Mountain Rescue Safety Briefs - How to call out Mountain Rescue
This blog marks the start of a regular series of short safety briefs from Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW), the national co-ordinating body for volunteer search and rescue teams in England and Wales.
How to call out Mountain Rescue
Whatever the weather, anyone out in the upland areas of Britain can get into difficulties, even the most experienced and well-equipped walkers, cyclists and climbers. If you need the help of mountain rescue, raise the alarm by calling the Police on 999. They'll be able to alert the local Mountain Rescue Team (MRT).
If you've got any sort of mobile signal, the nearest team should be able to call you, fix your position and then get to you as soon as possible.
"Mobile phones are both a hazard and a benefit in what we do," says Mike France, Chairman of Mountain Rescue England and Wales and a member of Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team. "Having a mobile with plenty of battery power and a good signal can help casualties or lost walkers to alert us much sooner than in the past but, relying on a mobile phone app for your map and route can be disastrous. We'd always recommend people to have a conventional map and compass and to know how to use them too."
Mountain Rescue in England and Wales is a completely voluntary service that is provided 24/7 by local teams. There are more than 50 of these teams across England and Wales and they also support the paid emergency services on searches (rural and urban), water rescues, difficult access to casualties and flooding incidents.
Find out more at the Mountain Rescue England & Wales Website
