Issue 34 May 2014
The Magazine of
SCOTTISH
MOUNTAIN RESCUE The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland www.mountainrescuescotland.org
Front Cover: Search And Rescue Dog Association 1965 – 2015, See Page 19 The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland (MRCofS) is a Registered Scottish Charity – Number SC015257
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All enquiries regarding letters, photographs and features for publication should be submitted to the Editorial staff Design Editor Any queries regarding artwork, design and layout etc should be forwarded to the Editor Dave Cawthorn, Tel:- 01750 32342, Mobile:- 07702 162913 email :- cawthers@btinternet.com ALL ENQUIRIES REGARDING ADVERTISING SALES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO Lesley Bryce Advertising Coordinator lesleybryce2002@googlemail.com Articles published in CASBAG do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland. We are very grateful to all contributors and Advertisers. It is not always possible to include submitted features in the current issue. Those omitted are always kept for future use. MRCofS Executive Committee CHAIR Jonathan Hart
Chair@mountainrescuescotland.org
PROJECT MANAGER Andy Rockall
projectmanager@mountainrescescotland.org
VICE CHAIR Steve Penny Mark Leyland Morven Bridges Damon Powell
Vicechair@mountainrescuescotland.org markleyland.leyland@btinternet.com morvenbridges@googlemail.com damonpowell@me.com
SECRETARY Jenny Allen
Secretary@mountainrescuescotland.org
TREASURER Moira Weatherstone
Treasurer@mountainrescuescotland.org
MEDICAL OFFICER Brian Tregaskis
medicalofficer@mountainrescuescotland.org
TRAINING OFFICER Shaun Roberts
Trainingofficer@mountainrescuescotland.org
EQUIPMENT OFFICER Paul Russell RADIO OFFICER Mike Walker STATISTICIAN Jim Sudd
Equipmentofficer@mountainrescuescotland.org radioofficer@mountainrescuescotland.org statistician@mountainrescuescotland.org Co-opted Members
POLICE SCOTLAND Delyth Cunnah delyth.cunnah@scotland.pnn.police.uk Bryan Knight Bryan.knight@scotland.pnn.police.uk ARCC Tom Taylor tom.taylor.arcc@mosstowie.demon.co.uk LEGAL ADVISOR Roddy Cormack legalofficer@mountainrescuescotland.org UKSAROPS (CWG) James Coles james.coles@webpresentations.co.uk MLTS Graham McDonald egmcd@btinternet.com MRC Alfie Ingram alfoy.ingram@btinternet.com MC of S Alfie Ingram alfoy.ingram@btinternet.com SMSF Vacant CHAIR RESOURCES GROUP Alastair Rose alastairwrose@me.com MAGAZINE EDITOR Dave Cawthorn casbag@mountainrescuescotland.org cawthers@btinternet.com
The key progress that I and the Executive Committee have made on your behalf can be summarised as follows: Governance and Finance 1. Improved financial reporting, budgeting and general fiscal management 2. Creation of an annual income surplus to the MRCofS 3. Significantly increased distribution of funds direct to the civilian teams 4. Significantly improved social media and on line fund raising prescence 5. Creation of an MRCofS resources group and direct fund raising via corporate support and sponsorship 6. Move to a SCIO structure and re branding of the MRCofS to Scottish Mountain Rescue 7. Sustained and improved the grant income that we receive from both the UK and Scottish Governments 8. Maintained our relationship with St John Scotland throughout their own internal review period 9. Significantly improved engagement and governance within the executive committee 10. Creation of full time administration support and an office based at Glenmore Lodge 11. Significantly enhanced relationship building with the Scottish Government and creating a process by which our interests are now being represented directly by the Communities Minister
11. Introduction of a DRAFT Communications strategy to take us forward to 2017 12. Negotiations with Police Scotland with regard the supply of 2 airwave terminals per team 13. Facilitated the initial SARCALL workshop to progress this subject as we move toward new National call centre arrangements in Scotland 14. Built good working relationships with Bristows and the MCGA ahead of the SAR – H migration programme
