New mountain rescue team members needed for Rossendale and Pendle (From Chorley Citizen)

New mountain rescue team members needed for Rossendale and Pendle

5:39pm Friday 1st February 2013 in East Lancashire

A MOUNTAIN rescue team covering East Lancashire is seeking 15 new members to bring them up to full strength.

Following one of their busiest ever years and a number of retirements the Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team has now launched a recruitment drive.

The team, which is responsible for a 350 square mile area of East Lancashire and Greater Manchester, will be interviewing potential trainees in the middle of February with a view to starting them on an 18 month training course at the beginning of March.

Trainees will be instructed in advanced first aid, rope work, casualty handling, navigation, off road driving and the many other skills which make a fully qualified mountain rescuer.

Peter Goble, team leader, said: “2012 was a busy year which, combined with the retirements of several very experienced team members, put a lot of pressure on us.

“We now need to recruit about fifteen people to bring the team up to full strength and enable us to meet the challenges of the next couple of years.

“Membership will mean a lot of commitment, long hours and hard work but the rewards are immense, with many new skills learned and very strong bonds formed with other team members.”

Training begins with a six week induction period where the team will assess applicants character and skills, and applicants will get to learn the basics of team membership.

That will be followed by full training every Wednesday evening and at least one weekend per month.

The Bowland and Pennine Mountain Rescue Team currently has a membership of over 60, and only recruit once a year in October.