Spate of callouts puts pressure on volunteers
During my 15 years in the team, callouts have averaged somewhere in the region of 20-25 per annum. These aren’t spread evenly through the year, and tend to come in clusters. Even allowing for this, the spell from mid-June to mid-July was extraordinarily intense, with the team being called upon eight times in three weeks.
Quite a variety of scenarios meant that many aspects of our training were put into play, from searching for vulnerable missing persons in both rural and urban settings to our involvement alongside our neighbouring team Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue in the complicated technical rescue of a badly injured mountain biker who had fallen down a steep ravine near Selkirk and had to be found, stabilized and treated in situ then raised out of the ravine on a stretcher using ropes and pulleys before being helicoptered to hospital.
One of the searches ended with the discovery of a deceased casualty. This is always a possibility, and can be upsetting and traumatic not only for the family, but also for the mountain rescue volunteers. To this end, we have trained councellors within the team and access to external support if required.
Coming at a time of year when many team members will be on holiday or will have kids at home while schools are out, such a busy spell places quite a burden on family time, and it becomes a juggling act, trying to balance essential family with the commitment we all share to come to the aid of those in peril. For this reason, the support and flexibility of partners, families and friends is much appreciated.
Through the summer, we are also heavily involved in first-aid cover for common ridings and other events. This provides us with a valuable fund-raising and public awareness opportunity, and calls upon our first-aid expertise when we are called upon to treat fallen riders, who typically have spinal / pelvic injuries and limb fractures.
