On Sunday 6th March a number of our team took part in a training exercise focusing on how to rescue a casualty from a crag environment. We met at Langsett at 9am ready to go, and were immediately given the brief that we had been contacted by a walker who […]

Crag Rescue Training Exercise

Yesterday we were called with Edale Mountain Rescue Team to assist Yorkshire Ambulance with a fallen walker with an ankle injury near the Strines Reservoir. The walker was treated at the scene and then carried by stretcher to the ambulance. Thanks to Sugworth Hall for allowing access to MRT.

Call-out: Injured Walker

Mountain Rescue Teams across the country have had a busy December providing water rescue support to the victims of flooding in Penrith and Carlisle early December and then Littleborough, Salford and York over the festive season. Team members also remained back at home to continue to provide support to their […]

Swift Water Rescue Training

The recent hand-over of the RAF Search and Rescue service to a civilian operator, and the consequent change of aircraft has meant that the whole team has had to undergo basic familiarization training so we can work with the new Sikorsky S92 helicopters. The above photograph was taken on a […]

S92 Familiarization

To be able to provide life saving assistance in a hostile environment requires a significant amount of knowledge and expertise. Consequently all of our new volunteer members undergo a rigorous induction and training programme, and existing team members undergo periodic re-assessments of their skills. Typically, the whole team trains every […]

Training

As a mountain rescue team, we are obviously associated with providing help and assistance to people who get into difficulties out on the hills. Because of the core skill set that we have to develop in order to support this primary role, our volunteers are also often called upon to […]

So Much More Than Mountains

Martha has had a busy few weeks since we introduced her to you. She has been to see the team a number of times and it has to be said she brings out the soft side in all that meet her with team members offering cuddles to her on the […]

An update on our youngest trainee

Meet Martha The newest trainee of Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team. Martha was born on the 28th September 2014. Her Dad is a working farm border collie and Mum used to be, but is now a family pet. Martha came to live with her handler Lisa Brearley and family on the […]

Welcome to our newest trainee

What a 24hrs that has just been. I set off yesterday on a training run following the route of the Trigger, the annual Marsden to Edale race. In a moment of madness I decided to separate from my running partners to check out an alternative route through WildBoar Clough heading […]

A day in the life of an training exercise casualty

So, the 2nd of these articles about the team’s assessments. Navigation and communication skills. One of our seasoned campaigners has laid out a series of control points (CPs) which we have to individually navigate our way around. It’s an old school nav challenge, using map/compass and skill only, satmaps and […]

Navigation Assessment

Over the last 18 months or so, Woodhead rescue team has gradually developed, tested and introduced ongoing competency assessments for all team members. This series of articles are a sort of personal look at the process, and how it feels. We are to be assessed in 4 of our core […]

Rope Work Assessment

Those of you with long memories or low boredom thresholds may remember ‘Sad tale of a frustrated man’ which revolved around my frustrations trying to replace a defective lock on the back door of the Land Rover. Well, we have a sequel. The short version is that WM1 now has […]

A Sad Tale of a Frustrated Man. Part 3.