This evening commencing at 19.40hrs representatives from four of the five mountain rescue teams who operate in Greater Manchester, met at the NWAS (Greater Manchester) Emergency Operational Centre, at Parkway, Manchester, to discuss some items of operational procedures between NWAS (Greater Manchester) and mountain rescue teams.
Our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE and Call Out Contact Steve Fletcher (our Equipment Officer – IT and Communications) attended, alongside two representatives from Oldham MRT (including their Team Leader Mick Nield) two from Glossop MRT and two from Rossendale and Pendle MRT.
Discussions were held regards the impending introduction of SARCALL by NWAS (Greater Manchester) – it is already in operation by NWAS (Cumbria and Lancashire) EOC Broughton, and how 999 calls are handled within the EOC including the despatch of emergency ambulances and other emergency ambulance resources.
All present then sat alongside EOC emergency call takers and despatches, gaining a little more insight in to how the system works.
The evenings meeting concluded at 22.50hrs.
Garry and Steve would like to thank NWAS EOC Manager Martin Hawksworth for his valued time with us tonight, and for the EOC call takers and despatches who so openly welcomed us all.