The operating costs of a Mountain Rescue Team are, as you can imagine, quite significant. Technical rescue hardware is extremely expensive, for example a mountain rescue stretcher alone costs well over €1,000, and a full set of replacement radios costs in the region of €18,000. Most of the equipment utilised by a MRT has a 'shelf life', and therefore needs to be regularly replaced on a rollover basis. Add to this the cost of vehicles and diesel etc. and it is easy to see how costs can mount.
In the case of Donegal MRT operating costs currently run at well over €50,000 per annum, which includes equipment, training, insurances and routine running expenses. The Team currently receives annual grant support from the Irish Coastguard, Donegal County Council and Letterkenny Town Council, however this falls far short of annual running costs, and the balance must be met by the Team's own fundraising efforts, which include collections days, collection boxes in public places, an annual dinner and individual donations.
All donations would be welcomed (and acknowledged if you desire), and we would be happy to discuss sponsorship arrangements and fundraising events with interested parties. If you are an individual hillwalker, a company representative, or perhaps the treasurer of a club with a small surplus of funds at the end of the year, please bear us in mind!
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OUR NEEDS
