I wondered if I was the only one on here - was somewhat surprised that I may have been. Final assesment is in twelve days, looking forward to it, and the trip to the pub afterwards should be fun

Aye, looking to do some courses next year - MOD 2 water for certain as we tend to have a lot of water jobs, but we're up to 12 SRTs at the moment so it'll be a while before I can go for that. Search training and 4x4 and winch opp. is also something I want to look at, again we tend to be out on moorland looking for people who've gone awry, so both of those come in handy.

Interesting year so far, we've already had 6 shouts, but only 4 of which required responding to.

GregMay wrote:I wondered if I was the only one on here - was somewhat surprised that I may have been. Final assesment is in twelve days, looking forward to it, and the trip to the pub afterwards should be fun

Aye, looking to do some courses next year - MOD 2 water for certain as we tend to have a lot of water jobs, but we're up to 12 SRTs at the moment so it'll be a while before I can go for that. Search training and 4x4 and winch opp. is also something I want to look at, again we tend to be out on moorland looking for people who've gone awry, so both of those come in handy.

Interesting year so far, we've already had 6 shouts, but only 4 of which required responding to.

Final Assesment?????

But your on the call out list? i'm confused? we were not allowed on the call out list until we'd proven to the senior team leaders and training officer that we were safe and competent to go on the hill and could at least be of use, so setting up belays,hand lines, stretcher assembly, BLS, Nav, helicopter drills etc all the basic skills ... i'm classed as a team member now but wont be a full team member i think until i've done two years on the team. And we have log books we have to work to to get signed off on each skill, and each one had to be signed off three times.

There's no harm in doing Lvl 2 SRT cus you can let the red hats do all the hard work while you doss around on the bank staying warm and looking cool while they splash and get cold, i did my course end of November and had a leaky dry suit

We've had three calls this month to date , all stood down before we got there which is standard and a few area calls which have been good jobs. But its looking like good call out weather here at mo, bleak,foggy and pissing down

Every team is different in their acceptance of full operational members. It appears that we don't even get past application if we're not deemed to be useful :) For example, we as a team do not teach navigation - if you can't navigate extremely well, you won't get past stage 2.
As with you we've a log of what we have to do. This is yearly, for all members, full and probie.

Team intake for us appears to be as such:
- Application - usually two/three months ahead of intake information evening.
- First assessment - full hill day 12 hours, January, applicants take what they deem to need, full day on hill navigating and showing capacity to be self sufficient during .... inclement conditions. Tasking simulation for extraction routes, BLS knowledge, and general getting to know people. Goes into night Nav. exercises, simulated cas. evac. off hill.
- Trainees invited - an amount of suitable people from first assessment are invited to become trainee members. An amount can equal zero. Don't think it ever has.
- Trainees train - six months, non call out, non operational (unless call-out during training session occurs), train every Tuesday ~3hrs, quite often several other days if weather is good - rope work etc. This involves standard MREW skillset as well as local specifics. Usual ropework, vehicle, heli. and so on covered in this time.
- Trainees assessment - three day assessment in ROI in conjunction with 7 other teams as part of major event cover - 800m peak with about 15 - 35 thousand pilgrims. Full on for two days while there, training, rigging, hauling and so on write up here: http://www.cvsrt.org.uk/the-team/news/r ... ounty-mayo
- Team decision - Team meeting to decide if trainees progress onto probationary team member status. If accepted, onto active callout list.
- Probationary status - six months more training, now training with the team rather than as trainees.
- Probationary assessment - 1 year on from intake, can be anything, usually 24-36 hour continual. Write up from last years: http://www.cvsrt.org.uk/the-team/news/p ... sment-2017
- Team AGM - final decision on making full team member status, as well as usual AGM things.

Irish team we're twinned with have an 18 month training period, with probies on call from day 1 of intake. Others do different. One of the joys of being cogs in a greater machine I guess.

Yea i thought it would be a standard package across the board for MREW but after talking to my mate in central it seems all 4 S Wales teams recruit and train in various ways.

I was lucky was taught to map read at early age and spending most of my time in the hills and having done a lot of climbing i ticked a good few boxes right away

Whats your drop out rate like? We started as 12 down to 4 from that,t me and 1 other on list, 2 still waiting, but as they are shift workers its hard for them to get to every training session.

We also have to hit 60% attendance for monday night training and 60% for the years weekend training

Next two weekends we are doing fundraising events, which tbh i'm looking forward to as i'm 4X4 driver for the events

Drop out for our year: 27 at info night, 18 on hill intake day, 7 trainees taken on, 4 left. So reasonably severe!

Training last night was 66%, pretty much normal. Was a good 3 hours in the dark :)

I know a few other people who work for both the Oldham and Kirklees areas so I’m aware of the commitment involved. I have thought about it, but unsure if I could commit to it all. Perhaps that’s me being a bit to self-centred.

