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ISSUE8

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££22..5500

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SSEEEEMMSS LL IIKKEE OONNLLYYYYEESSTTEERRDDAAYY.. .. ..First official ascent ofBlackpool Tower

WWOORRKK AATT HHEEIIGGHHTTRREEGGUULLAATT IIOONNSSMMaajjoorr cchhaannggeess ffoorrmmoouunnttaaiinn rreessccuueetteeaammss –– oorr nnoott??

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SSEEEEMMSS LL IIKKEE OONNLLYYYYEESSTTEERRDDAAYY.. .. ..First official ascent ofBlackpool Tower

WWOORRKK AATT HHEEIIGGHHTTRREEGGUULLAATTIIOONNSSMMaajjoorr cchhaannggeess ffoorrmmoouunnttaaiinn rreessccuueetteeaammss –– oorr nnoott??

PPlluussNNEEWWSS && VVIIEEWWSSFFRROOMM TTHHEE MMRRCCAANNDD AARROOUUNNDDTTHHEE RREEGGIIOONNSS

PPlluussNNEEWWSS && VVII EEWWSSFFRROOMM TTHHEE MMRRCCAANNDD AARROOUUNNDDTTHHEE RREEGGIIOONNSS

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EE DD II TT OO RR II AA LL

AA DD VV EE RR TT II SS II NN GGSS AA LL EE SS

NN EE XX TT II SS SS UU EEIssue 9 – July 2004

Editorial copy must be supplied as Word/Quark document.

Images must be supplied as separateJPEGS/Photoshop EPS/TIFF (300 dpi)

Advertising artwork must be supplied, readyprepared on CD or via email as font embeddedPDF/EPS/TIFF (300 dpi) or quark document with

all relevant fonts and images.

Every care will be taken of materials sent for publication however these are submitted

at the senderʼs risk.

EditorJudy Whiteside

Rossendale & Pendle MRT8 bridgefoot close . boothstown . worsley

manchester M28 1UGtelephone 0161 702 6080

editorial email editor@mountain.rescue.org.ukWebsite

Paul BaxendalePaul Horder Keswick MRT

Dave Freeborn Patterdale MRTHandbook

Eve Burton Buxton MRTStatistics

Ged Feeney Penrith MRTMRC Press Officer

Andy SimpsonRossendale & Pendle MRT

Jean Coletelephone 0161 273 4846

Editor’s NoteArticles carried in Mountain RescueMagazine do not

necessarily reflect theopinions of the MRC.

Thank Youto everyone who has

submitted news, articles andphotographs for inclusion in theMountain Rescue Magazine.If your contribution isn’t

here, don’t worry. Everything is kept on file for future

consideration, so please keep upthe good work.

www.mountain.rescue.org.uk

Itʼs only four years since the creation of thePublication & Information Sub Committee (PISC), asmall group of people with diverse skills, enormousenthusiasm and a willingness to work together.

The remit from the Executive Committee wasvery clear – we must communicate more clearlyand effectively with the mountain rescue family, inthe regions, teams and individuals, providing theservice at the point of need.

We already had the website developed byPaul Horder, Paul Baxendale and Dave Freeborn.This has continued to develop, providing a publicface to the MRC and mountain rescue, togetherwith the private side, which promotes discussionand information sharing within mountain rescue.

The MRC Handbook was very much out ofdate, and clearly required revision and updating. Itwas available to the public and used by thoserecreating in the moorlands, fells and mountains ofEngland and Wales. Eve Burton took on this role,assisted by Judy Whiteside and Andy Simpson.Funding was a problem and sponsorship wasactively pursued and obtained resulting in thepublication of a modern, updated handbook,together with the insert, which is updated annually.The active co-operation of teams and regions isessential to ensure an accurate flow of information,which reflects well on the MRC.

The vehicle chosen to communicate withmountain rescuers was a newsletter. This was to beproduced by mountain rescuers for mountainrescuers. Judy Whiteside and Andy Simpson wereasked to undertake and develop what became theʻMRC Newsʼ. Funding the publication was an issue.

However, the MRC saw this as a priority andaccepted there is a cost, which it must meet. Theprofessional standard achieved in terms of designand content, has allowed Judy to sell advertisingspace to companies involved in providing outdoorequipment, which now means the publication iscompletely self-funding and will be published on aquarterly basis. An amazing achievement, which istestament to the skill and commitment of the editor.

It was important to identify a contact withmedia skills to be available and act as a conduit todirect media interest to the appropriate personwithin the MRC and Andy Simpson fulfils this roleadmirably. However, his role has grown, asequipment manufacturers, suppliers and exhibitionorganisers wish to become more involved withmountain rescue – clearly demonstrating the raisedprofile that mountain rescue now enjoys.

Ged Feeney, Statistics Officer, is part of thePISC group, providing clear, accurate data which isreproduced in the MRC Handbook. Part of this isʻcauses of accidentsʼ which can help in reducingfuture accidents by raising awareness in accidentprevention. This is only possible through teamsproviding Ged with their incident data, which thenenables the MRC to provide a true and accuraterecord of mountain rescue incidents.

This group of people have worked hard overthe last four years. The profile of mountain rescueis higher than ever before and, probably moreimportantly, the communication flow to mountainrescuers throughout the MRC is markedlyimproved. I hope members feel some ownership ofthe MRC and what it is achieving. I know I do.

Under the new chairmanship of AndySimpson, the PISC group will achieve much formountain rescue nationally, and I hope you willcontinue to support it, as you have over the last fouryears. Remember itʼs working for you.

Ian Hurst Ex PISC Chairman

...A WORDFROM THETOP TABLE...

Itʼs been a busy week! As I write, (19.3.04) anumber of developments have taken place in theMRCʼs efforts to get central government to take usseriously. Or, in the case of some MPs, notice thatwe actually exist at all and are relevant to theirconstituents.

It started back in early February when PeterHowells, Penny Brockman, Stewart Hulse, TonyJones and myself attended a meeting at theHouses of Parliament, to which all MPs wereinvited. Sadly only 7 or 8 (out of 600?) turned upbut the end result was very positive in that an EarlyDay Motion was agreed and backed by thosepresent. The EDM, announced last week, called forall party support of the work we do and asks that

the relevant government departments review theirsupport of our work and look to make similarfunding available as that awarded to our Scottishcolleagues.

A flurry of activity ensued, some peoplesupporting the EDM, some not. Even the BBCpicked it up, resulting in a piece appearing in ʻThePolitics Showʼ in the North East region on March14. The interesting thing was that no governmentdepartment sees itself as responsible. Indeed, Iwas contacted by the Department of Health forinformation on the two health authorities who giveus some funding for equipment, about which theyknew nothing.

Nevertheless, the ball has started rolling and,whilst I know that government funding for MR is anemotive subject, weʼll at least see if thereʼs anyinterest out there. If there is, weʼll see whatʼs onoffer. If not weʼll carry on rattling tins at passingshoppers in ASDA car parks.

Andy Simpson MRC Press Officer

...AND FROMTHE PRESSOFFICER...

II NN CC OO RR PP OO RR AA TT II NN GG MM RR CC NN EE WW SS

Front page pic Andy Simpson, MRC Press Officer

on top of the Breithorn

To order a Berghaus brochure T: + 44 (0) 191 516 5700

M O U N T A I N R E S C U E M A G A Z I N E

www.berghaus.com

“If you’ve got to get into this kind of

predicament, I can’t think of a better

person to be with” Doug Scott mumbled

through gritted teeth. He was talking to

Chris Bonington in 1977, when their first

ascent of the Ogre turned into an epic

descent. Together they battled through

extreme weather conditions with little

food and no medical supplies. And

together they made it back to basecamp.

The ordeal lasted eight days. Doug

crawled most of the way with both legs

broken. Chris sustained broken ribs and

developed pneumonia. So sharing a joke

together, 24 years later, on their old

haunt Shepherd’s Crag, is something

they relish more than most.

To order a Berghaus brochure T: + 44 (0) 191 516 5700

M O U N T A I N R E S C U E M A G A Z I N E A P R I L 2 0 0 4P A G E 4 M O U N T A I N R E S C U E M A G A Z I N EA P R I L 2 0 0 4 P A G E 5

SEARCH PLANNING & MANAGEMENT40 places.This course addresses the vital skills required to plan and manage a search operation.Date: 13-17 SeptemberLocation: Bangor UniversityContact: Dr ASG Jones MBE

01248 364131Peter Howells01633 893447

WATER HAZARDS AWARENESSTo be arranged.Contact: John Edwards

jmemr@talk21.com

EQUIPMENT INSPECTION & TECHNICAL ASPECTSTo be arranged.Contact: John Edwards

jmemr@talk21.com

NATIONAL TRAINING SEMINAR100 places.Everyone welcome.Date: Sunday 23 MayLocation: Plas y BreninContact: Richard Holmes

0191 252 7485r_n_holmes@hotmail.com

PARTY LEADERSHIP TRAINING30 places.This practical course promoteseffective leadership of parties during a search and rescue operation,crucial to a successful outcome.Date: Weekend 2-6 JulyLocation: RishworthContact: Peter Smith

01706 852 335petersmith.mr@btopenworld.com

SEARCH FIELD SKILLS30 places.This course addresses skills requiredby searchers in the field. It considersthe vital role of search parties andhow they maximise their efficiencyand effectiveness.Date: 4-6 SeptemberLocation: Bangor UniversityContact: Dr ASG Jones MBE

01248 364131Peter Howells01633 893447MRCCOURSES2004

COAST TO COAST ON THERAVENBER WAYBY RON SCHOLES

The Ravenber is a challenging coast to coastwalk from Ravenglass, in Cumbria, toBerwick-upon-Tweed, Englandʼs northernmost town. Following existing rights of way,the route leads the walker through terrain ofdramatic contrasts. It passes through themountain heart of Lakeland and traces theRoman road over the High Street Range. Itcrosses the pastoral Eden Valley, climbs theHigh Pennines and heads towards the remote

fell country of Northumberland. The vast northern forests androunded heights of the Cheviot Hills give way to the leafyvalley of the River Till and, finally, the traveller follows thebanks of the mighty Tweed, to reach the North Sea at Berwick.A walker of many yearsʼ experience, Ron Scholes takes thereader on a complete guided tour of the route, from history andarchitecture to the best spot for lunch. The 209 miles walk isdivided into fourteen sections, with sketch maps to indicate themain route as well as a number of alternatives.A long standing leader of YHA walking tours, and the author ofseveral books and many articles in magazines and journals,he has appeared regularly on radio, and briefly on TV, and isrenowned for his popular lectures and illustrated talks onwalking and the countryside.Coast to Coast on the Ravenber Way. 1-85821-185-9.Published by Landmark Publishing Ltd. Price £7.50.For further information ron.scholes@btinternet.com

NATIONALTRAINING DAY,PLAS Y BRENINThis yearʼs NationalTraining Day will departfrom the format of previousyears. Rather than a singletopic or theme, there willbe a wide range ofdifferent sessions,including a couple ofmedical scenarios, watersafety, GPS mapping,stake belays, and a furthertopic yet to be confirmed.Peter Smith will be co-ordinating theattendees. These dayshave always been verywell received and wellworth the time and thejourney. David Allan, MRCChairman, said, ʻI wouldurge all teams toencourage their membersto consider attending, asthere is bound to besomething of interest.There is always value inlooking at how other teamsdo things and sharing ideas.ʼ

MRC WEBSITEThere is still concern thatteams and their membersare not taking fulladvantage of the website.Its potential use as a toolfor the rapid disseminationof information comes upfor discussion at everyConference. The facility isthere – and within theprivate members area –yet many seem reluctant toupload information, ormeeting reports.With this in mind, PaulBaxendale will be staginga half hour demonstration

at Plas y Brenin in May.The presentation will takeplace between 13.30 and14.00, at the beginning ofthe afternoon meeting.

MRC HANDBOOK

The production anddistribution date for thenew MRC Handbook andinsert has been shifted toJune. The deadline forupdated team informationis 30 April. This should besent to Eve Burton,Handbook Co-ordinator at9 Princes Road, Chinley,High Peak SK23 6AB orvia email on eveburton@chinley35.fsnet.co.uk

The address to contactEve via the website hasrecently changed tohandbook@mountain.rescue.org.ukThe address for theMountain RescueMagazine has alsochanged. This is noweditor@mountain.rescue.org.uk

INSURANCE UPDATEInsurance details shouldnow be with teams throughtheir Secretaries. If youhavenʼt received yours,please contact David Little,MRC Treasurer.

