Today 7 of the potential new members from Thursday night arrived to complete part two of this year’s recruitment sessions.

All 7 arrived at 9am to start the day’s (sample taster) training sessions, commencing with an overview of the team’s splinting equipment, mountain rescue stretchers and vacuum matress.

The first outdoor session blessed by spring sunshine and very dry moors started from Hordern Stoops, with a fitness / navigation walk to the ’trig’ point on Winter Hill.

Potential new members getting their bearings before setting off

The loneliness of the stretcher carrier

This was followed by a simple stretcher evacuation with the 7 discovering that carrying a loaded stretcher is not an easy task.

Loading the casualty on the stretcher…

Preparing for the carry off…

The lift….

Carry down Winter Hill Flats…..

Through the peat – not as much as in previous potential member’s days…..

Back to the waiting ambulances

A more difficult stretcher exercise then took place in the Lower House area of Rivington.

Loading the casualty in thick undergrowth

The evacuation

The final exercise of the day took place in Anglezarke Quarry replicating an actual incident.

A difficult extraction from Anglezarke Quarry

Ropes and a brave exercise casualty required…..

All seven alongside the 20 team call out list members who supported today, then returned to our Ladybridge Hall base for a debrief on the day’s proceedings.

With the detailed application form now returned from all 7, alongside the results of written tests undertaken on Thursday night and their fitness and navigation test of today, our Training Officer and Team Leader (taking on board comments from other team members present) will now assess their suitability for joining the team. Successful applicants will hopefully be informed by Thursday 30th April with a view to commencing their 6 week probationary period on Wednesday 6th May.

The team would like to thank all seven interested persons who turned up for giving up their Thursday evening and most of today to gain an insight into our team.

The team would like to specifically thank Teresa and Howard Gilliland and Alan Yates from our Support Group for their catering and general assistance with this event today and Carl Silver for taking photos.