Mountain rescue exercise held in readiness for winter

● More than 70 people hone their skills in mountains

Police and volunteers took part in a major mountain rescue exercise to hone their skills for winter.

More than 70 people participated in the exercise which involves Police Scotland officers from Forth Valley Division along with volunteers from Killin, Lomond and Ochils Mountain Rescue Teams.

The rescuers responded to a scenario involving a group of four missing walkers, while a second scenario with a further casualties added later in the day.

The exercise was held by police and volunteers to plan and prepare for search and rescue incidents in the mountains of Forth Valley at Crianlarich.

Police Constable William Diamond, Mountain Rescue Co-ordinator for the Forth Valley area, said: “Winter is one of the most dangerous times of year for those taking part in mountain activities.

“As the temperature and number of daylight hours decrease, the stakes for both police, volunteers and those being rescued become much higher.

“We make use of a range of specialist resources to assist in locating those who are lost and injured in the mountains, however it is the local Mountain Rescue Teams who undertake the vast majorities of searches and rescues.

“The three Mountain Rescue Teams within the Forth Valley area are Killin, Lomond and Ochils MRTS. Each team comprises of volunteers who will readily assist those who need help in our mountains.

“There are also a number of local police officers who are also volunteers within the teams.

He advised people heading into the hills this winter to plan their visit, dress for the weather and know their limits, and also urged people to leave some basic informa- tion including their intended route and return time with someone.

Chief Superintendent Thom Mcloughlin, Divisional Commander for Forth Valley, said: “Mountain rescues can be difficult and risky for those involved.

“Therefore it is essential both police personnel and volunteers have a strong understanding of the risks involved and the difficult and potentially treacherous conditions they could face.

“The training exercise culmination of months of planning and we hope the scenarios will be realistic, challenging and complex in nature in order to robustly test those taking part.”