MRC NEWSGROUPSUse of the newsgroupsappears to have droppedoff recently. This may wellbe linked to a suddenrealisation that newsgroupdiscussions are publiclyaccessible... or perhapsinterest has genuinelywaned? Whatever the

reason, this remains astrong platform for theexchange of ideas andinformation. We know thatmany of you follow thediscussions withoutactually throwing in yourtwo pennʼorth, but why notjoin in? If you donʼt knowhow, hereʼs what you do...If you have OutlookExpress, go toTools>Accounts. Click theadd button and selectNews. Fill in the boxeswith your name and emailaddress. The NNTP servername is news.mountain.rescue.org.uk (itdoesnʼt require you to login). The friendly name isthe one you will see withyour folders, like the inbox,so choose something youwill like. Typically, youconnect using your phoneline, select your existingISP account. Click finishand itʼs done. You shouldnow be able to see theserver and its groups inthe same window as yourinbox and outbox. Clickingon any of the groups willconnect you.The MRC server hostsvarious groups. Messagesare arranged in threads,made up of a number ofpostings on a commontheme. You can move fromone message to the nextand so easily follow thethread of the discussion.The main group of interestis the mrc.general. This iswhere the majority ofdiscussions take place.mrc.test is for people topractice posting messages

and creating threads. Youshould use this beforeposting messages for realand to make sure yoursystem is correctlyconfigured. Itʼs also worthpointing out that messageson this group disappearvery quickly so as not toclog up the system.mrc.announce is used topass on messages aboutnew groups, changes tothe system and moregeneral announcements.mrc.faq holds the answersto some commonly askedquestions. If you have aproblem, this is the placeto look before posting thequestion to one of thegroups. Finally,mrc.internet concernsquestions relating to theinternet.

NATIONALDEVELOPMENTMembers of the NationalDevelopment group metagain, in January, forfurther discussion on thenational development ofmountain rescue. Therehas already been muchcomment, from around thecountry, about this drive tomodernise the MRC. Butwhy do we need to? Is thisjust a whim? What exactlyis driving it? At the root of the problemare the differentperceptions, at all levels,over the exact role of thenational body. On the onehand, we expect ʻthemʼ toco-ordinate, set standards,define roles, providetraining and, hopefully,

equipment. On the other,we want to be able tomake our own decisions,do our own thing when itsuits us. A more efficientMRC will better serve itsmember teams, byenabling them to betterserve the public. A strongernational profile formountain rescue willrender us less financiallyvulnerable (through thegeneration of non-restrictedfunds), make moreeffective use of our brand(right through to teamlevel) and increase ourability to influence otherprofessional organisationsinvolved with search andrescue. To achieve all this,amongst other things, weneed to recognise andutilise the professional(non-mountain rescueskills) of those within ourorganisation and have theinfrastructure in place tomanage that change.Communication is vital atall levels and we also needteams to buy into theconcept. It wonʼt be aneasy process for any of us.The question is, are weready to take up thechallenge?

MRCNEWS FIXED DATES INTHE CALENDER

MRC MEETINGSSATURDAY 22 MAY& 20 NOVEMBERTEAM LEADERS

MEETINGSATURDAY

4 DECEMBERTEAM DOCTORS

MEETINGFRIDAY

8 OCTOBER

READING MATTERS

THE RHP COMPANION TOOUTDOOR EDUCATIONEDITED BY BOB SHARP & PETER BARNES

Outdoor education may not be high onthe agenda in these days of ʻcouchpotatoʼ computer oriented learning butthis book goes some way to address thebalance. The first comprehensive textabout outdoor education written explicitlyfor students, academics and practitionersin the UK, it also provides a ʻdetailedoverview for those trainers,commissioners and funders with whomoutdoor educators work in partnership,ʼaccording to the publishers. It is a ʻlucid

and helpful assessment of the state of outdoor educationtoday, with an important focus on how differing individuals andgroups may learn from outdoor experience...ʼ states theforward by Roger Putnam MBE, former chair of the MountainLeader Training Board, the National Association for OutdoorEducation and the English Outdoor Council.The RHP Companion to Outdoor Education. 1-903855-36-5.Published by Russell House Publishing Ltd. Price £18.95.

M O U N T A I N R E S C U E M A G A Z I N EA P R I L 2 0 0 4 P A G E 7M O U N T A I N R E S C U E M A G A Z I N E A P R I L 2 0 0 4P A G E 6

MRCNEWSA,B,C,D and E - Casualty Carerevamp in progress

Donʼt panic – Casualty Care is not being re-written! The Medical Sub Committeehas started the process of reviewing the MRC Casualty Card. The pink A5 card has beenin existence for a good many years. I think it was one of the first national items producedand gained widespread acceptance thanks to the hard work of Brian Wright and GrahamPercival. At the time it was cutting edge stuff. I can remember the interest shown byhospitals and ambulance services in the clear way it put information across. It didwonders for the image of the MRC in many Accident & Emergency Departments.

However, time has moved on and, though the essential information has remainedthe same, many teams have now developed more modern casualty cards to meet theirown requirements. There are many outstanding examples, perhaps the most advancedbeing one developed by Mathew Kinsey in the Peak. Perhaps we will find it difficult toget back to a universal card but we are going to try.

Modern casualty cards reflect (and remind) the casualty carer to do the A(irwaywith cervical spine control) then B(reathing with oxygen) then C(irculation) first. APrimary Survey with an AMPLE history including prompts to do something, like stoppingbleeding, at the appropriate time right in front of you as you deal with the casualty.Sounds like a good idea in the melee of incident. This apparently easy task is beingspearheaded by John Saxton in Cleveland. Getting the right information for the widebreadth of different casualties is going to be a challenge.

To support the new casualty card we are also expanding our range of guidelines toput more flesh on the bones. The A card is almost complete and the D card on Headinjury is available on the web (as illustrated). Others will follow to complete the series. Ihope they will complement the new casualty card.

ʻCasualty Care in Mountain Rescueʼ is being re-written (for 2005) but the approachto the Primary Survey will look very like, if not identical, to the ʻguidelineʼ cards. Now yousee I have another motive to developing the Primary Survey!

John Ellerton MRC Medical Officer

PROPOSED NAME CHANGERebranding and reimaging is an ongoing process inany progressive organisation, and now we have beforeus the proposal to delete the word ʻCouncilʼ from ournational body. Whilst no doubt there will be those fullyin favour, those against and those indifferent, thisproposal would have a large effect on a number ofteams, who so far have fully supported and fallen inwith the ʻcorporate identityʼ thinking of the MRC to date,(and gone through one previous name change fromCommittee to Council, since when our corporate imagehas been greatly developed and refined).Bolton MRT is not alone in applying the MRCbadgework throughout the team in many applications,in full support of the MRC. Should such a namechange now be approved then, instantly, Bolton MRTand many others, are out of date with their signage andlogos, which was provided at some considerable costto us – and to our supporters who raised the money.

For example, within the Bolton team, and after takingadvice from the MRC, we have changed all our letterheadings, website header and other team admin, toutilise the MRC logo.A recent order for four items, each x 50, of new teamoutdoor clothing has just been delivered, each itembearing the MRC approved logo. We have also (atcost) changed all three of our team member casualclothing items to bear the MRC logo. Both our newbases carry large signboards, bearing the MRC logo,as do our four team vehicles and two trailers, on bothsides of each.And now we understand there is a proposal to changethe name and, therefore, the logo again! No doubt thesupporters will mention a changeover period, but letsbe realistic with our organisation, money is tight withinteams, and I doubt if many of us can afford arebadging exercise with what we have to date. Forexample, our new outdoor clothing has a life

expectancy of ten years (along with the badgeworksewn into it).There is always a time and place to change things butnot, I proffer, at the moment when encouraged by theMRC, a great many teams have fallen in with theʻcorporate badgeworkʼ to date. Surely we should beconsolidating the image many teams have now fallen inwith, rather than having yet another badge out there, toadd to the confusion of our broad corporate identity?Perhaps the supporters of such a name change, andthe associated badgework and logo change whichwould have to take place alongside this, wouldconsider an appropriate fundraising effort, to pay forrebadging within all those teams who have supportedthe corporate identity of the MRC, and carried the MRClogo to date? (Yes, I know thatʼs a non starter.)Garry Rhodes (Team Leader) and theleadership of Bolton MRT. February 2004

Mountain Rescue Bites Back

Sorry, I can sense your attention wanderingalready... what on earth is she rambling onabout? Trail, thatʼs what. Trail, the best sellingwalking mag in the UK. Back in January, they rana piece on mountain myths, incorporatingmountain rescue. Having spent the last fouryears plus helping to develop various meanswhereby mountain rescue can bettercommunicate both internally, and to a widerpublic, I read those few paragraphs with dismay.

Sure, they did say we do a ʻfantastic jobʼ.But, apparently, there are no figures existingabout how many rescue call outs there are eachyear, how many mountain deaths, or what is thebiggest ʻkillerʼ, as they call it, in the UK hills. Itwould also appear that, while the Lake Districtteams have had the good sense and foresight toform their own ʻumbrella organisationʼ, the rest ofthe country is woefully uncollaborative and thereis ʻno national organisation responsible formaking use of the huge amount of data eachteam amasses each year. Lessons learnt in oneplace arenʼt being applied in the others.ʼ

Now, there may still be a residue of feeling(misguided in my opinion) that the MRC is somedistant corporate body, out of touch with its grass

roots, but those people who turn up to regionalmeetings across the country and sit on nationalsub committees or represent their teams andregions at national level, might beg to differ.

Following the article, the MRC Press Officer,Andy Simpson, had a lengthy telephoneconversation with Guy Proctor, Trail Editor.Problem solved. Er... wasnʼt it? Februaryʼs issuecame and went. Okay... maybe itʼs the lead timeson these big mags? But there was a responsefrom a Scarborough & District team member, soclearly not. Then, in March, came a letter from aformer lifeboatman and governor of the RNLI,seeking to stimulate debate on the formation of anational body for mountain rescue.

He says, ʻWith the overview of a nationalbody, fundraising can be carried out on acountrywide basis, as can publicity. Also,extensive testing of clothing and equipment canbe instigated, and buying decisions made on thebasis of sound reasoning and evaluation.ʼ Anational body could bring ʻstandardisation ofapproachʼ, produce ʻtraining regimesʼ andʻnegotiate insurance schemesʼ.

Of course, he is absolutely right. (Perhapswe should ask this chap to join our organisation?)But... hello.... these things are already happening.We have regional and national bodies who not

only talk to each other, but exchange informationwith our international cousins through our own UKConferences and IKAR. We have a statisticsofficer. Our statistics are available every yearthrough the MRC handbook, the MRC websiteand through the BMC. We have insurance inplace. We are undertaking research anddevelopment in (and supplying) equipment –most notably the casbag. We run national trainingcourses. We are looking – indeed, have alreadybegun – to fundraise nationally. And, given thatTrail had been made aware of these facts, youmight think they would have respondedaccordingly, perhaps pointed the reader in theright direction.

So, steam and sparks spitting from my pen,I sat down and wrote (yes, long hand) a verydetailed letter on our behalf, which was thentransferred to typewritten hard copy and email. Iwonʼt repeat its content here – if youʼre interested,I posted it to the newsgroup and it was also sentout to teams, via Eve Burton, as the ʻofficial MRCresponseʼ.

At the time of writing, there has beenabsolutely nothing from Trail, not even anacknowledgement. The April issue now sits on mydesk. Thankfully, they have printed a letter fromthe Lake District which goes a good way toputting the record straight. But, as the editorialstaff at Trail appear to think that only the Lakesteams have any sort of co-ordinated activity – orcommunicative skills – does printing thatresponse, rather than the ʻofficialʼ one from thenational body, not merely reinforce the myth?

Maybe Iʼll turn back the pages of the Mayissue and see that mountain rescue has finallybeen vindicated. Mmmm...

