Further to the initial report made on Saturday 24th March 2012 (See website ‘News’ report dated the same) Team Call Out list member Gill Leigh reports below on the success of today’s excellent exercise:

“This weekend several Bolton Mountain Rescue Team members travelled to Catterick to see our very good friends at Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team.

Experienced members Gill Leigh, Team training Officer Elaine Gilliland, Stephen Kenworthy, David Crawford and John Fletcher travelled to Swaledale’s base on Saturday evening to meet up with old and new faces. We were joined by a small number of Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team members and then all went to Asha’s Curry House to get to know each other over a meal and ‘few’ drinks.

After an early start – even earlier with the changing of the clocks – we met up with Bolton MRT Team member Equipment Officer Chris Tennant – once again to embark on the Swaledale MRT challenge.

The day got off to an excellent start with beautiful weather enhancing the landscape of North Yorkshire and the Swaledale Valley. Our ranks were swelled with members from Kirkby Stephen MRT, Bowland Pennine MRT, Ambulance crew from HART, USAR members from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Humberside Police, North Yorkshire Police and members from the Cave Rescue Organisation. We split into 5 groups of around 12 people with a mix of personnel in each team. Each team then visited a range of different scenarios to share ideas, expertise and show how to use items of equipment.

The scenarios included a triage incident where casualties needed to be ‘sieved’ and ‘sorted’ to help prioritise according to how serious the injuries were; a river rescue involving a boat and aerial safety ropes; an underground rescue from possibly the muddiest, wettest mine in the whole of Yorkshire; steep ground work requiring stretcher raises and lowers; and a search involving a forensic crime scene.

All these scenarios were well planned, very well prepared and gave each agency the opportunity to bring some knowledge and expertise so that all could learn new skills and deepen their understanding of how we can all work together to provide excellent multi-agency aid.

All Bolton Mountain Rescue Team members involved had a wonderful day and would like to thank the Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team for their hospitality, friendship and their huge commitment to organising such an event…see you there next year!”