Well our four members who had journeyed to Dartmoor on Friday afternoon returned tonight, not to a well earned rest but straight into Incident 114 before they had even got home!
By all accounts their weekend was a great success and saw them joining search and rescue team members and other emergency organisations from many different parts of England in an action packed weekend, involving a full day exercise on Saturday and SRT workshops on Sunday.
We understand the following organisations took part over the course of the weekend, Cornwall Search and Rescue Team (still making good use of the Buffalo Jackets we donated to them), Exmoor Search and Rescue Team, Bolton MRT, Oldham MRT (who journeyed to Dartmoor in a hired minibus), Wiltshire LSAR Team, Hampshire LSAR Team, Kimmeridge Coastguard, London Fire Service, Devon and Somerset Fire Service Urban Search and Rescue Team, Devon and Cornwall Police, SARDA (England), Wessex 4×4 Club, and the four constituent teams within the Dartmoor Rescue Group, that being Dartmoor Search and Rescue Teams Ashburton, Okehampton, Plymouth and Tavistock.
Airbourne SAR assets included RAF SAR Sea King ’Rescue 169’ based at the Royal Marines Base Chivenor, and the Devon and Cornwall Police Air Support Unit helicopter ’Oscar 99’.
Weather conditions proved none too challenging for our hardy northern hill members present, the mist and drizzle differing little from all that we have seen this year on our local moorlands.
Even the tussocky grass and boggy moorland conditions on Dartmoor reminded our intrepid four of home.
Sadly this year we didn’t win the skittles challenge, although our four manitain they were cheated out of first place, nevertheless good luck to the winners DSRT Ashburton, but be warned we are in training to win back the title in 2009!
And what else happened at the inevitable drink the bars dry socials on Friday and Saturday evenings. Well all we’ve found out so far is that one of our four who shall remain nameless cannot tell a single from the doubles that were actually being bought! and a certain blonde female member of our contingent received many bottles of wine and walnuts (do not ask!) from the London Fire Service Firefighters.
All that remains is a big thankyou from our four to the hospitality shown over the weekend and thanks to all on the organisational committee for a great two days.
Finally from all at Bolton MRT to all in Dartmoor Rescue Group, happy 40th birthday to DRG, we know how you feel as its our 40th as well.