Friday 10 Septemberto Sunday 12 September

This yearʼs Conference takes place at theUniversity of North Wales, Bangor. At the time of going to press, funding from theCommunity Fund has not been achieved.Nevertheless, the cost to delegates has beenpinned at the level of the Durham Conference,three years ago. There will be 400 subsidisedplaces available for team personnel at £75(excluding Scottish Police teams) includingaccommodation.

Initially, there will be four places allocated per team – the deadline forteams to take up their allocation is 31 May – after which places are open toapplicants – and the price, potentially, goes up!

To ALSAR and Irish teams, the cost is £125. It is also anticipated thatrepresentatives of other organisations will attend. To HMCG and EmergencyServices personnel – including RAF, Police MRTs, Red Cross and St JohnAmbulance – the cost will be £250.

Exhibitors are still being signed up and the programme yet to be finalised,but the Conference Committee hope to present a stimulating weekend to rivalthe success of 2002. And rumour has it that the bar at Bangor Uni knowsbetter than to run out of beer... well, weʼll see about that, eh?For further details, contact Eve Burton on 01663 750371 or via email eveburton@chinley35.fsnet.co.ukFor trade stand information, contact Richard Terrell on 07971 191942 or 01495270717. Email exhibitors.conf2004@mountain.rescue.org.uk orrichardterrell2@aol.comWeʼre looking for photos for use during the Conference and in the brochure –please send on CD to Richard Terrell, 21 Mount Pleasant Terrace, Pontywaun,Crosskeys, Newport, Gwent NP11 7GH or via email as above.

A tiny piece of technology with a big impact...

When it comes to mountain rescue equipment,weight and size really do matter. So much so that, untilrelatively recently, the cardiac defibrillator remained thepreserve of the hospital and ambulance service. But therevolutionary Access CardioSystems AED – with its tinydimensions and weight – looks set to change all that.Sold in the UK through R L Dolby, the Access defibrillatoris a realistic addition to any teamʼs kit.

Managing Director, Arthur Dolby said, ʻWe havebeen selling medical equipment for more than 30 years,and only rarely do we see products making such arevolutionary leap forwards as the Access AED. At just1.3 kg, it should be regarded as being as indispensableas bandages.ʼ

The AED is available in three formats – PublicAccess, with user prompts and voice instructions, theAED version with ecg display, and the ALS which has theability for experienced users to overide the automaticsettings for use as a manual defibrillator.

All models are Bi-phasic and will interpret andadvise shocks for ventricular fibrillation and widecomplex ventricular tachycardia greater than 180 bpm.Optional features allow any event to be recorded andreplayed with interpretation on PC.

Mr Dolby added, ʻWith this level of technology andat such low prices, there really is no excuse fordefibrillation not being more widely available. As a keenand regular hill walker myself, Iʼm sure that older walkersand climbers would take comfort if they knew that theMRT were carrying defibrillation facilities.ʼ

UK Mountain RescueConference 2004

JJuuddyy WWhhiitteessiiddee hhiittss tthhee TTrraaiill iinn tthhee nnaammee ooff mmoouunnttaaiinn rreessccuuee......

There’s been a fair amount of hot air around lately. Some mightsay that’s pretty normal amongst mountain rescuers, especiallyfuelled by a few beers, a hard day on the hill and a bit of internalpoliticising. But, I’m not talking about that – although even withinMR, opinion on this particular topic seems to be divided – the‘You’re being far too sensitive,’ camp versus the ‘This isoutrageous, isn’t something going to be done about it’ camp.

FIRST RESPONSE...

MID PENNINEHANDS ACROSS THE COUNTRYBolton MRT continue the goodwill benefitingteams across the country, notably CornwallRescue Group and Hampshire SAR. JimGallienne and Andy Brelsford travelled up fromCornwall to collect an entire stock of 48 Buffalojackets and 44 Sprayway Jackets. Meanwhile,Fred and Margaret Moore, associate members ofHampshire SAR, have taken delivery of a RenaultMaster T35 Ambulance, which has been withBolton since its initial purchase from StaffordshireAmbulance Service in November 1998. It will bethe lowland teamʼs first vehicle, which they nowintend to convert into a Control and Commandvehicle.

NORTH EASTTEAM GOES FOR ITTeesdale & Weardale SRT has developed aunique computer programme to record the mainevents during a search. Originally intended toenter radio traffic against a date and time stamp, ithas changed as its potential has been realised.Now at its fourteenth version, it is used to collectinformation on a search and produce reports fromthe printer in the teamʼs control vehicle. Thereports provide a complete record of events,which are incorporated into the search managerʼsreport to the police. The ʻclerkʼ, directed by theteam leader, records information from police,witnesses and team members.Printed reports – all linked to a unique searchreference number – show missing person details,interviews, police details, pager messages, radiocall signs, equipment in use, radio log, personnelon the search and, most recently, the key events.The system is particularly valuable in majorsearches where there is a large amount ofinformation to store and review. The team hasconsiderable expertise in this type of search anduses many sources to formulate the searchpattern. These include police, family, colleagues,witnesses and missing personsʼ behaviouralstatistics. A second monitor in the control area ofthe vehicle enables the search manager to reviewthe ongoing incident and allow easy handover to anew controller.Reports are filed for record purposes and anextract given to the police, who have beenimpressed by the detail and format. They are ableto incorporate these accurate and immediaterecords directly into the police log. The ability tolook back over the records can reveal strengthsand weaknesses in search patterns, thuscontributing to the teamʼs experience and training.Some early versions of the database – © TSWSRT– were distributed to interested teams at MRC2002. The plan is to demonstrate the latest versionat MRC 2004. TWSRT intend to offer training in itsuse later this year.

TRIP TO ICELANDTeesdale & Weardale SRT is one of only afew, if not the only, search and rescue teams in theUK with a youth section, unlike Iceland, where itʼsthe norm. It was this that led to the team beingawarded a grant by the North Pennines LeaderProgramme to visit some of the Icelandic teams inand around the Reykyavik area. The purpose of

the visit was to make contacts within ICESAR withthe view to possible exchange visits between theyouth sections.Chris Roberts, Deputy Team Leader, CadetTraining Officer, Isabella Barnes and RussellWarne were treated to a rewarding week ofIcelandic hospitality. They met representatives ofIcelandic teams and sampled many of theexperiences that Iceland has to offer. It becameimmediately clear that a future exchange visitwould be a very exciting prospect. Chris Robertssays, ʻBearing in mind the relative speed in whichthe venture and programme were put together, ourhosts in Iceland gave us a wonderful insight intothe Search and Rescue (SAR) Organisation inIceland, and also a flavour of the culture of theCountry. On arrival we were met at the airport andtaken to the SAR headquarters, where weimmediately gained a first hand experience of thecommitment to youth involvement within IcelandicSAR (ICESAR). Some 25 young people (aged 14-16 years) had been involved in a weekend first aidtraining session and were demonstrating theirnewly acquired skills. We were impressed not onlyby the number of young people involved, but alsothe enthusiasm shown by the group, who werecomposed equally of boys and girls.ʼDuring the week they were taken to several SARbases, including a training vessel run by ICESARthat delivers all aspects of maritime safety trainingto sailors around the country. At every base theywere given a warm welcome and shown, alwayswith great pride, around the facilities. They werecontinually impressed by the high profile thatyouth involvement took at each centre. Mostteams have very active youth sections withdedicated training officers. One evening visit sawa youth training night in session. It has long beenrecognised by ICESAR that young people are thelife blood of the organisation, so their youthsections are now well established. Clearly thereare lessons that we could learn here!Chris continues, ʻUnlike rescue teams in the UK,many of the Icelandic teams are also responsiblefor sea rescue. We were lucky enough to be takento visit such a base at Gridavik on the coast southof Reykjavic. Here again, there is a thriving youthsection. However, what stuck in our minds aboutthis visit was not being driven along the coast in a

superb 4x4 vehicle to look at past ship wrecks, orbeing driven up a mountain track in the pitch darkto look at the towns illuminated way below and theNorthern Lights dancing above us. No, it wasbeing taken back to base at 22.00hrs, invited to tryon immersion suits, and then led to the harbourside to check out just how effective the suits are inthe North Atlantic by leaping off the harbour!ʻOur hosts not only gave us an insight into theoperational side of search and rescue in Iceland,but also the environment in which the teams work.On two separate days we were taken out into thecountryside to experience walking in theunfamiliar landscape that is Iceland. We are allexperienced mountain walkers, but our two daysout in the remoteness of Iceland was, withoutdoubt, something that will stay with us. Thecountry is very big, remote, and quite beautiful, italso hits the senses in other ways – there is oftenthe smell of sulphur as evidence of the volcanicactivity in the area. In a dayʼs walk we cameacross mountain rivers, waterfalls, snow and ice,boiling craters, streams hot enough to bathe in,canyons, but not a single person!ʻWe were also taken on the tourist trips. We visitedthe site of the first Icelandic Parliament, thebiggest waterfall in Iceland, and the Geysers. Wewent riding on Icelandic ponies with their uniquestride, and we bathed at the Blue Lagoon. Wewatched with wonder as the Northern Lightsplayed above our heads.ʻAll the activity aside, we still had some time tolook around the town and get a flavour of theculture. There were many places we did not visit –the museums and galleries – which we can,hopefully, catch up on next time.ʻI found the trip an extraordinary experience andwould like to thank LEADER for the opportunity. Ifirmly believe that from this visit I can develop aproject that will have a major impact on the groupinvolved. The scope for experiences not availablein the UK is clear. We sampled walking in anenvironment that was quite breathtaking. We sawsights that were totally new to us. We experienceda culture that is in many ways very different to ourown, particularly the language, but at the sametime with many similarities. The opportunity forlearning new skills, particularly those involvingsnow and ice, is clear. I would like these same

on one to get our garage access and sold it on minus its garden. The otherbecame our temporary home. The building was due to take nine months. Ittook twelve. We operated out of our three bedroom terrace during one of ourbusier years. BT and Hayes Garden World allowed us to park our vehicles intheir car parks. South Lakeland District Council even waived parking ticketsfor team members parked on their car park without a ticket during rescues!And now weʼve finished. Itʼs warm, dry, spacious, bright and a joy to work in.We have garaging for four vehicles, a large drying room, excellent storage,comfortable operations rooms, kitchen, dining room, and a fantastic trainingfacility.

A stained glass window panel, which was presented to the team in 1986, isnow in pride of place in the new building. According to John Graham, writingin the 2002 Annual Report, the panel was the last piece of stained glassmade by Mr B Dean Walmsley and was presented by his niece Mrs DoreneFurness on behalf of his estate, a year after his death. Mr Walmsley and hiswife, Beatrice, were both artists in stained glass, oil and watercolour.Examples of the work of their St Annes Studio can be seen at SalmesburyHall and in seven large windows in Queen Elizabeth School, Blackburn. Infact, the Queen Elizabeth School commission – made around 1925 by T BLewis Esq, Governor of the School – is where the Langdale Amblesidewindow comes in.

So much work goes into making these windows that twowere always made. The seven windows were comprised ofone larger one, the Queen Elizabeth Charter Window, andsix lights, known as House Windows. Each one of theHouse Windows depicts an incident in the life of six famousseamen. The profile of a rescuer depicted on the teamʼswindow is the same profile as Sir Francis Drake.

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REGIONALNEWS

TEAM MOVES IN...Langdale Ambleside MRT have moved in to their new base... and veryimpressive it is, too. Where the old Lowood headquarters once stood, is nowa gleaming, high tech rescue centre, complete with an impressive meetingroom, chairs arranged neatly round a square table formation (I didnʼt like toask what happened in the empty space in the centre), a comfortable sofa-filled relativesʼ room, locker room, drying room, fitted kitchen (freezer,apparently full of pies, cupboards full of KitKats, and not a bad cup of tea!),dining room, high tech control room, equipment store, presentation room...not to mention a pristine garage from which the team vehicles can exit thefront doors, straight onto the main road, returning later through the backdoors... and neatly back into position.

