Donegal Mountain Rescue Base Opening

Glenveagh National Park

 

Donegal Mountain Rescue formally opened their New Base in the Office Compound of Glenveagh National Park on Sunday.

 

The Base was generously supplied by Glenveagh National Park and the event was well attended on a glorious day with representatives from Milford and Letterkenny Garda, HSE Ambulance Service, Downings Coast Guard, Aern Radio Specialists, Glenveagh Staff and DMRT personnel in attendance with an impressive S61 Coast Guard Helicopter flyby. 

 

A presentation of the DMRT/Glenveagh Park relationship was held in the visitors centre Auditorium.

 

David Duggan, Regional Manager then did the honours and cut the tape to mark the formal Base opening.

 

The Park also organised a generous buffet and refreshments afterwards.

 

       Support and Joint Exercises

 

Donegal Mountain Rescue and Glenveagh National Park are working together to ensure the safety of all visitors to the greater park area of Glenveagh National Park which now stands at over 100,000 per annum.

 

Since 2008 the two organisations have met regularly to set up Training, Protocols and Resources to ensure a fast, professional joint response to any reported missing or injured persons.

 

Other supports which have been supplied by Glenveagh National Park include,

 

a)     Excellent Training facilities in the Administration compound. DMRT have run numerous Training events in this Centre since 2008.

b)    Use of the Castle over the last 3 years for the popular ‘Murder Mystery’ DMRT fundraising event (shown recently on UTV’s recent Glenveagh Series).

c)     Use of the ‘Bridge House’ for overnight stays for Training Courses.

d)    Use of the Park including the ‘Stalker Cottages’ for Team Training.

 

In early 2010 a full Joint Exercise between the Park and DMRT will be conducted in the Park area to simulate a major incident and response.

Search Protocols, Communications, Search Management, Medical and Equipment resources will be tested during the Joint Exercise.

A full debrief and subsequent recommendations will be actioned to improve the Park/DMRT Incident Response.

 

Park Rescue equipment is also being reviewed to improve a Joint Park/DMRT Incident response.

 

The Joint Objective is to be able to respond professionally across all possible Scenarios from a twisted ankle on the Park Trail all the way through to a major Multi Agency incident such as a Plane Crash in the general Park area.   

 

Donegal Mountain Rescue are a 24-7-365 Voluntary Service.