Last month, the Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team (NNPMRT) welcomed 3 new full team members and a further 8 members qualified as Mountain Rescue Casualty Carers.
Eight team members were examined in their Casualty Care on Saturday 10 December 2016 at the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) training centre, in Gateshead. They were examined by medical professionals from both the NEAS and the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), with all displaying an exceptional level of care. The examination means that for the next three years all eight examined are now Mountain Rescue Casualty Carers and are insured to undertake a number of procedures over and above normal first aid whilst on duty with the Team, including the administration of pain relief to casualties.
The Team has welcomed three new full team members; Stuart King, Cameron Williams and Mark Linsley. To become a full team member, each had to undergo six months as a trainee member learning how the team operates and the skills required. This training is then consolidated over a further six months attending call-outs as a probationary member, before being assessed as competent in all the core skills required to achieve full team member status.
During 2016 the Team responded to 66 incidents, breaking last year’s record of 56 incidents. The incidents included 29 rescues for climbers, fell/trail runners and horse riders, 27 searches for lost or overdue walkers and vulnerable or despondent individuals, 9 incidents where NNPMRT was put on alert or gave advice to calling authorities, and 1 resilience incidents where NNPMRT responded to assist stranded vehicles in heavy snow.