Nick Owen, Deputy Team Leader, takes up the story...Langdale Ambleside MRT moved in to its Lowfold premises just after itsformation in 1970. It was a shed! The shed developed into a garage, and anoperations room, then a double garage, and a bit more space, and so on...The trouble was that the draughts and cold were never really addressed. Northe low ceilings that saw at least three team members knocked out in my 12years with the team. The other problem was that the lowest floor level waslower than the highest water level, and a wetʼnʼdry vacuum was onpermanent standby to reclaim the floor. The other main shortcoming was thatwe had grown to need four Land Rovers, and only had three garage spaces.One vehicle stood outside cultivating moss! Somewhere around 1999,someone had the bright idea of moving to a new base. We were buoyed bythe success that other Lakes rescue teams had had with fundraising,particularly through the Lottery.Next decision was where? This caused much discussion (some quiteheated). The decision we finally arrived at was to stay put and redevelop.This decision was arrived at largely because there appeared to be nowhereelse in Ambleside where we could find the space we needed. We then wentabout the process of deciding what we wanted. We looked at all the thingswe couldnʼt do presently, visited nearly every rescue base in the Lakes, andsome further afield, and stole all their good ideas. Then we appointed anarchitect who had designed a new base for Kendal MRT which they werevery happy with.The problem with this was that we then needed a temporary home. Again wehunted, and had some generous offers, but none entirely suitable. The

problem was solved when we realised thatwe could, temporarily, use an adjoininghouse that we had purchased in acquiringthe land we needed. One of the problemswe encountered in the early stages wasthat we discovered that we didnʼt own theentrance to our car park, or the land weneeded to get drive-through access to thegarage. To resolve this we purchased twoneighbouring houses, changed the deeds

� HANDLE WITH CARE �

To find out more about us or to become a member contact:Friends of the Lake DistrictFreepost LA1186Kendal, Cumbria LA9 8BRTel: 01539 720788‘Caring for the countryside in the LakeDistrict and throughout Cumbria for thebenefit of everyone’

Each year millions of people visit the Lake District National Park. It’s a special place, away from many of the pressures of everyday life.

Friends of the Lake District work to keep it, and the rest of Cumbria, special for the benefit of everyone.

When we were formed, 70 years ago, we were at the forefront of themovement for the Lake District to be designated a National Park and our workcontinues today. Whether you come from near or far, we want you to enjoy the

Lake District, but why not join us and help keep it special, too?

www.fld.org.ukReg. Charity No: 228443

LAKE DISTRICT

The way they were...

Squeaky new and ready foraction...

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MOUNTAIN RESCUE HANDBOOK PAGE 23...‘...THERE ARE JOINT EXERCISES ALLOWING NEIGHBOURING TEAMS TO WORK TOGETHER...’

If youʼre planning a trip to the Lakes, you might be interested to know there is now a webcam looking directlyup at Scafell Pike and taking a picture every min. You can see it on www.wasdaleweb.co.uk

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experiences to be shared by others!ʼChris remains in contact with KolbrúnGumundsdóttir, Educational Department/YouthSupervisor for ICESAR. ʻI know that she wouldlike to develop links with us, and would welcomethe opportunity to take part in some exchangeprogramme.ʼThe TWSRT youth section is open to youngpeople over the age of 16. Chris can be contactedon 01833 690268 or via email onchris.roberts@tinyworld.co.uk or at the TWSRTbase 01833 630999.

NORTH WALESWELSH LESSONS KEEP CLIMBERSALIVE Nikki Wallis, Snowdonia Park Warden and searchdog handler, was out on patrol with her dog,Jacob, when she heard cries for help. Shediscovered one of two climbers in agony aftershattering his kneecap in a fall from a ridge highabove the Pyg track on Crib Y Ddysgl in wintryconditions. More than 50 team members fromLlanberis, Ogwen and AbergalslynMRTs battled through treacherous conditionsand zero visibility for eight hours, as Nikki kept thepair awake, and hypothermia at bay, playing wordgames and teaching them Welsh. Two attemptsby Llanberis troops – one from below the incidentlocation (the Pyg track) and one from the side.(Bwlch Cock/Rock Step) – were seriouslyhampered by the high winds and snow stormsand they were forced to turn back. Eventually, astrong team of Ogwen and Llanberis membersmanaged to reach the location, a precariousscree slope just above a steep cliff, below an areaknown as the sheep track, which Nikki describesas ʻan enticing little path which leads away fromthe Rock Step, but then peters out and ends inreally difficult hazardous steep scree and gullygroundʼ. A route that would have taken themstraight down to the Pyg track if they had slid.By this time, Nikki was preparing to stay with theboys overnight or, at least, until weatherconditions improved. ʻIt had literally been a caseof cutting bucket seats in the snow, using the wetsnow to form a splint as far as possible for his leginjury, and supporting the casualty on the lowerside so that he didnʼt slide down the mountain.ʼThe casualty was finally stretchered to safety –although this in itself took some considerable timedue to the conditions – arriving at the Pen Y PassNational Park Warden Centre in the early hours ofthe morning. ʻWithout the group shelter I wascarrying – and which I always carry when Iʼm onpatrol – the situation would have been a differentmatter.ʼ And, just to up the ante, another rescuewas going on in Ogwen Valley.Fellow Warden, Aled Taylor, of Llanberis MRT,who helped co-ordinate the rescue said, ʻIt washorrendous for the rescue teams – everyone, whoare all hardened mountaineers, came backabsolutely shattered. They are lucky to be aliveand Nikki did really well.ʼMeanwhile, Jacob enjoyed all the ʻfluffyʼ mediainterest so much that he has taken to signing(paw printing) autographed picture postcards.Nikkiʼs other search dog, Caleb, the officialSARDA dog and the qualified one, isunderstandably quite envious of the attention!

PEAK DISTRICT40 YEARS OF LIFE SAVING WORKPeak District teams are celebrating 40 yearswith a concerted effort to raise the profile ofmountain rescue, both locally and beyond.Mike France, PDMRO Chairman, is keen tomake the most of the opportunity to present aprofessional, united image with press releasesto national papers and television.The PDMRO was formed following the deathsof two climbers in an avalanche in WildernessGully, Chew Valley in the north of the PeakDistrict National Park, and three scouts in amultiple fatal accident during the 1964 FourInns Walk. Two were from Wells in Somersetand Lowestoft, Norfolk and linked withBirmingham Rover scouts. The other scoutwas from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

It may be only forty (some would say) shortyears since the regional organisation tookshape but, itʼs fair to say, mountain rescue hasbeen around within Derbyshire for far longer.An incident on 4 January 1925, when JamesEvans was reported missing on Kinder,showed how a call out should be done. Anappeal was put out in the then ManchesterGuardian for experienced ramblers to attendmeeting points in Glossop, Hayfield andEdale. The president of the Rucksack Clubwould take charge from the Edale side ofKinder, the Police and Manchester RamblingClub would run operations from Hayfield andsearchers were allowed cheap bookings bytrain between Manchester London Road andGlossop or Hayfield. The newspaperʼs ʻspecialcorrespondentʼ in Hayfield reported, ʻThere isa need for a co-ordinated rescue schemesupervised by the policeʼ. Mr Evans was found

dead on 10 January. The coroner recordedexposure as the cause of death.The two tragedies in 1964 demonstrated aclear need for co-ordination and improvedequipment – and the establishment of otherteams. Today, there are seven Peak Districtteams – Buxton, Derby, Edale, Glossop,Kinder, Oldham, Woodhead and RAF Stafford– and the Search & Rescue Dogs Associationof England and Wales (SARDA), is alsorepresented.Buxton MRT was formed in 1964, althoughan earlier RAF team was based at Harpur Hillduring the war years. The team is actually adivision of the St John Ambulance.Derby MRT was also formed in 1964, as adirect result of the Four Inns Walk. Initially, theteam consisted of members of the 51st. Derby(St. Lukeʼs) Rover Scout Crew who were theorganisers of the Four Inns event and theteam still retains its links with the ScoutAssociation by affiliation.Edale MRT traces its roots back to theformation of the Peak District National ParkWarden Service in the early 1950s. For manyyears its members were recruited exclusively

from the ranks of the professional andvolunteer wardens (later Rangers). Althoughin the early 1980s this entry route waswidened to include those outside the Rangerservice.Glossop MRT owes its origins to a team ofRover Scouts formed in 1959, which mergedwith the Glossop Moorland Rescue Team in1965 to form the present team.Kinder MRT came into being in the late1960s as a result of the amalgamation of theSett Valley and the Goyt Valley teams.

Oldham MRT was started by the Scoutorganisation and was called the OldhamRover Scout Mountain Rescue Team. Duringthe 70s the team became independent andwas made into a charitable trust.Woodhead MRT was formed in the early70s by the amalgamation of the HuddersfieldScout MRT, Stocksbridge Barugh Rovers andSheffield Scout MRT. These three teams wereformed as a direct result of the Four Innsfatalities in 1964.

asked via radios or mobile phones. (What didwe do before mobile phones?) It is now about14.30hrs and, by 16.00hrs, it will be dark. Ithad been a good, clear winterʼs day, ideal forwalking. The air temperature was about zero,a day when team members were saying theyhad been frozen just standing about.At last, a message came back to me that therunner had checked in to Crowden at12.15hrs, so she could still be on Bleaklow. Ifshe has had an accident, knowing that fellrunners only wear minimum clothing, in thesetemperatures she could be in real difficulty.Now the pressure is on and experience takesover. Time is now critical. I have about oneand a half hours of daylight. If sheʼs not foundsoon, the chances of her surviving out on themoor overnight are zero. All spare teammembers have been sent back onto Bleaklowto backtrack her route. Some were asked todrive down to the bottom of the Snake Passand check the road up by the Derwent dams.The last three runners have just gone throughthe Snake Inn and they were asked if they hadpassed anyone – no!Putting the search plan together, I called for

extra help from Edale MRT, who met at thebottom of Alport Dale along with their searchand rescue dogs. Glossop MRT had also beencalled to RV at Snake summit and helpWoodhead members already on Bleaklow. Ihad contacted Derbyshire Police to informthem of the problem and ask if I could havetheir helicopter. Within an hour, some 80mountain rescuers, search dogs and a policehelicopter were looking for this lady. Othermembers working in control had been loggingall calls made and received, all tasking wasnow recorded, we had a search plan and timerecords of all tasks. We still had members inEdale that were covering the end of the fellrace. They could not leave until the lastrunners had gone through the finish. The raceorganiser had been asked to check theirrecords to find a home address and phonenumber for the missing runner. Like all races,the person with the names and addressescouldnʼt be found!Itʼs now well-turned 16.00hrs. It is dark andvery cold and all manner of thoughts arerunning through my mind. Then the call camein, not from a hill party, but from the race

organiser. She was at home.My immediate task now is to get all MRTmembers back off the hill safely, stand downthe helicopter and the search dogs. When thishad been done, I could then ask the raceorganiser what had happened. I was told, tomy dismay, that the lady never set off thatmorning because she had not felt well. At thefirst checkpoint, she must have been checkedin by accident. Accidents happen when peopleare cold. This is one for the race organiser tosort out for next year.The Incident Controllerʼs dilemma – did I raisethe alarm too soon? When someoneʼs life is atstake, how long can you wait? Should we havedone all the checks first?Not one team member complained aboutgoing out for no reason. If she had been on themoor in those weather conditions they couldhave saved her life. If she had been there andwe had delayed our search she could, indeedwould, have died. Every mountain rescueteam member is there to help anyone whomay be in difficulty, without question orcomplaint. (Well not many!!)

