorup.
7. OPTIONS:-
• In order to make difficult decisions about such situations, equip yourself with as much knowledge and skills as possible
• Self Help - improvised carry /available resources/ available people / limited range due to distance and or terrain
• Calling for Help - mobile phones / International distress signals - 6 blasts of whistle or 6 flashes of light repeated at one minute intervals / limitations of location
• Sending for Help - who to send / where to send to / relevant information to be carried/how long it will take / care for the rest of group.
• If necessary, dial 999 and ask for 'Police - Mountain Rescue' if you are on the hill. The Police will need the following information as a minimum:
• The location of the incident (a six figure grid reference and a named feature)
• The number of casualties
• What is wrong with the casualties
• Are the casualties deteriorating
• Details of the equipment you and the casualty(ies) have with you

• Your contact telephone number

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Other Ways to Help

• Go on a course to increase your skills - First Aid, Self Rescue, Winter Skills, Navigation
• Make regular donations to Mountain Rescue - either to individual teams or to the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland.
• Put something back into mountaineering - by joining a club and passing on your knowledge, joining the MCofS and helping us develop safety initiatives.
• Help a team - join your local MRT. Large scale searches require many good experienced helpers. If you live in an area with a team make your availability known. Contact the Secretary for information.

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Mountain Rescue Teams

There are civilian mountain rescue teams based in the following areas:

Search and Rescue Dog Association Scotland
Search and Rescue Dog Association Southern Scotland

There is also Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service, and teams run by Grampian, Strathclyde and Tayside Police.

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