If you ever need help with fundraising let me know and I’ll do all I can to help out


I can’t say how much admiration I have for you doing this Greg

Chew, until I have to pick your ass up out of a ditch you're welcome :)

We do have a supporters side that help with fundraising if you'd be interested? But yes, it is a time commitment, quite a bit. I feel like I owe it after so many years in the hills, and due to work done by DWMRT when I chap I knew fell ~100m while walking off some crags. It didn't work out so well, but the team did an amazing job where they could.

GregMay wrote:Chew, until I have to pick your ass up out of a ditch you're welcome :)

I think that’s the biggest safety feature. Don’t hurt yourself doing something stupid and have Greg find you

Feel free to send us some links and I’ll have a read.
It’s more like the proceeds of the WRT going to the Air Ambulance. Potentially should do something similar for the night rides I lead around Calderdale.

Good karma and all that

Assessment weekend has now been and gone. I'll write more after I've written up the piece for the local paper, but to give the short version:

- Landing an incoming helicopter at 2300 on top of an exposed mountain in spindrift and -10 wind chill is a good way to start your night off.
- Path searching deserted woods a night is surprisingly calming, even if you've an idea it's not going to be a good outcome.
- Night in a bothy is as ever, a night to relish.
- Tracey's chili burns twice.
- Four people can move a 20 stone casualty down a narrow staircase on a scoop with care.
- Getting someone out of a waterfall is moist.
- Ropework is calming.

Few beers, and obligatory pie and peas, with the team to celebrate us passing. Officially voting us in on Tuesday. Tired today.

Untitled by Greg.May, on Flickr

Congratulations Greg I can't believe nearly a year has passed since you started this thread! Please keep updating us even though you're now a full member, I look forward to reading these and the insights into what goes into a team behind the scenes.

Will do. I get to go to business meetings now. I've been told they are wonderful.

/sarcastic voice

I've already badgered the training officer to see can I get out helping the new trainees on the nights we have business meetings :)

Nice one Greg

January Update:

Incidents 10 (2 Dog calls) , Attended 3.
~
Busy month again, dogs got a run out on Scafell for a few days looking for a missing walker - found after 50hrs on the hill by the fell party with one of our dogs in.

A lot of local jobs during the snow, usual walkers falling over in ice and lower leg fractures, few YAS assists with poorly patients in remote areas they couldn't get to due to road conditions. Managed to have a lot of time minding the baby this month so I missed quite few shouts - could see one in process across the valley from us from the comfort of my kitchen :)

Highlight of the month, undoubtedly the assessment which I'll post in due course - waiting for it to go live on the site first.

We've had our new intake as well, 30 people made it past the application, 17 went on hill assessment, 7 were chosen to start as trainees from that bunch. So far, we're down to 6 already, however, positive is that 50/50 split male/female this year with some really strong applicants. Should be a good year!

Must be the same for all MR teams as soon as snow arrives .... had multiple shouts to area calls on Pen Y Fan to assist Central and Brecon get folk off.

Ice is the big one round our way. Lots of walkers happy in the snow, then onto lower paths, slip, snap, blue lights.

Words and photos from our final assessment here:

http://www.cvsrt.org.uk/the-team/news/p ... sment-2018

For the lazy:

HIGH BROWN KNOLL, 21:30HRS

“Calder Control; this is Exercise Charlie One requesting an exercise helimed for a subject with a suspected MI at grid reference Sierra Echo 0098 3042. Over.”
“Control to Exercise Charlie One, Helimed 99 is en route to your location. ETA 30 minutes. Over”
“Control, just to confirm; actual Helimed 99 en route, not an exercise helimed? Over.”
“Correct, prep a landing site. Out.”

This was the point our evening suddenly became interesting. Tasked with finding four overdue Scouts and their leader, we’d trudged our way through the snow up to the trig point following their planned route. Our casualties were located in an emergency shelter, overdue as their leader had had a ‘funny turn’. While the nominated casualty carer set about dealing with the patient, the rest of us took care of the Scouts and came up with a plan. Normally, requesting a helimed at night was unheard of, but as the Yorkshire Air Ambulance had started flying at night and we needed our casualty evacuated as fast as possible, we figured why not ask. We were surprised when it was granted. A first for our team landing the air ambulance at night, let alone on top of a summit in full winter conditions.

The next 20 hours were to be the culmination of the past year of training, and our past six months on the call out list. With a range on mentors on site to assess our capability, we would take turns performing each specific role within the Search and Rescue Team across a variety of different scenarios – this was our final assessment before we were granted full team membership.

With our patient airborne, we walked the Scouts off the hill towards where we had arranged a rendezvous with a team vehicle. Re-united with their leader, who’d made a miraculous recovery in the back of the air ambulance, we debriefed on the scenario and awaited our next tasking. We were given a grid reference a few kilometres away and a specific route to take there.