Each year, in early December, on whatalways seems to be a cold morning,Woodhead MRT meet to cover the Marsden toEdale Fell Race. About 9.00am, the racestarts from the back of the fire station inMarsden. Runners set off up the Wessendenvalley, crossing the A635 at Wessenden head,then over Black Hill and down Crowden totheir first checkpoint.Weʼve always used the day to train newermembers in radio and navigation skills.Because runners move so much faster thanthe team, members have to be off early toreach the high points, then sit about for longperiods, which is one of the reasons MRmembers suffer from hypothermia!From Crowden, the runners set off up TorsideClough over Bleaklow, to emerge at DoctorsGate on the A57, then run down the road totheir second checkpoint at Snake Inn. By thistime, they are well spread out. We can stillhave team members sweeping behind the lastrunners on Black Hill when the front runnersare going through the Snake checkpoint.The team ambulance acts as control for theday, parked on Snake summit, a very cold,windswept place. My role, as Incident

Controller, is to work to the pre-plan, co-ordinating team members and making sureequipment and members are in the rightplace. Because the cold can affect yourjudgement, there are usually two or threepeople working in the control unit. (It has beensaid the reason I canʼt remember wherepeople are is because of my age). Once therunners leave the Snake Inn they are off up toSeal Edge, across Kinder Scout and thendown Golden Clough to Edale. On a good day,the first runner will be having a drink in Edalewith their support team around noon, somethree hours after the start.At about 14.00hrs we checked the number ofoutstanding runners with the race marshalls atSnake Inn. These were a ʻvet femaleʼ(someone over 40 years!) plus five others. Weknew who the last three were because thesweep teams had been tracking them all dayand then two lads ran through the checkpoint,both OK. I needed to know where the femalerunner was. I checked with team members atthe finish. Had she checked in there? Had shemissed the Snake Inn checkpoint? When wasthe last time we saw her? Where was the lastplace we saw her? All these questions are

The Incident Controller’sdilemmaMMiikkee FFrraannccee oonn aa mmiissssiinngg rruunnnneerr aanndd hhyyppootthheerrmmiicc ddeecciissiioonn mmaakkiinngg

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Buxton MRT on exercise

REGIONALNEWS

SARDATECHNO DOGS LEAD THE WAYSearch and rescue dog handlers are to becomethe first volunteer rescue team in the country touse the latest digital mapping and satellitepositioning technology to help them help findmissing people. New equipment will help themnavigate in their quest to reach casualties morequickly and safely.The new equipment will be presented to theSARDA (England) dog handlers at a trainingweekend on Saturday 27 March. Around 30 dogsand their handlers from all over the country will beat Sowerby Bridge, near Halifax. The timing of thesession means handlers will be trained andequipped with the new equipment just before theEaster holidays, traditionally the time when thefells and footpaths get busy with walkers andclimbers.Currently, team members use maps, compassesand GPS units to navigate and locate people. Theproducts, from Holux-UK and Otterbox, willrevolutionise the way search operations areconducted.The Hewlett Packard IPAQ 1940 is a smallhand-held computer with a navigational softwarepackage, communicating to a wireless GPSreceiver. This system gives a map on screenwhich locates the handler and keeps track ofwhere he or she has been. It also allows the userto plan a route and follow it – essential in badweather or poor visibility.The HOLUX GR230 GPS locks onto satellitesto give the handler a fix on their position. Ittransmits the information back to the IPAQ givinginstant information about location, superimposedon an electronic map. OTTERBOX are

specially designed waterproof and shockproofcases, supplied by Rugged Peak for the IPAQ,that protects it from the elements, yet allows useof the touch screen system.ʻThis is a highly significant advance in search andrescue,ʼ said Alex Lyons, SARDA Training Officer.ʻIt will revolutionise the way we conduct searchoperations and hopefully more lives will be savedas a result. Of course, we will still depend on thesensitive noses, stamina and intelligence of ourdogs at the front line.ʻWe are extremely grateful to the suppliers of thisequipment. Itʼs heartening to feel that all thehundreds of hours we put into training our dogswill be maximised when they have to go out thereto rescue people.ʼ

SARDA IN BORROWDALEA joint assessment course organised by SARDA(England) and SARDA (Lakes) was held inBorrowdale in mid January, and enjoyed someinteresting weather! On the Thursday, blizzardconditions with a visibility of about 50 metresmade assessment, at times, nigh on impossible.Whilst on Friday and Saturday, bright sunny daysmade it a joy to watch new dog teams showing offtheir skills.There was a variety of land for the handlers towork, and a well organised programme ensuredall handlers, looking to either grade for the firsttime or upgrade, got a fair chance to prove theirworth. Andy Colau, (CRO), Steve Ward(Woodhead MRT) and John Coombs (Edale MRT)all made the grade at Novice level and HelenMorton (Rossendale & Pendle MRT) successfullynegotiated the upgrade hurdle.The two Associations use different methods ofassessment so neither of the Lakes dogs beingassessed graded at this course, as it was only partof their continuous assessment over eight days.However, Penny Kirby (Wasdale MRT), DaveBenson (Kirkby Stephen MRT) and Pete Collins(Patterdale MRT) have all completed theirassessments during the last few months, and thatmeans SARDA (Lakes) have added five dogs tothe Callout List during 2003. An up and cominggroup of enthusiastic trainees means that thereʼsstill plenty to do in the next couple of years.Training a Search Dog does rely on a constant,committed group of volunteers – the ʻdogʼs bodiesʼ– who are prepared to lie out in all sorts ofweather, and then be assaulted by enthusiastichounds who wish to bark in their ears, steal theirsandwiches and get inside their bivvy bags!Anyone considering training a search dog shouldtry it – youʼll learn a lot about the process. Allhandlers recognise and acknowledge the value ofthese selfless folk during the training process.This course was the second successful jointassessment course run between the Associations,and the next will be hosted by SARDA (Lakes) atConiston in September.

Mick Guy (SARDA Lakes)

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REGIONALNEWSSOUTH WALESBIG BLACK MOUNTAINS CHALLENGELongtown MRT run the Big Black MountainsChallenge, their main event, on 22 May. Theevent consists of three arduous walks/runs over43k, 27k or 16k, between them taking in fifteensummits over 660m around the breathtakingscenery of the Black Mountains. Several of thevalleys are crossed, which makes the challengemore like a mountaineering expedition. Goodnavigation and hill skills are essential. Rather thana minimum amount of sponsorship from eachentrant, there is an entry fee, reduced for thosepreregistering before a specified date, with eachentrant encouraged to raise additional fundsthrough sponsorship. The setting of entry fees isreviewed each year and it should be noted thatthey have not changed for some three years asthe team wish to encourage hill walkers/runners,young and those not so young. Team Secretary,Hazel Highfield says, ʻWe try to encourage afriendly atmosphere in order to make this asunique a charity event, as possible. Our formulaseems to work, as we seem to attract regularsand newcomers, from near and far. At present, weattract some 600 participants from London,Surrey, Cambridgeshire, Midlands, Somerset,Wales and the neighbouring counties.ʻAs a way of showing our gratitude for the supportthat each entrant gives, we provide free lightrefreshments, in the form of tea/coffee and cakes,as they finish their route.ʼDetails are available from the teamʼs website(www.longtownmrt.org.uk), via email(BigBlacks@longtownmrt.org.uk) or by sendingan SAE to Big Black Mountains Challenge, POBox 36, Monmouth NP25 5YZ.

SCOTLANDSCOTTISH FUNDINGSince the last issue, the First Minister for Scotlandhas announced that all Scottish MRTs will,henceforth, receive direct funding on an annualbasis from the Scottish Executive. ʻThisrepresents a giant leap forwards for Scottishteamsʼ, writes Bob Sharp, MRC of ScotlandSecretary. ʻIt is the first time ever that all teamshave gained guaranteed funding.ʼ The money willbe directed through the eight police forces but willbe ring-fenced for MR. The mechanism by whichthe money (£400k per annum initially) has beendivided has been the source of some debate andmuch anguish. Briefly, it has been split into twoparts. A smaller part (around 25%) has beendivided on an equal basis and the larger part on aʻcall outʼ basis. This has not pleased some teams,but is acceptable to others. The next tranche ofmoney becomes available in the new tax year andfuller discussion will take place in deciding theformula.

RADIOS The Scottish Executive has been very helpful onanother front. The MRC of S, in response to thenew radio Bandplan, has been working on thesupply of hardware to all teams through a singlesupplier. A company was appointed to examinethe most appropriate units and a decision willshortly be made on make/models. In regard topayment, the MRC of S has a large bequestdedicated to this project and the ScottishExecutive has pledged another £300k. There maystill be a cash shortfall and, at the time of writing,that has yet to be resolved. A decision also has tobe made about whether the MRC of S should buythe new radios outright or lease them through adeal that also includes replacement andmaintenance.

NEW MACINNES STRETCHERThe Stretcher Committee continues its work todesign and develop a replacement stretcher forthe MacInnes Mk 6. But, quite separately, Hamishhas produced a new Mk 7 which is made of thelatest lightweight materials and weighs only 11kg.ʻSounds very good. We are all looking forward toseeing it in action. A couple of teams have alreadyworked with it and report it to be very good.ʼ

CASBAG Finally, Bob reveals that ʻdevelopments are alsotaking place with CASBAG the Journal of theMountain Rescue Committee of Scotland. We arehopeful that, with the appointment of Design andGeneral Editors, this much revered publicationwill go from strength to strength.ʼ

If any English or Welsh MRTwould like a complimentary copyplease contact Bob Sharp onlomondbob@talk21.com

Well, what anapathetic bunch youare! Last issue wehad 5 sets ofSealSkinz socks andgloves to give away(that meansFREE)... and werewe overwhelmed

with entries? Were we heck. In fact,the postman struggled up the pathwith a meagre two. Fortunately forthe judges, both entrants answeredcorrectly. So at least thereʼll be twosets of waterproof hands and feetout there.Our winners are Iain Cairns, ofThirsk, North Yorkshire and themysteriously named ʻLittle dragonʼof Rossendale, Lancashire.In case you can raise yourself froma slumber, the answers were...1 7 products in the SealSkinzrange

2 Merino sheep3 40ºC

And finally... What would theydo in theirs?I had a pair of SealSkinz,They really were the best.After caving down Jingling Pot,I came out and had a rest.And, alas, thatʼs where they wereleft. Iain

What would I do in mine?Wade through streams.Squelch through bogs.Climb up waterfalls.Reach the summits.Protect myself whilst helpingothers... and live life to the full.Little dragon

COMPETITION RESULTS

Teesdale & Weardale SRT testedfour units of the Jotron personalstrobe light during a helicopterexercise in November 2003. Theunits are self contained, waterproofto 50m and are around cigarettepacket size. They operate on two AAbatteries and include both a highintensity Xenon strobe (6 milesvisibility) and a white torch LED. Thebattery life is 12 hrs as a strobe and60 hrs as a torch.Use of the strobes was discussedwith the RAF Sea King crew whoconsidered them useful for locating

search groups from a distance,although their use near thehelicopter at night would interferewith the crewʼs night vision systems.The strobes also proved usefulduring the teamʼs night navigationexercise, allowing Control to identifyteams over a distance of some800+m by asking them to use thestrobe. Reaction of team membersto the units was very positive. Forthe cost of around £35 each, theyare a very useful and lightweightaddition to any search groupʼsequipment.

In addition to the three standardunits that we tested we also triedone of the new designs with amodified belt clip. The new designof clip appeared to work better thanthe existing design. In general, theunits were carried inside teammembersʼ rucksacks and the beltclip was not used.A personal review byAdam HearnEquipment OfficerTeasdale & Weardale SRT

Kit crit:1 Jotron AQ-5 multi-purpose strobe light

Clean, Green Campin’ Machine!Introducing the Greenheat Ecostove Range comprising the Base Camp, the Backpacker and the Picnic

Cooker. Each with its own unique features and ready for anything – from a day in the park to an expedition.Greenheat Base Camp is the most developed model in the Greenheat Outdoor range, yet still

remarkably easy to light and simple to operate. A butterfly valve in the shield makes it fully regulating and itsits on four removable feet to ensure safety and balance. This powerful stove has approx 3.5 hours burntime and is resealable and, despite its diminutive appearance, suitable for all outdoor camping and cookingrequirements.

Greenheat Backpacker is ideal for all ages and levels of expertise and suitable for all sorts ofcooking – from boiling water to frying your breakfast. Itʼs remarkably easy to light and regulate andresealable, for those on the move. Each tin has a burn time of around one hour and a heat regulationfunction via a windshield.

Greenheat Picnic Cooker is a compact, lightweight and disposable stove that comes with threeGreenheat Organic fuel cells. Itʼs ideal for picnics and all outdoor pursuits such as hiking, fishing andwalking. The pack contains three stove fuel cells plus a lightweight aluminium base that folds out to createa windshield and a stand for the fuel cells. Each fuel cell has approx 30 minutes high heat burn time and aring-pull lid.

