New Base Update
The warrant for external ground works at the back of the base has been approved, and we hope the work will be completed by the end of October. The plumbing of two of the three toilets is ongoing. For an hour before the monthly team meeting members undertook clearing of clutter, and cleaning of the base and the inside of team vehicles.
ICAR – International Mountain Rescue Day
Scottish Mountain Rescue, (SMR), as a member of ICAR celebrated the 28th of August as a significant day in mountain rescue. On the weekend of 28th August 1948, a group of mountain rescue experts met at the invitation of the Austrian Alpine Club. This resulted, in 1955, in the creation of ICAR, a community of mountain rescue professionals with the aim of enhancing skills, knowledge and technology for mountain rescue. The BSARU as part of SMR benefits from any new methods of operation as SMR annually sends delegates to the ICAR conference and they report back on the latest thinking and developments in mountain rescue.
Activities
The August training took place on the grounds of Castlelaw Farm, near Coldstream, and was all about rescuing an injured casualty from a cliff face or ledge. Methods of getting a team member safely to the edge of a cliff to locate a casualty’s position, setting up anchors, attaching the stretcher to the system, securing the team member guiding the stretcher, and lowering and reversing the system for a raise were all covered. The previous Thursday evening training had covered some of the basics such as essential knots, anchors, rope attachment to stretchers, and protocol for ensuring the whole system is sound.
The team were called out just after 2200 hours on the 1st September to assist Police for a missing person in the North Berwick area. Team members searched inland areas while HM Coastguard personnel searched the coastline. The casualty was located just after midnight and looked after by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