Of course there are many subjects that have not progressed or developed as fully as I would have hoped and these will need to be considered by the Chair and the new Executive Committee and they include: 1. Business plan and long term strategy for Casbag 2. Sustained funding and clear structures for the future of our statistics collation, management and onward distribution 3. Fully consulted and completed , long term strategic plan for Scottish MR 4. Introduction of a Scottish MR peer review process 5. Clear governance between those whom are at work and those whom are not at work , when volunteering in Scottish Mountain and cave rescue activity 6. Successful and sustainable engagement with all UK Sar Ops working groups and our MR civilian colleagues in England , Wales and Ireland. 7. Have a process in place to support teams accessing younger members Overall, I have enjoyed my time as your Chair and have sought to maintain an objective stance throughout a period of the most significant change that Scottish Mountain Rescue has ever seen. The move to single Police and Fire structures, the upcoming referendum and the reduction in public sector finances mean that this level of change will remain very high as we start to see and experience the real consequences of these changes and how they impact on civilian , voluntary Mountain and Cave rescue. Scottish Mountain Rescue must maintain its excellent relationship with Police Scotland (and other key partners) but must also be prepared to have a strong voice and to be able to articulate any concerns that it has in a way that maintains the key focus remaining on the need for us to provide the best possible service for the casualty , whom we are all here to serve. Yours aye, JH The Magazine of
SCOTTISH
MOUNTAIN RESCUE The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Operations 1. Improved management of our opiate licensing, distribution and casualty care examination process 2. Improved relationships with the Scottish Ambulance Service and increased funding from this relationship 3. Supply of new Mk 6 stretchers to all teams-Introduction of maintenance schedules for older stretchers and lifting strops 4. Sustained and enhanced the delivery and range of our National training programmes – Now formally recognised by the UK Government as good practise 5. Significantly improved the response arrangements to avalanches in Scotland including the onward management of hypothermia related casualties 6. The first ever EU exchange trip with 10 team members attending the avalanche instructors programme in Austria 7. Full Scottish representation at IKAR 8. Introduction of an initial Team Leader training and development programme 9. Hosting of the UK and Irish conference in Aviemore 10. Provision of experienced Team Leaders as part of the Mountain Rescue Ireland Peer review process
editorial
In my three years as Chair of the MRCofS I have concentrated on improving the governance, openness, administration and finances of the organisation, so that we are better placed to be able to serve the needs of the civilian Mountain and Cave rescue teams we represent. This process has not been without significant challenge and I would like to thank all the Executive Committee members that I have worked with over this period, for their support and encouragement.
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One way of Pe Mark Leyland Arrochar MRT arrocharmrt@hotmail.co.uk Photographs: Brian Cook, Arrochar MRT
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Back in 2005, I was fortunate enough to be asked to go to Ireland to be an assessor for one of their mountain rescue team three yearly “assessments”. At the time I mentioned to my own team that this may be a useful way of validating our own competence but like many things never got around to doing anything about it. Fast forward to 2013. Another visit to another Irish Team, this time for an “accreditation”, and a growing thought that I really ought to do something about it.
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The Irish system grew from necessity. All MR was taken under the wing of the Coastguard, and as a part of a funding package, a system of validation had to be put in place. Happily, here at home we don’t have a big brother breathing down our necks but increasingly I feel we are being scrutinised from many directions. Our mountain rescue in Scotland has developed over the last 70ish years as a local solution to local needs. This is our strength, tailoring equipment, systems and practices to exactly what we require to do our job well. More recently, we have borrowed from mountaineering, industry and international rescue practices and shared information on the national courses. But how do we ensure that this amalgam of practice within our Teams is fit for purpose? There is no one outside of MR who
knows what we need as well as us so one solution is to look between ourselves with a Peer Review process. Peer Review in a nutshell. Find another MRT that operates in similar terrain to yours Invite a couple of them along to view an exercise and look at systems Get their feedback Breathe a big sigh of relief that, actually, we all do things in a very similar way. Repeat for them. It is really that simple.