All Greenheat products are 100% organic and 100% safe. The fuel is manufactured from harvestingsugar cane, is non-explosive, non-toxic, non-spill and non-flare, produces no fumes except carbon dioxideand water which the plant absorbed in growth. Itʼs unaffected by cold, wet, wind and altitude – ideal for anything the great outdoors can throw at you!

The range is used by people from all walks of life, pursuing many different activities – from competitorsin the Marathon De Sables (the worldʼs largest sand marathon across the Sahara) to Special Forces and K2mountaineers. It was also used as the sole source of cateringfuel for the 2002 Earth Summit in Johannesburg.The Greenheat Base camp has an RRP of £19.99(refills are just £3.50), the pack of 2 Backpacker has anRRP of £7.99, and the pack of 3 Picnic Cookers is just£5.99. Please call 0116 234 4644 for stockists.

Medics, outdoor instructors and 4x4drivers wanted for June expeditions...

Raleigh International is a leading youth development charity which ʻinspires people from allbackgrounds and nationalities to discover their full potential by working together on challengingenvironmental and community projects around the worldʼ. Their expeditions give young people between 17and 25 years old, and volunteer staff over 25 years old, the chance to live and work abroad. Each year 430volunteer staff members work with Raleighʼs six Country Directors to facilitate and manage the experienceof the 1,000 or more young volunteers who work on community, environmental and adventure projects.Current countries include Chile, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Namibia, Ghana, Malaysian Borneo and Fiji.

Staff roles on expeditions fall into two different categories – Field Base and project staff. Field Base isthe organisational hub of the expedition. Working as a team with the full time Country Director, Field Basestaff do everything from manning the radios and communicating with the project sites, to liaising with localproject partners and maintaining links with Raleigh Internationalʼs Head Office in London.

Project staff are assigned to complete a specific project, working with teams of 12-14 young peopleaged 17-25. They have a dual responsibility – to complete the project and facilitate the development of thegroup. Expedition projects are in remote locations and groups learn to look after themselves, live togetherand cope with the unexpected.

The Raleigh expedition has been described as the most intensive and constructive personaldevelopment experience available as confirmed by Duncan Mclver, European Logistics Manager ofUnilever. ʻMy expedition experience with Raleigh International has developed and established the skillsupon which my career has been built. The variety of people, projects and experiences on an expeditioncombine to constantly challenge and motivate. Real challenges arrive almost hourly over the three monthsso that the challenges at work in the UK always seem achievable.ʼ

Raleigh are currently looking for medics (doctors, nurses and paramedics),outdoor instructors and 4x4 drivers for their June expeditions to Costa Rica,Nicaragua and Fiji. So, if you over 25 with three months to spare and ready for achallenge, contact staff@raleigh.org.uk for more information.

OLDHAM INTERNATIONAL WEEKEND 2004NOW 28 – 30 May Please note, the dates have been changed. Contact Tony Gillon on omrt@aol.comfor further details.

.. AA DD VV EE RR TT OO RR II AA LL ..

.. AA DD VV EE RR TT OO RR II AA LL ..

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Our only concern was that we would beattempting something that was completely new –climbing on steel girders without a rehearsal. Oursanity was questioned. As a friend of mine bluntlyput it, when he heard I was going to climb the tower,ʻHave you lost your marbles Hulsey?ʼ

Mind you, this particular mate of mine would sitin a pub from morning till night, exercise was a dirtyword and he thought Scrabble was a contact sport!

This climb hung in the balance for weeks, as itwould only go ahead if the directors of the BlackpoolTower Company eased their rigid stance of notallowing anyone, no matter who they were, to climbthe tower. Many had tried, but all had been refused.

To cut a long story short, permission wasgranted, but with conditions. First we had to signindividual indemnities, relieving the tower companyof all responsibilities. There would not be a liveperson in the mock mountain rescue stretcher lowerand a doctor and two nurses must be in attendanceat the foot of the tower in the case of an accident.

The last condition made us all chuckle a little.If we did happen to fall off during the climb, wethought a refuse lorry and a few plastic bags wouldbe more appropriate!

Pete had previously outlined the climbing planand who would climb with whom. He then said hewanted a volunteer to be barrowboy on thestretcher lower. Quick as a flash, he said ʻThanks,

Stewart. Youʼve done it many times before for real,this one is a piece of cake!ʼ Iʼve cleaned hiscomment up somewhat but, to this day, I donʼtremember putting my name forward for this task.Having been in the Army doing my National Service,it was instilled in me ʻnever volunteer for ʻowt.ʼ

Early on Monday 21 July 1975, we made ourway from the Lake District to Blackpool. Ourrendezvous point was the Winter Gardens. Wewere to parade down the promenade with ourescorts from the show business world. They wouldcollect donations from the thousands of peoplelining theroad to thetower whilewe wouldwalk behindthe circuse l e p h a n t s ,desperatelytrying toavoid thegiant moundsof brown stuffour African friends had deposited all over the road.

The crowds of locals and holiday makers onthe prom below the tower were, according to police,numbered in their thousands. In fact, the road wouldbe closed for the next hour and a half.

Our communications officer, Tony Richards,would keep in radio contact with us all from themountain rescue Land Rover, situated on the prom.At this point, Tony informed us that the parachutedisplay had to be cancelled, because the windspeed was beyond the parameters of parachutingand not within the safety margins allowed.

However, we all thought the blusteryconditions, although not ideal, were acceptable tous. Little did we know then (and not until we werewell into the climb) that we would all experience adeterioration in the weather. The wind had picked

up, there was a hint of rain on the horizon and alight sea mist was making the steel girders quiteslippery.

SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY

FROM ROCK TO STEELTHE FIRST OFFICIAL ASCENT OF BLACKPOOL TOWER

In April 1975, Peter Greenall, Leader of the Langdale Ambleside team, was contacted by officialsof a convalescent home in Blackpool, which gave assistance and shelter to ex-servicemen. TheBritish Limbless Ex-servicemen’s Association (BLESMA) was reliant on voluntary donations so,

every year, they would have a week of intensive fundraising. Pete called a few of us together tosee if we were interested in climbing Blackpool Tower for a very worthy charity. We all agreed itwould be an unusual challenge and we’ d be helping a worthwhile cause to raise a few bob.

SStteewwaarrtt HHuullssee lloosseess hhiiss mmaarrbblleess iinn BBllaacckkppooooll

“ Little did we know then (and not until we were well into the climb) that we would

experience a deterioration in the weather. Thewind had picked up, there was a hint of rainon the horizon and a light sea mist wasmaking the steel girders quite slippery.

“

...continued on page 22

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the ill-gotten information with agenerous pinch of salt.

More useful was the fact thatthere was a cable car service all theway up to Klein Matterhorn, right nextto the Breithorn and, at 3500 metres,nearly all the way up it!

The following morning saw acloudless sky, save for the merestwisp of a cloud just peeking over thetops to the west. Old people really dotalk bollocks sometimes!

A fifteen minute train ride sawme walking through Zermatttowards the Klein Matterhornlift, feeling a bit of a tosserdressed, as I was, in winterboots and sweating under arucksack with just about everybit of spare kit I owned in it.Three quarters of an hour later,I was resplendent in cramponsand buffalo shirt, brandishing anice axe, and walking down the

ski slope towards the glacier,convinced Iʼd left one of my lungs inthe tent. With a fantastic day inprospect, the only metaphoric cloudon my horizon was the fact that thiswas the highest Iʼd ever been.

I was on my own (if you donʼtcount the other fifty people up there)and, despite the fact that the liftdrops you at 3500 metres, you walkacross the head of theBreithornpass, then drop down acouple of hundred feet. Which still

leaves you with a fair old climb to getto the top – a bit like climbingSnowdon whilst breathing in and outof a paper bag.

Half way across the glacier, allwas going reasonably well until Inoticed that everyone in front of mehad stopped and was either hurriedlydressing or looking down towardsZermatt. What theyʼd seen was themost enormous cloud hurtling up thevalley towards us which, when it hit,turned a delightful summer day intothe depths of winter in about twominutes flat! I should have listened tothe crumblies in Zermatt but, instead,found myself scrambling about in myrucksack in the middle of a ragingwhite-out.

Still, Iʼd come this far and,having got over the shock of thestorm, I carried on up the mountain,as did most of my fellow climbers.Things had settled a bit weatherwisealthough, by the time I put my headover the summit ridge, there was a60 mile an hour wind blowing up fromZermatt, making a traverse, at best, areally stupid thing to try.

At this point I met a trio ofSpanish climbers who very kindlyoffered to let me clip into their ropefor the descent, something I did witha sense of relief, given that mycrampons didnʼt have anti-ballingplates and were, by now, collectinglumps of snow the size of footballs.

Half way down we happenedupon a climber and his guide, bothsat in the snow and clearly waiting forsomething. It turned out that theclimber had broken his leg and hisguide was trying to summon help onhis radio. Unfortunately for them, theweather meant that a helicoptercouldnʼt get this high so they werewaiting for a snowmobile to comeand get them, and had been forsome time. I donʼt know if it was thestate of the casualty or whether mytraining had actually sunk in but thischap looked to me like he was indanger of dying from his broken leg.

Aged around 55, heʼd been satin the storm for almost an hour,dressed in the same clothes heʼdbeen climbing in despite, I learnedlater, having a rucksack full of spareclothing. In addition, every time thewind got up the spindriftʻsandblastedʼ any exposed skin andleft him rocking back and forth inagony. Now I knew why Iʼd carried allthis spare kit!

It wasnʼt long before the manwas dressed in my spare clothing, hisleg splinted with an ice axe, beingslid down the hill inside a big orangebivvy bag. I donʼt know if it reallymade much difference but he lookeda hell of a lot better now thatsomething positive was happening.And I felt better for having donesomething rather than leaving it to hisinanimate guide.

After a couple of hundredyards, the snowmobile arrived. Thecasualty was given first aid anddragged off in the bloodwagon. Bynow, I was absolutely knackered, soit was a real bonus when thesnowmobile returned for the guideand offered me a lift back the last halfmile to the cable car.

All in all it was a pretty goodday out, marred only by the fact thatIʼd missed the summit by about 150yards distance and 10 metres height.

Iʼve been back to the Breithorntwice since then and, on bothoccasions, the weather has beenabsolutely superb, giving me thechance to reach the summit withoutthe drama of the first outing. Itʼs listedin the local guidebooks as a hikingroute but, just to put it intoperspective, the two foot widesummit ridge exposes you to whatlooks like a 4000 foot drop on oneside and a 1500 foot, 60 degree slideon the other, the kind of thing thatwould put you into an uncontrollablecartwheel if you caught a crampon.Indeed, relaxing in front of the tellyone Saturday evening, I saw awoman attempt the ridge on one of

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For me the discovery camequite by accident with a lone visit tothe Alps in 1998, a fantastic viewfrom my tent and the kind of weatheryou only see in holiday brochures.

Gazing up the Matter Valleyfrom Täsch, in Switzerland, youexpect to see the Matterhorn but itremains tantalisingly hidden, as thevalley sweeps west at its head. Whatyou do see, however, is the dome topof the Breithorn, 4164 metres andreputed to be the easiest of the4000ers to climb.

Given that this was only mysecond visit to Switzerland, and myonly previous experience of any kindof 4000er was either Cairngorm, at

just over 4000 feet, or my overdraft,my borrowed guide book proved tobe an invaluable source of useful tipson how to tackle something that big.

The main point was, beforetackling a 4000 metre mountain, oneshould acclimatise to the altitude byclimbing or walking at over 3000metres. Clearly addled by camping inthe elevated valley floor, at 1230metres (which, incidentally, Iʼmpositive was the cause of two weeksʼworth of very vivid dreams andnightmares) I decided that 4000metres was over 3000 metres and,therefore, climbing the Breithornqualified as an acclimatisation climbfor... climbing the Breithorn.

In need of a map and aweather report for the next day Imade my first foray into Zermatt,walking the 4 or 5 miles up the valleyin glorious sunshine and seeing theMatterhorn for the first time. The mapwas easy to come by but the weatherreport proved a little more difficult. Avisit to the alpine centre didnʼt help,nor did the alpine guide bookingshop (I donʼt read German).