But what would we find? Maybe we’ll be searching for a vulnerable missing person? Or a farmer who was showing early signs of heart failure and needed evacuation from his house to an ambulance? Or a Geocacher, who had fallen down a cascade and broken his ankle? How about someone who fell off a crag who was holding onto a tree and needed hauling back up? All pretty regular jobs for CVSRT, ones we’ve seen and trained for. The answer was all five scenarios - spaced out overnight and into the next day when we finally returned to base, stripped all our kit down, re packed the vehicles ready for a real callout, and then debriefed for the last time.

Thankfully we all passed our final assessment and qualified as full team members. For us, this is just the beginning. Though full team members now, we’ve only just started learning what it really means to be part of the mountain rescue family at CVSRT. Our best wishes go to the next batch of trainees who are about to start their training.

CVSRT would like to thank West Yorkshire Police and Yorkshire Air Ambulance for the assistance with the night evacuation. Thanks also to the staff at Hardcastle Crags for the use of their barn and Adrian & Kathryn Leach for the use of their farm. Finally, thanks to all the CVSRT members and active supporters group who helped and supported us during our final ‘Probie Assessment’ weekend.

CVSRT Probationary Members (2017-18)
Greg May, John Hickling, Matt Keyse and Tom Britten

Suffice to say, we've been busy. Started up at 0530 today, stood down at 1815, next crew take over. I'll fill in February update later in the week, with some about this batch work too.

One thing: If a road says "Road Closed" there is a reason for it. Don't drive up it and get stuck. It's a call out that didn't need to happen.

Stay safe kids. It's utterly stunning out there at the moment.

I know it's been a long time since I posted on this thread. But I figured this was worth the bump:

IMG-20180909-WA0015-2 by Greg.May, on Flickr

Suffice to say I've "embedded" in the team. As have our family.

Just reading about the Cave Rescue guys rescuing a couple of fools up on Ingleborough, who not only went up at 1pm totally unprepared, but weren't local in the first place.

Reminded me of this thread, how's this all going Greg?

How did I never see this thread.

Good work Greg

JohnClimber wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 11:24 pm How did I never see this thread.

Good work Greg

Me too. Very very well done (only 3 years late)...

I used to work with Pete F (ex team leader (?) and now SARDA dog handle. Sound guy. Very experience and so calm.
I mainly knew him through his day job before he retired.

ledburner wrote: ↑Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:32 am I used to work with Pete F (ex team leader (?) and now SARDA dog handle. Sound guy. Very experience and so calm.
I mainly knew him through his day job before he retired.

Pete Farnell - great chap, still on the team. Lovely dogs, Meg is a total dote. Love the way she'll sit on my lap while were hammering along under blue lights :)

benp1 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 7:12 pm Reminded me of this thread, how's this all going Greg?

Short version - still here, still getting wet and cold

Long version - actually worth me putting some time into it. Very strange time in MR. Spent last night doing PPE refresher and reminder at how CPR procedures are different (aerosol generating procedure so pretty dangerous if casualty is COVID positive or asymptomatic).

I've got some time later so I'll give a better run down of how the past few years have gone.

OK, just back from a call out (man fall down), curry is bubbling, child is watching Paw Patrol, as good a time as any to update on this.

Nearly 3 years since I've become a full team member, 4 years since I was started on the team. Lots has happened. Same as everyone really. Life happens. Only three of us remain from the cohort that trained and qualified together, others have left the team, some have moved homes, family commitments etc. Still feels like a family, members I get on with and spend my (socially distanced) leisure time with, others I nod and am courteous to.

Positives are always harder to remember than the negatives. Lots of jobs done to save people in really poor states, or in potentially dangerous outcomes. Quite a few memorable jobs from the B.O.T.E. 1 and 2 with the thermometer on the vehicle and a handheld anemometer working out at -25 degrees C windchill while digging people out of cars on the tops. THen finding cars broken into after being abandoned. Top of the memory stack; guiding a helicopter to land in a park in the middle of Halifax so our pediatrician could be taken to a kid who was properly big sick.

A lot more negatives. Mainly with kids - 10mins Non responsive, not breathing, after drowning and being first on site. high up on that list (not dead in the end, still don't know how). Too many people taking their own lives. Too many people getting into stupid situations that could have been avoided. Then these times we live in. Unbelievably busy in March and April. People in places doing things they don't know how to do safely.

Then there was the epic multi agency job for the casualty who might just be alive if we can get there quickly. 2m vis above Haworth, bitterly cold, humping people and dogs across a great expanse of moorland. But we found him. Lucky bugger. 18 hours out, in a sink hole, in winter, in a fleece and cotton pants - but not dead. Went to school and taught after being on my feet for 12 hours. Didn't care. He's not dead. Ace.

Running, climbing, talking poor show with my team mates - those were the good times. I miss those times. They will return.

Will I be here in 3 more years? Yes. Pretty simple really.