Now held twice yearly, the GMESLG serves to unite all the Statutory Emergency Services working in Greater Manchester with the Mountain Rescue Teams which assist them, discussing procedures, incidents, developments and items of mutual interest.

The participating organisations are invited to take their turn at hosting the meeting, and this evening we hosted the proceedings at our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ., suitably decorated at this festive time of the year.

Our team was represented by our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, and by team member Steve O’Hara (Finding out how this meeting links in with the 3rd Party Voluntary Agencies Meetings he attends jointly with Garry)

The following were also present and represented at tonight’s meeting; Inspector Michael Eddleston, GMP Force Incident Control Room, (Michael is also a Bolton MRT team member) Sgt Mark Sweeney representing GMP Missing Person Search Managers / GMP Tactical Aid Unit – Specialist Search Unit, Kev Garvey of Rossendale and Pendle MRT, Howard Taylor of Kinder MRT, Team Leader Matt Dooley, and Peter Gilson both of Glossop MRT, Team Leader Mick Nield, Assistant Team Leader Matt Nield, and David Knight all of Oldham MRT, Andy Redgrave of  NWAS (Greater Manchester Area) Mark Evans of the North West Air Ambulance and James Mawdsley of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

The meeting commenced at 19.40hrs with festive fare on offer including mince pies, apple pies and chocolate rolls, with the meeting following the usual agenda.

Much discussion as usual focused on ways to improve and enhance the current understanding all organisations present, have of each others capabilities and resources so that we can better work together on multi agency incidents, with the summer 2016 Major Incident Multi Agency Greater Manchester based Exercise Triton being a topic of discussion tonight.

Inter agency communications on training and incidents was also discussed, including the SARCALL logging system, and inter agency Airwave use in Greater Manchester.

Thanks as usual goes to Team Leader Mick Nield of Oldham MRT for Chairing the meeting and also note taking the proceedings.

The next scheduled GMESLG meeting will be Thursday 23rd June 2016, to be hosted by Glossop MRT at their Base / Headquarters.

Both Bolton MRT and Rossendale and Pendle MRT also attend the counter part of this meeting, held within Lancashire and facilitated by Lancashire Constabulary, the Lancashire Search and Rescue Meeting, which is similarly held twice a year.