My only clue was a snatch ofoverheard conversation between acouple of English pensioners, whowere firmly convinced it was going torain. In the middle of one of thehottest days Iʼve ever experienced –and without a cloud in the sky – I took

13,533 FEET UPWITHOUT A PARACHUTEAAnnddyy SSiimmppssoonn ttaakkeess hhiiss bbiivvvvyy bbaagg ttoo tthhee BBrreeiitthhoorrnn

ON THE HILL

No, I didn’ t use a helicopter but, for those with high ambitions and lowtechnical abilities, it is possible to impress your friends with your alpineexploits and get back without frostbite.

“ It wasn’t long before the man was dressed in my spare clothing, his leg splintedwith an ice axe, being slid down the hill insidea big orange bivvy bag. I don’t know if it reallymade a lot of difference but he looked a hell

of a lot better.

“

M O U N T A I N R E S C U E M A G A Z I N E

TEMPTATION

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these ʻchallenge of a lifetimeʼprogrammes – and fail.

Nevertheless, if youʼve got ahead for heights it could be one ofthe most exhilarating experiencesyouʼre ever likely to have – and if youdonʼt fancy the ridge you can alwaysget to the summit by going up theother side of the mountain. Eitherway, itʼs bloody hard work but noworse than climbing Scafell on a rainsoaked day in July. And, with all duerespect to the Lake District, if you getthe weather, the views areunbelievable.

Anyway, back to the plot.Having made a hero of myself on myfirst 4000er, I thought Iʼd set mysights a little lower over the comingdays with a trip to the Ober Rothorn,at 3400 metres a mere stroll bycomparison. I also decided to make aproper day out of it by walking whatlooked like a stunning ridge path,back in the direction of Täsch, andthen cut directly down to thecampsite – all this decided from thesafety of the valley floor.

Again, in this skiersʼ paradisethereʼs a cable car or lift of somedescription going almosteverywhere, so it wasnʼt too difficult,other than for my wallet, to get to thetop of the Unter Rothorn. But, as withall things hilly, you drop 500 feet or sobefore you can begin the climb up.

The Ober Rothorn really is likeclimbing Scafell, or Pen-y-gent, oranything else youʼve ever sloggedup, the only difference being the sizeof the surrounding mountains. I waseven getting used to the reducedoxygen supply. Gaining the top aftera couple of hours, the views wereagain superb and the drop off theeast side of the mountain something

to behold, as you try to pick out a hutor a person, anything to give yousome perspective as to how high youreally are.

A quick brew and a fag later Istarted on the ridge, heading Northtowards a village called Ottovan,directly above Täsch and my tent. Asitʼs all devoid of vegetation up therethe best you can hope for when routefinding is to follow the worn bits orimprints in the shale, which I duly didwith the enthusiasm of a teenager onthe way to his first date.

Unfortunately, most of theimprints must have been left by thelocal wildlife, something whichbecame all too apparent as I slid to ahalt at the top of a thirty foot cliff, fromwhich the local ibex would, no doubt,have simply jumped, before dartingover the next rocky outcrop. I wasnow in serious trouble but not aboutto ring for a rescue team, some ofwhom now knew my face after myprevious outing. I even tried to hidefrom a passing helicopter. If nothing

else, itʼs an interesting predicamentto be in, a rescuer needing rescue,and I bet the same doubts cross ourcasualtiesʼ minds as did mine –ʻSurely I can sort this out?ʼ – beforethey fall off leaving one untidy messat the bottom of the crag.

Luckily for me I was able tofind the only hold on the mountainwhich didnʼt come off in my hand andmanaged to scramble back up thescree to where Iʼd come from twohours before. I was now faced withretracing my steps down themountain and then heading offbetween the Ober and Unter Rothornto work my way down.

Five hours later I reached thetent – itʼs unbelievable how far youcan walk down in the Alps!

As I said before, Iʼve beenback to Zermatt several times sincethe first holiday, and revisitedeverywhere I went, with theexception of the Hornli Hut on theMatterhorn, as well as tackling plentyof others. And on each of thesubsequent visits, Iʼve always takensomeone sensible with me (usuallyGraham Dalley, team mate and bestfriend since we were 10). Which ishow I managed to get off the Riffelalp– another ʻeasyʼ climb according tothe guidebooks – without injury whenhe questioned why I was climbingwithout a rope, when someone hadpreviously gone to the trouble ofhammering a piton in place justabove where my hand was (if it wasgood enough for them..?)

All of the above might suggesta certain naïvety – some might saystupidity – on my part but itʼs worthsaying that most of my Swiss travels

have involved nothing moredangerous than catching a mountaintrain or cable car to a very high placeand then walking down. If you canput up with oxygen starvation for thefirst half of the day and finishing upwith sore knees and missing toenails, itʼs a brilliant thing to do. Whatis more, your mates all think youʼvebeen on an Alpine expedition, the likeof which they wouldnʼt dream ofundertaking for fear of falling offsomething, and despite the fact thatthe mountain are littered withrestaurants, all too well placed toignore as you pass by.

Not everywhere is as wellserved with lifts as Zermatt butplaces like Chamonix, Saas Fee,Grindlewald and most of the popularclimbing/skiing resorts offersomething to help you on your way.

You could of course walk, butwith a strict training regime of pizza,beer and fags in the weeks runningup to any expedition it would be ashame to waste all the hard work!

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH...IF YOU COULD JUST HOLD THISFOR A MINUTE...

SCENE OF A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE. DOM IN THE BACKGROUNDON THE LEFT, TASCHORN ON THE RIGHT... I THINK!

“ Unfortunately, most of the imprints must have been left by the local wildlife, something which became only too apparent as I slid to a halt at the top of a thirty foot cliff, from which thelocal ibex would, no doubt, have simply jumped, before darting

over the next rocky outcrop. I was now in serious trouble and notabout to ring for a rescue team, some of whom knew my faceafter my previous outing. I even tried to hide from a passing

helicopter...

“

M O U N T A I N R E S C U E M A G A Z I N E

Thereʼs been a lot of discussion inmountain rescue circles recently about thenew ʻWork at Heightʼ regulations. Some saythat this proposed new legislation heraldsthe beginning of the end for mountainrescue as we know it, that teams will nowhave to become professional, not just inoutlook, but in fact. Those of the oppositeview say to ignore it all because it is just notrelevant.

Where does the truth lie?Firstly, a bit of background. In 2001,

the EU introduced the ʻTemporary work atheightʼ directive (2001/45/EC). Thisamended a previous directive from thecouncil in 1989, which concerned theminimum safety and health requirement forthe ʻuse of work equipment by workers atworkʼ. As a member state, the UK wasobliged to review its legislation in light ofthese directives and make changes wherenecessary.

In Britain each year over a quarter ofall workplace deaths are caused by fallsfrom height. The HSE has taken this reviewas an opportunity to look closely at all theareas in current legislation where workingat height is considered, and proposes tobring much of it, together with someimportant new additions, into one ʻstandaloneʼ regulation, applicable to all areas ofwork, whatever the height.

So what’s the problem for us?People working in outdoor activities,

like all other employers and employees,have always had to comply with Health andSafety legislation. Carrying out riskassessments, doing regular inspections onvarious items of equipment and providingpersonal protective equipment areexamples of such compliance. Thecurrently proposed work at heightregulations have, however, placed somefurther demands on these activities, andthose who provide them.

Far greater consideration now has tobe made for adverse weather conditions(high winds, mist, snow), ʻfragile surfacesʼ(snow, ice, scree), inspection of the areabefore ʻworkʼ commences, marking off ofdanger areas etc. The use of single ropesuspension for access or positioning is alsoruled out except in exceptionalcircumstances.

If we put our rescue work within thescope of these proposed regulations wefind a number of obvious difficulties intrying to comply.

But do we have to comply?The regulations, like all health and

safety law in the UK, apply to all ʻemployersand employeesʼ. Employment law, and thedefinitions used, can be extremelyconfusing. Generally, to be an employeethere has to be a contract between theperson requiring the service (employer)

and the person providing the service(employee). This may be verbal or written.Some form of payment or reward from theemployer for the service rendered is alsorequired. This may not necessarily be hardcash. It could be food, clothing orequipment.

Much has been made about ourrelationship with those who ask for ourassistance. In the majority of mountain andcave rescue cases, the police are thepeople who contact us for help in dealingwith such incidents. This relationship variesfrom area to area but historically has beenone of employed, paid police officers andunpaid, non-contracted volunteers.

However, in some counties, to obtaininsurance cover for volunteer rescuers andto give those volunteers special ʻprivilegesʼ,this relationship evolved into one whereteam members became ʻspecialconstablesʼ when called out.

In Scotland the situation is somewhatmurkier. Teams over the border have a farcloser relationship with the police. Someteams have serving police officers that mayattend incidents as rescue team memberswhilst on duty, and the recentannouncement of a large cash injection intoScottish mountain rescue could be viewedas creating a contract.

When the question of mountainrescue compliance was put to the HSE at arecent seminar (Lyon TechnicalSymposium, 22nd October 2003) theirinitial response was that volunteer rescueteams would not have to conform, as theywere not employees at work. But, when therelationship between MR teams and thepolice was described more fully, they thenfelt that teams operating at the request of,and on behalf of the police might indeedhave to follow the new regulations.

Since that seminar, there have been anumber of meetings between HSE andthose bodies representing the outdooractivities sector. During one of thesemeetings, on the 18 November, HSEexpanded on their original statement withregard to ʻprofessionals and volunteersʼ.They restated their original position that theregulations clearly applied to anyone atwork but did not apply to volunteers. Policeofficers, national park wardens, coastguardmembers and Fire & Rescue Servicemembers are ʻat workʼ when on duty andare doing the ʻworkʼ that they arecontracted to do when involved withincidents during working time. However,mountain rescue team members attendincidents in a voluntary capacity with noobligation to attend, and so in this contextthe regulations would not apply.

Conclusions...At present, guidance from HSE

seems to indicate that volunteer rescueteams will not be legally required to follow

the new Work at Height regulations whenthey come into force. Some may see this asbeing of little importance, as many areas ofthe new regulations could have beencomplied with without much change toestablished procedures, especially if therevisions proposed by the outdoorassociations are accepted.

But what is really important is that indeciding that voluntary MR is outside theremit of these regulations, voluntary MR bydefinition is seen by HSE as being outsideall of the regulations under the Health &Safety at Work act.

Employment and health and safetylaw does not allow ʻcherry pickingʼ ofregulations. If one applies, they all apply.Personal protective equipment regs,workplace (health & safety and welfare)regs, management of health and safety atwork regs, display screen regs – the lot!How many teams would have the finances,skilled personnel and time to comply withall those?

This does not mean that we shouldignore the work done by the HSE. Just aswhen the PPE regulations came into force,these new regulations could be used as auseful benchmark for us to compare ourcurrent thinking and technique against.They have their basis in accident reductionand prevention – something we are allinterested in.

Being seen to take a pro-active stancecan only do good in any future discussionswith those who might seek to impose rulesupon us.

Work at height regulations – majorchanges, or not?PPaauull WWiitthheerriiddggee ttaakkeess aa llooookk aatt tthhee pprrooppoosseedd rreegguullaattiioonnss aanndd tthheeiirr iimmpplliiccaattiioonnss ffoorr mmoouunnttaaiinnrreessccuuee tteeaammss,, bbaasseedd oonn ccuurrrreennttllyy aavvaaiillaabbllee iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn,, FFeebbrruuaarryy 22000044

Paul Witheridge has been involvedwith mountain rescue for nearly 20 years,initially as a member of Outward BoundUllswater MRT and then a Deputy inPenrith MRT. He is still active with thePenrith team and is Team Leader of theCumbria Mine Rescue Unit (COMRU), asmall specialist team (approx 20members) who work alongside teams inCumbria to recover those in difficultyunderground in the many abandonedmine workings that cover the county.Currently, he is General Manager for theWork & Rescue department of LyonEquipment. Nearly 50% of thedepartment staff are actively involvedwith rescue teams in England and Wales,a position which gives them an insightinto current methods and gear in use,and the concerns that teams have on anumber of issues.