The Arrochar Peer Review Process Setting the agenda for the review process is down to the Team. You may want to concentrate on a particular aspect of operations or preparation, in which case it will be useful to write these down to help your visitors to focus. For our Arrochar review, we wanted feedback on most aspects of the Team functions and wanted to put them in a national context. The only existing national document on standards is the MRCS guidelines (drawn up in 1999) . This was taken as the base line for us as part of Scottish MR. Taking the guidelines section by section we then expanded them to ensure that the competencies that were described could be reviewed The observers could then look at these criteria and decide whether it was a) actually in place, b) developing or c) completely absent. In addition to these, we also asked for direct feedback on the observed exercise and identified aspects of this as well.
eer Reviewing. Once we had the outline of the process we set a date, this was several months away, and little did we know that we would need the time. The Criteria What s the current standard? In place/ Developing/ Absent & when was it last updated
Based on MRCS Guidelines Section number
Written policy statement available and visible
2.4
Equipment inspection programme in place to ensure equipment is fit for purpose
2.4
Risk assessment of mountain rescue activities undertaken and regularly reviewed
2.4
Review of health and safety policy at regular intervals.
3. Registration 3.1 3.2
Radio registration with MRCS up to date Team membership list regularly updated
4. Training 4.1
A structured approach to training is facilitated
4.1
Recruitment, induction and deployment of New members is appropriate
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
2. Policy statement 2.4
Comments. ie Have you noticed anything that you think could be done differently or that you may take away
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The Criteria, ,continued
4.1
All training provided is recorded
4.1
Future needs and resources identified
4.2
Personal training and refreshers on core MR skills undertaken
4.3
Sufficient training in advanced MR skills undertaken to ensure knowledge base
5 First aid training and provision 5.1
Basic emergency aid training provided for all operational team members
5.1 5.2 5.2 6 Operational; requirements 6.1 6.1 6.1.2 6.1.3 6.1.4 6.1.5
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Awareness of Local police force call out protocols Procedures for Police to be made aware when local calls received and actioned Operational logs kept recording personnel deployed and returned Members tasked appropriate to their skills and experience Procedures when working with SAR helicopters followed Tasking responsibility for Team members remaining with Team Leader or their representative
6.1.6
Personal competency limitations to be known by individual team members and reported back if tasked beyond their abilities
7 Standards 7.1
Overall knowledge and experience within team to deal with ALL MR tasks likely to be encountered in local area
8 Incident reporting and recording 8.1 8.1
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Identify advanced cas carers to hold Cas care/EMT Use recognised syllabus for First aid and medical training Record all First aid training undertaken
Other aspects Observed Exercise
Accurate log kept during operational incidents Incident reports submitted to MRCS timeously post incident Call out effective Appropriate resource tasking Safe systems of work followed Communications clear and effective Incident management effective Scene management effective Casualty care appropriate Transport Handovers completed Incident de-briefing -completed and knowledge retained
Preparation Like all Teams, we were pretty confident that we were perfectly capable and competent in rescuing people. After all, we did it on a regular basis, managed to deliver the casualties in a reasonable state, and usually brought back all the members. However, despite instigating the review process and setting the criteria, we were keen to make sure that we came out of it as well as possible. Most of the Team, and especially all of the office bearers, spent many hours making sure all our systems were up to date. This extended from equipment, to call out lists, to minutes of meetings , and many happy hours were spent sorting through the thousands of computer documents to find the most up to date copies. The Post got tidied, the vehicles checked, and all the little things that needed to be done, were. On the operational side, we focussed the training more on the aspects we felt were weakest and worked everyone just a little bit harder. This was actually great for Team morale.
The Review We had decided that an afternoon looking at the systems followed by a long mornings exercise would be enough to give a flavour of what we did. We also decided to get all the admin stuff out of the way early on.
Timetable Saturday afternoon Tour of base Discussion of all administration and systems including Training, Equipment Call outs. Meetings, Finance, External liaison Saturday evening Team to host dinner for participants at local venue. Observers to work with Team liaison to start exercise formulation Sunday 0900-1400 Observed Exercise starts. 1430 Exercise debrief and observer feedback
Both our observers were Team Leaders and had their own experiences to draw on. As we looked at the different aspects of Team life, they were able to comment on similarities, and differences, from their own Teams. This was done throughout the weekend which allowed a lot of discussion to emerge. The written comments were returned to the Team within a month of the review date.
