Walking Forum
Main Boards => News and Articles => Topic started by: rural roamer on 22:58:49, 02/11/18
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https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1875711362478058&id=126730547376157 (https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1875711362478058&id=126730547376157)
Interesting article on mountain rescue teams not receiving enough support from helicopter bosses in some of their rescues.
Also a report here if you don’t want to look at their facebook page
https://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2018/11/02/scottish-teams-say-rescue-helicopter-bosses-have-casual-disregard-for-members-safety (https://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2018/11/02/scottish-teams-say-rescue-helicopter-bosses-have-casual-disregard-for-members-safety)
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They seem to asking for a level of support above what was in the contract. The RAF might of done them a few favours, but a civilian company might be more cautious. They are getting a much more capable and reliable service when on a call however.
The job of bringing a dead body off a mountain should be one to look at the police and question them on why they are happy to pass that on to the MRT?
(Not sure its a coincidence that the teams reporting issues all objected to the civilian contract before it was given?)
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The job of bringing a dead body off a mountain should be one to look at the police and question them on why they are happy to pass that on to the MRT?
I agree with this. MRT's should be funded properly IMO and I think we should pay MRT members.
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.................The RAF might of done them a few favours, but a civilian company might be more cautious. They are getting a much more capable and reliable service .........
Do you mean a more capable & reliable service than the RAF provided ?
I doubt that could be possible. Surely like everything else put into private hands the new operators only do what it states in the contract, whereas the RAF didn't have a contract and would do whatever it took to effect a rescue (within limits).
I think the recovery aspect of the work is a difficult one to answer. I have read a lot regarding the history of both the civilian mountain rescue groups and the RAF mountain rescue and in both cases (going back to the late 1940s) they felt better equipped & trained to undertake the recovery aspect. Obviously handling a deceased isn't pleasant but the police aren't capable of getting a body off a hill/crag.
Given the cut backs with police budgets these days, they don't even attend most crimes so I think body recovery from high or wild places it is a forlorn expectation.
.............. I think we should pay MRT members.
O0 I know many of them do it for the love of it- otherwise they would have never joined, but it must be galling when people make reference to them 'doing their job'. Maybe it's public ignorance or just the wrong use of words.
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I know many of them do it for the love of it- otherwise they would have never joined, but it must be galling when people make reference to them 'doing their job'. Maybe it's public ignorance or just the wrong use of words.
I think in this case, the Scafell Pike call, it was ignorance ;)
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Mountain Rescue UK have posted this interesting and informative blog about staying safe in Winter:
https://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk/blog/2018/11/08/winter-is-coming-stay-safe-and-enjoy-the-hills/?fbclid=IwAR0y2Bi4C8PTgOwv3W1QsJ8UzcJEpHkuuVzlpUdEvygnxX4plAV6xxdmUaU
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…. and I think we should pay MRT members.
The danger is that people's expectations would be raised, and we would see more idiots demanding to be rescued.
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Do you mean a more capable & reliable service than the RAF provided ?
I doubt that could be possible. Surely like everything else put into private hands the new operators only do what it states in the contract, whereas the RAF didn't have a contract and would do whatever it took to effect a rescue (within limits).
Yes I mean more capable and reliable service. The Coastguard helicopters are faster, more powerful, newer, more capable, more capacity and are available more due to being more reliable (less breakdowns).
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More capable? Ask some members of MRTs what they think of the 'new' aircraft...............