My previous first aid training had usually finished on the note … “and then I’d call the Mountain Rescue”. So this was going to be fun!!

We were briefed about a horse riding accident up the glen. Thinking this was all hypothetical & setting the scene would be left to our imaginations I set off, only to turn the corner and find 2 REAL horses & riders waiting for us! Duncan took charge and soon gave out instructions. There were lots of new pieces of equipment that I’d never used before. I was so mesmerised by the various bags, splits & oxygen that I probably broke the casualty’s neck ten times over – Best get these things ironed out in training though eh!!

Our second rescue was further up the glen. I was in the second half of the team to arrive at the scene of a mountain bike crash. By the time we got there things were pretty serious and the casualty had to stretchered to an appropriate place for the chopper to collect them. I was given the job of holding the strops bag – which I did, for dear life. As I was still unsure whether we were expecting a real chopper of not after the whole horse thing! We weren’t, but it just went to show how realistic the scenarios were. Not only with the props but by the way people were communicating with one and other. The tone of their voice and the directive commands they were giving. It was my first taste of what a real rescue might be like.

The second half of the day was a bit more chilled (literary) with river rescues. We practised our river crossings where Rod found his limits and our throw bag skills where Duncan showed us his new technique off – not holding on to the other end! It was great fun and lots of lessons had been learnt.

All in all a fantastic day only to be topped off with coffee & cake at the café in Poolewe!

Jenny Graham

To be truthful, writing this, I’ve encountered again the same ‘Cold Chill’, now, as when I attended my first Sunday all day training session, nearly one year ago. To my emotional rescue, then, was the comfort that there was at least another six, ‘Fresh Meat’ candidates brave enough to enlist & run the Torridon Mountain Rescue training gauntlet.

The day, the same as all training days since was extremely well organised & structured by all team members involved & for many of us ‘Newbies’, probably shattered or re-in forced any preconceptions that we had. For me, I had some years of hill walking experience & a couple of years involved with mountaineering, so naively & arrogantly, I thought that I would have something to bring to the team!

To elaborate, in the much larger world of the MRT, attention to detail is essential. My whole skill set is now more comprehensive & my techniques continually being honed to a higher level. I have found the whole experience so far, extremely ‘humbling’. The dedication & professionalism of the team members shines through the patience of teaching & the extensive conglomerate of skills of which have to be learned. The sense of team spirit & achievement is infectious & has installed in me a keen motivation to re-attend training sessions and to better myself in something that I really enjoy.

As a recent member to the call-out list, you become immediately aware of your responsibility. All that training isn’t for nothing! The phone can ring at any time! Your new kit should always be maintained & ready for use. Keep your phone on you at all times & charged & hopefully you will arrive on time & at the correct rendezvous point of your call–out.

As a ‘ Fresh Meat, Newbie’ I also have the aid of my own personal Mentor. “Can you make a silk purse out of a Pigs Ear ? “, I might ask (ha!ha!), I’m sure he’ll have an answer for that in his black book!

The TMRT is jam packed full of dedicated professional individuals who give their time for free & I am proud to be part of it.

Rod Winton

The second training session of the year brought what must be a near record turnout but also the promise of a pretty grim forecast. However, they say it’s often the weather which draws the crowds – although I’m not sure this saying has ever been a selling point in Torridon.

Not to be deterred however by the lashing rain the briefing for the day was to head into Coire an Laoigh to the south-east of Spidean Coire nan Clach, on Beinn Eighe to cover avalanche search techniques and practice rope work applicable for covering moderate terrain in winter. The intended venue for the day, Coire na Caime on Liathach, was not a viable option given the conditions and potential for high avalanche risk in the area.

With the poor forecast the helicopter exercise was also cancelled so instead we headed on foot up the well defined track on the flanks of the Allt Coire an Laoigh, filing in behind Gerry who was acting, by his own admission, as pacemaker.

Once high in the corrie conditions were as expected with heavy deposition on the lee (east) slopes and ample snow pack for the intended exercises. The session was headed up by Gill and John who had recently completed an Avalanche Awareness course in Lochaber. The first exercise was to practice using our transceivers. So while the rest of us had a bite to eat Jim was instructed to head off up the hill and bury a transceiver and bag to act as a mock casualty. Without too much fuss all the groups managed to locate the target although it was interesting to see how different models of (searching) transceiver interpret the flux lines emitted by the (buried) transmitting beacon. This can lead to quite different approaches being taken by different searchers. Avalanche transceivers are an essential piece of mountain rescue winter armoury, both as a personal safety device and as a valuable rescue tool for locating a buried casualty.

We then moved on to simulating the search of an area of avalanche debris using probes. Lined out at arms length we carried out an initial coarse search covering a large area and drilled the technique down until we were shoulder to shoulder and able to carry out a more detailed search of a smaller area.

So, having successfully located Jim’s buried sandwiches we split into small groups and climbed up the south east flank of the corrie onto the ridge line. The terrain was pretty moderate, general mountaineering ground and each group chose a different line to follow. Once on the ridge it was straight back down to the glen and the awaiting vehicles.

After a productive days training the whole team assembled back at the base for a presentation to Eoghain Maclean, retiring after 40 years service to Scottish mountain rescue. Eoghain was the former Torridon team leader and we all wish him well for the future.

Mark Edmonds