WHEN SHOULD I CALL OUT MOUNTAIN RESCUE?
This is not as daft a question as you might think. After all, most hillwalkers are all too aware that mountain rescue teams are staffed by hard-working volunteers and don’t want to have to call them out (potentially extracting them from their day job, depriving them of their free time, and putting them at risk in the rescue process) unless they absolutely have to. That said, neither should a casualty lying upside down in a gully with a broken leg be worrying about inconveniently pulling a mountainr rescue team member away from Countdown. With that in mind, we put this question to Rob Johnson MIC, Snowdonia-based guide and expedition leader. Here's what he advises:
“There is an ethic of self-reliance in the mountains and so a decision to call the emergency services is often a difficult one, especially as we know that mountain rescue comprises a team of unpaid volunteers who will ‘down tools‘ in their normal day jobs and family life to come to our aid.
“If a person has an injury that leaves them incapacitated, or is life-threatening, then don’t hesitate to call 999 and ask for the police, and then request the services of mountain rescue. If you think you can solve the problem yourself, perhaps with the help of passers-by, then do so – but don’t be afraid to call mountain rescue if it’s not working out, or if you need a bit of advice to help you on your way.
“There is of course a grey area. I remember coming across someone with a broken ankle just 350m from the road. We gathered some passers-by and carried the person out using an improvised stretcher. We would not have wanted to do it for much further though! Had they been any greater distance from the road, a call to mountain rescue might have been unavoidable.”
So, to recap: if you think you can manage on your own or with help from other walkers, you might not need to call mountain rescue. But if circumstances change, you require further advice, or the nature of the incident requires a greater level of assistance than can be sought on the hill, do not hesitate to call for help.
Here’s how:
Dial 999 Ask for the police – you’ll be transferred to the local force. Notify them that you require the assistance of mountain rescue. Mountain rescue will call you back. Provide as much information about your location, the incident and any casualties as you can (see page 130).
If you’re struggling to get a reliable phone signal, it may be possible to ‘text’ for help, but you need to have pre-registered your phone for this service. You can find more information and details of how to do this at www.emergencysms.org.uk
Don't hesitate to call Mountain Rescue for help if needed.