Outline and History
Currently the Moffat team is lead by Ali Carruthers and has 35 members of which 29 are fully trained and on the callout list for incidents. Members of the team strive to maintain and operate to a high and professional standard. To ensure that the Moffat team meets these requirements, training takes place on average two days per month with additional evening indoor and outdoor sessionsfor good measure.
The team enjoys an excellent working relationship with Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, the local police force, and has at least one major two day joint exercise involving the police and other mountain rescue teams each year.
The area of operation is primarily the eastern half of Dumfries and Galloway Region. However they have been involved in incidents as far apart as Langholm, Wanlockhead, Gretna and Stranraer. Occasionally the team is also called on to support other teams in the Lothian & Borders and Cumbria police areas and have assisted in searches in and Livingstone Penrith areas.
Included in the teams' assets are two Land Rover ambulances, a Vauxhall Movano hitop van for communications and incident management, an emergency equipment trailer and, with the generous help and assistance of the Order of St John, a purpose built team base for storage. Equipment includes 200 metre ropes, radios, powerful lamps, protective helmets & harnesses, specialist stretchers & first aid equipment, defibrilator and equipment for finding and recovering people from avalanches as well as personal safety equipment.
Typically a team member going out on an incident will be carrying equipment costing upwards of £2000, this in addition to his / her personal gear which can easily cost an individual over £1000.
The team is a registered scottish charity (No. SCO07510) and regularly carries out fund raising activities in addition to the level of training and committement to the call out list.
Being very much believers in self help team members are encouraged to become involved in fund raising activities and to utilise skills in woodwork, brick laying, electrical & engineering and painting etc. The utilisation of such skills has saved the team many thousands of pounds. It is fair to say that without the support of a dedicated group behind it Moffat MRT could not be where it is today.
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The important bit....
It would be totally wrong not to mention the families and friends of team members who offer tremendous support both to team members going out on incidents and in support of the teams' essential fund raising efforts. Their support is critical to the effective functioning of the team and is very much appreciated.
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