Despite all the best preparations, mountains are hazardous and unforgiving, and accidents can happen. It is also possible that you may find yourself first on the scene of an accident involving another party.

When things do go wrong, above all else Stay Calm! Think Clearly! Think Logically!

The initial time you spend assessing the situation is critical. If early decisions are rushed, you may pay the price later. By it's nature, Mountain Rescue is a slow business, so do not be afraid to take as long as necessary to think your situation through and decide on the best course of action. Making the right decisions at this stage may well save time in the long run.

If a Mountain Rescue Team is to be called out, try to send at least two competent walkers to raise the alarm, with a written note explaining the nature of the problem, the number of people involved, the exact location (both with a 6-figure grid reference and a written description), and your intended course of action. Consider carrying a pre-prepared 'incident report form' on waterproof paper in your first aid kit, which can be filled in when needed.

To call a Mountain Rescue Team, dial 999 or 112 and ask for Mountain Rescue. The messengers may be required to wait by the phone for further instructions, and may be used to guide the Team to the exact location of the incident, so they should be the fittest group members if possible.

Be prepared for a long wait - comprised of the time it takes for your messengers to reach a phone, the team callout and assembly time, and the time required for the team to walk to your location with heavy equipment. You may decide that if there is a danger of hypothermia it is best to evacuate most of the party and leave a small group remaining with the casualty. You may also decide that it is necessary to move the casualty to a more sheltered or safer location (if so, ensure that someone will be on hand to guide the Team to your new location).

Consider how your group members or passers by can best be deployed, and how the equipment carried by the group can best be redistributed and utilised. Consider 'alternative' uses for the equipment you are carrying, for example camera flashes can be used to attract attention in the dark, a rope laid out along the ground will maximise your chances of being located in poor visibility, and a survival bag can be used for attracting attention. The standard distress signal is six sharp whistle blasts (or torch flashes) followed by a one minute silence, repeated.

Don't lose touch with common sense when coming to any decisions!

return to Top