Sources:HSE Proposals for work at height regulations.Consultative document. 2003.A.R.C.Rich. Presentation on Health and safety toMRC Conference. 1998A.R.C.Rich. Legal position of cave rescuers. 1992A.R.C.Rich. Legal issues in SAR operations. 1996A.R.C.Rich. Update of above. 1999.Carl Wilson. Notes of meeting 12th December2003. MLTUK-HSL meeting.John Cousins. Notes of meeting 18th November2003. AALA, MLTUK, HSE, AAIAC, ACI and NCA.Police (Health and safety) Regulations 1999.Police (Health and safety) Act 1997.

Do you have a traveltale, with a mountainrescue twist? Send itto the Editor with pixand get yourself inprint. Stories shouldbe approx 2000 wordsand pix must beminimum 300dpi andlarge enough toreproduce at goodquality, potentially atA4 (210mm x 297mm)72 dpi ain’t goodenough! Or send hardcopies to scan.

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MAKING LIGHT WORK OF DEFIBRILLATION...CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO CARRY IT?

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NOSTALGIA...IT’S NOT WHATIT USED TO BENeil Roden takes us back...

You donʼt have to have been in mountain rescue verylong to appreciate just how quickly things change. Itseems that every week there is new equipment, a new

rescue technique or, these days, a new way of raising funds.Personally, I feel that the pace of change has increased a lotover the last few years.

I write as the chairman of EdaleMountain Rescue Team, based in thePeak District, and we have an interestingmix of work but, predominantly, it isknown location call outs.

We have just had our annualbudget meeting, much the same as Iimagine all teams go through at this timeof year and the committee have agreedan expenditure budget of a little over£30,000. Obviously we hope to spendsignificantly less than that, but thedecision was made on what the teamthought that they needed to carry out thework we are called to do and what wethought we could raise. This level ofexpenditure started me thinking abouthow mountain rescue had changed overthe years.

One of my keen interests ismountain literature and, in a secondhand bookshop recently, I stumbledacross a book called ʻClimbing in Britainʼby J E Q Barford. The edition was printedin 1947. At the time of printing it cost oneshilling. It cost me £1.50.

I turned to the chapter aboutMountain Rescue and First Aid and wasfascinated to read what was consideredʻstandard mountain first aid equipmentʼ.The piece said that there wereequipment sites at principal mountaincentres in Great Britain and at thesecentres, in addition to a stretcher, youcould expect to find two rucksacks. Therucksacks would contain:

Rucksack 11 eiderdown bag (or blankets) withdetachable waterproof cover1 Balaclava helmet1 iron Thomas leg splint with spat forattachment to boot1 case of medical appliances2 tubonic ampoule syringesCube sugar in jar

Rucksack 2Folding Glacier Lantern6 candles2 kettles3 hot water bottles3 cups (2 drinking and 1 feeding cup)1 Monitor stove to be kept filled withparaffinMeta fuelSpare jet and jet keySmall spoonJug2 Thermos flasks

This list makes interesting readingand is worth comparing with what a teamtoday would take on the hill. Of course inthe 1940s there would have been farfewer people who would have neededmountain rescue and no doubt thosewho did need help did not have the sameexpectations of people today. Progress isessential in all walks of life and mountainrescue is no exception and, whilst I fullysupport progress, the budget required tomeet the equipment list above would bevery welcome.

The book is full of interest toanyone who enjoys the mountains andwants to look back at how those whowent before us approached ʻclimbing inBritainʼ. If you can get a copy itʼs worth£1.50 of anybodyʼs money.

One final point. The MountainRescue First Aid in the Peak District in1947 was based in the village of Hope,which I think was rather optimistic!

A PERSONAL VIEW

October 20048th Inverness. Eden Court Theatre18th Sheffield. Abbeydale Sports Club 01246 41614519th Warrington. Parr Hall** 01925 76392720th Longeaton, Nottingham. Trent Lock Golf Centre** 0115 9464398

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November 20042nd Buxton. Opera House** 0845 12 721903rd Burnley Mechanics** 01282 6644004th Northwich. Memorial Hall*** 01606 8675398th Farnborough. Hampshire

Oak Farm Community School** 01252 4010809th Telford. Oakengate Theatre** 01952 61902010th Cumbria. Moresby. Rosehill Theatre**11th South Cumbria. Dalton in Furness (CAN/Dalton PTA)*** 01229 89791116-21st Poland Explorers Festival – lecture Lodz 19 November**25th Newton Aycliffe. Greenfield Community School** 01325 30714730th Hartlepool. Town Hall Theatre* 01429 890000

This jacket has been around on the MRT circuit for about 3 years. Quite afew teams have already adopted it as team kit but, having just spent 12months researching new waterproofs for Bowland Pennine MRT, (we maynot get as much snow as some teams but we sure get the rain!) I thoughtwe should share our findings on this jacket.I first used a Keela Munro 5 years ago through work. So impressive wasthe performance, we issued them to our field staff. It has never leaked andis still in daily use.The style of the Munro is very similar to most other technical mountainjackets with pit zips, double front flap, map pocket, 2 chest pockets, 2 handwarmer pockets, waist and hem cords and a hood that fits over a helmet.It comes in a host of colours. Red and black appears to be the mostcommon for MRT use. The main difference between this jacket and othersout there is the way the fabric is utilised. The Munro has 2 waterprooflayers. The outer is waterproof and breathable, then thereʼs an air gap and,next to the wearer, another waterproof layer with a wicking face fabric.This is how Keela explain it:– Weather conditions affect the breathability ofa garment. During heavy rain, when the outside temperature is low (0˚C to+ 10˚C) breathable waterproof garments experience the ʻOccurrence ofdew pointʼ (Cold bridging) and a rapid build up of vapour condensationoccurs. System Dual Protection uses 2 hydrophilic membranes, which isbest compared with the principal of double-glazing. The outer of thesystem uses a waterproof, breathable fabric with a hydrophilic laminate.The inner layer is a high wicking one (which acts like a sponge in absorbingthe moisture) laminated onto a hydrophilic. Once the inner moisture isabsorbed through the lining, it cannot wick back as the waterproof laminatewill not allow moisture back. This is then passed through the air gap andescapes through the outer at its own rate.However, like all things thereʼs a down side – the Munro doesnʼt pack downquite as small as some jackets but this is a small price to pay compared toits excellent waterproofness and wearer comfort.Keela have a special price for these jackets and Alpine trousers whenbought as a mountain rescue team. and, for an additional cost, they willalso embroider your team badge. For details contact Keela International on01592 777000

Kit crit 2 Keela Munro Waterproof Jacket

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rooms with four bathrooms. We have a lounge, dining room, conferenceroom, games room and beautiful views of the area.

We individually design courses to meet our clientsʼ needs whether business,educational, youth or family groups with safety, enjoyment and learning asour main objectives. We are experienced at dealing with a wide variety of

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THE BREAKAWAYSURVIVALSCHOOL

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The aim of the Breakaway Survival School is simply to teach survival withan emphasis on teamwork; also to learn the art of survival techniques.

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You will learn to exist on plant and animal life, build shelters, light fires etc.If you don’t, you won’t eat or sleep!

Adventure specialists, Voyage mayhave the cure with a spectacularselection of unique, once-in-a-lifetimetrips and adventure holidays forpeople serious about using theiroutdoor skills for real in a challengingexpedition environment overseas.Drawing on their expertise andestablished partnerships in theexpedition world, they can match yourknowledge and experience with the needs of a wide variety oforganisations looking to fill all sorts of specialist staff places onexpeditions and trips worldwide.ExpeList, expedition staff recruitmentIf youʼre a mountaineer, medic, expedition leader, radiooperator, mechanic, logistician, dive/kayak/sail/outdoorsinstructor there could be a position out there for you. If you havethe relevant skills and experience, you could sign up to receiveregular updates of offers and discounts, as well as exciting andchallenging expedition opportunities. You could be trekking inNepal, diving in Belize or dog sledding in Norway – the latestExpeList bulletin carries details of vacancies for over 35 medicsand 50 expedition leaders and project managers, from Vietnamto Venezuela and Mongolia to Malawi.ExpeSkills, expedition skills trainingExpeSkills is for anyone keen to develop the skills required forremote adventure travel, particularly those aspiring to leadexpeditions. Intensive five-day courses will equip you with theknowledge and skills required to play an effective and safe rolein arduous expedition environments. Focus is on practicaloutdoor skills such as communications, ropework, navigation,equipment and clothing, leadership and teamwork, safety andrisk assessment. Courses culminate in a team challenge eventwith an overnight exercise based around a remote mountainbothy. ExpeSkills Winter takes the standard ExpeSkills Summercourse to new limits putting all of the above and more intopractice in extreme winter conditions.ExpeMed, expedition medicine trainingCaring for a seriously injured casualty in a remote area is aformidable challenge, even for the most experienced expeditionmedic. ExpeMed teaches the skills to successfully managecritical medical situations in far from ideal situations. Allinstructors are experts from a variety of rescue, medical,teaching and expedition backgrounds, with Arrochar MRT andStrathclyde Fire Brigade providing additional specialistteaching. ExpeMed Training is aimed at healthcareprofessionals and is recommended by the RGS, Raleigh

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Got the travelbug? Itchy feet?

Pete Greenall and Eric ʻSpidermanʼ Penman led off the proceedings, their aim to climb fromthe base of the tower to the observation platform at the top. Then Eric would free abseil downsome 500 feet. Pete would descend in a more leisurely way by means of the lift. Mike ʻOssyʼOsman and Roy Harding would follow on the same route but terminate their climb just abovethe halfway. Tom Redfern, Colyn Eamshaw, Mo Richards and myself would make our way upthe tower by the metal stairs inside the structure, to a height of 350 feet, climb outside and rigup our gear to lower the stretcher (the ʻbodyʼ would be made up of spare rucksacks) and myselfto the ground below.

By this time, Pete and Eric were nearing the top of the tower, having given the manythousands of onlookers below a master class in speed climbing. As we prepared to delight thecrowds below with our simulated mountain rescue stretcher lower, Mike and Roy were about tofinish their climb, just below us.

It wasnʼt until I was descending with the stretcher that I recalled Peteʼs impish commentsthat this part of the demonstration would be a ʻpiece of cakeʼ. It dawned on me that this wasstretching the truth a little too much. It took all my strength, once the lower had begun, to keepthe stretcher and myself from being forced inside the concave structure. About 200 feet from thebottom, I had to hook my feet around the steel girders every foot of the way, to keep in contactwith the outside of the tower. This, and the strong wind, the ground could not come quicklyenough! The press and television, gathered to witness this climbing extravaganza, heard memutter under my breath, as Peteʼs words echoed in my ears. ʻPiece of cakeʼ, he said. ʻPiece ofcake, my arse,ʼ I said. I was physically knackered and ready for a drink!

Two minutes later, the crowds were given a grand finale treat, when Eric abseiled the fulllength of the tower, a fitting climax to a great day. Then it was off to the mayorʼs parlour forsomething to eat. Our collective thoughts were that the Blackpool Tower does move/sway (callit what you will) in the wind and thereʼs no protection whatsoever from the prevailing weatherconditions.

My personal thoughts were that Iʼd enjoyed every minute. It had been an honour, in thecompany of such a well respected group of climbers, to be included in the team that climbedBlackpool Tower, officially, for the first time.It was a strange experience climbing on steel and, if

we had to grade the tower inclimbing terminology, Iʼd think itcould range from the Diff-V.Diff-V.S and so on. I apologise to themodern climber for using the oldfashioned guide book jargon buthemp and tricouni are my era.

Iʼm led to believe that therewas only one other recordedplanned attempt, in 1939. WhenGeorge Formby, well knownLancashire comedian and filmstar, took on a £500 charity bet tomake the attempt, his insurancecompany forbade it.

Our charity climb was anexperience, which Iʼd not havemissed for the world. The showbusiness razmatazz was a bitdaunting and a littleoverwhelming but we did our littlebit for people who were lessfortunate than ourselves.

But, in all honesty, it wasnice to get back to the peace andtranquillity of the Lake District andbe on the rock again. Letʼs face it– thereʼs no substitute.

MRCDDIIRREECCTTOORRYYFFIIRRSSTT AASSCCEENNTT OOFF BBLLAACCKKPPOOOOLL TTOOWWEERR ...continued from page 15.. AA DD VV EE RR TT OO RR II AA LL ..