Cumbria’s High Sheriff pays a visit……..

 

Coniston Mountain Rescue Team visited by Cumbria’s High Sheriff

 

On the evening of Thursday 14th May, Coniston Mountain Rescue Team welcomed Sam Rayner Esq., High Sheriff of Cumbria to their Headquarters in Coniston to view the Team in action on a training session.

 

High Sheriff of Cumbria Sam Rayner (in yellow) with 2 of Coniston MRT Search dogs and handlers

Photo: courtesy of No Routes Found

Out on the fell Sam Rayner said “I’m impressed with the diversity and amount of equipment that the team have available and are taking up with us. This is even more impressive when you take into account that the team have raised the money for it and will also need to do so to replace it”.

Once the casualty was found Sam thought “the two search dogs were amazing and saved so much manpower. The casualty was tucked behind a rock which made her very difficult to spot with the human eye. As the team arrived one of them assessed the casualty and an assessment was made of her injuries with first aid administered along with Oxygen. I was really impressed with the special bag that the casualty was wrapped up in and as the air was sucked out it became a rigid whole body splint. Who thought of that?! It was a great piece of equipment that then allowed the casualty to be placed onto the stretcher and carried off the mountain”.

Afterwards in the relative of warmth of the CMRT base Sam Rayner said “As the High Sheriff of Cumbria I want to acknowledge my appreciation on behalf of all the people of Cumbria for your service to the community and its visitors as Mountain Rescue volunteers. I want to highlight the diversity of your volunteering which is more than just mountain rescue often undertaken in severe weather conditions, raising all the money to maintain and improve your base, plus attend training events and courses to ensure you have the skills needed for every type of rescue situation”.

Mr Rayner went on to add that “he was aware that not only is there is an ever increasing number of call outs to aid or rescue people on the mountains and fells, but also a greater number of requests for the Mountain Rescue Teams to support the Ambulance, Police and Fire services, like the one that occurred only the previous weekend”.

The High Sheriff thanked all of the team who had welcomed him and allowed him to join the exercise that evening and presented a certificate to recognise his visit and acknowledge his appreciation for the services the team provide.

High Sheriff of Cumbria Sam Rayner presents Coniston MRT with a certificate of recognition

Photo: courtesy of No Routes Found