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Review Feedback
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What Did The Participants Think?
Whilst we were pretty sure that there would be no major problem areas discovered, simply the preparation for the review was valuable in itself and certainly concentrated the mind.
The week before, despite the fact it didn’t really matter, several colleagues commented on how stressful they were finding the preparation, which I think is a sign of how seriously we all took it.
The review itself was very relaxed, and it was good to be able to show off our hard work from over the years to colleagues who appreciated it.
Comments from people included:“Made us think about & review how we approach training & how we operate on the hill” “Made us review & update existing procedures, protocols & associated documentation” “Encouraged open debate & sharing of information within our own Team” “I was proud to think that my Team was capable of all of this and it was good to showcase it to other teams” “…the benefit of peer review is multi faceted - the team management to be reviewed, has the opportunity to have a think about how it operates, and how it organises itself, it allows the team members to focus on what their roles are … and it allows the reviewers to pass on and pick up good ideas”
Was It Worth It?
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
The overwhelming response of all the Team was Yes, we gained a lot from the review
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One of the greatest benefits , not only for Arrochar but for the visiting T/L’s was being able to discuss how we did things. It is often the outsiders who have a slightly different take on the how’s and why’s of a particular process. The resulting report, as expected, didn’t show any major flaws in our systems or operational activities. What we now have as a result though is some external validation of our operation, which gives the TL and the committee a great peace of mind. The return matches will happen later this year when Arrochar gets to travel and see the other Teams working. We are sure that we will learn from that part of the process as well. If any Teams would like more information or copies of the criteria as an electronic document then feel free to contact me at the email address above. References MRCS guidelines http://www.mountainrescuescotland.org/member-page/ mrcos-documents/team-guidelines/
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
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A Message From St John Scotland As you may have read here, a recent independent review of St John Scotland found that despite being one of the country’s top 50 charities, it remains among our best kept secrets. Plans are now in place to raise the profile of the organisation. St John Scotland has set itself a series of goals for 2020 and foremost amongst them is the aim “To be widely recognised as a leading lifesaving and life-enhancing charity in Scotland”. You, our partners in Mountain Rescue, can help us reach that objective.
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Such recognition is vital if we are to reach our other targets for the end of the decade: Recruiting more active, younger members, raising £2 million of funding and providing new or improved services to at least 5,000 people in Scotland who need them.
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So, where do Scotland’s mountain rescues teams fit into all of this? In small, but important ways: Acknowledge any support your team has received from St John Scotland by ensuring that bases, vehicles and equipment provided over the years carry our logo; Insert the new logo in your letterhead, especially on news releases and always when the “story” concerns “St John Scotland” (Please note that we have re-branded, so our previous title, “The Order of St John in Scotland”, is no longer appropriate). If you don’t have a copy of the new logo, please contact the email address below. Please let us know if/when your team is
promoting a story which involves St John Scotland to the media and give us sight of your news release before it is finalised. You can do so by emailing it to info@stjohnscotland.org.uk and we promise a rapid reply. We have no wish to influence the content, but we should be able to furnish useful quotes, if required, and ensure that from our perspective, the information about St John Scotland is up-to-date and accurate. If you have not already done so, please consider giving us a mention as supporters, on your website and we would be delighted if you feel able to provide a link to ours: www. stjohnscotland.org.uk Finally, but just as important as all the above, take what chances come your way to tell people, including your own members, about St John Scotland and how since 1997 it has donated close to £3.5 million to Mountain Rescue in Scotland, providing 13 bases and a rolling programme of vehicle supply and replacement. This message will be going out to individual teams shortly. Thank you, Donald Fullarton, Chairman, St John Scotland Communications Committee, The Priory of Scotland of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, 21 St John Street, Edinburgh EH8 8DG
St John Scotland: Rescuing The Rescuers. Charity has pumped nearly £3.5 million into Mountain Rescue In his New Year blog at the end of 2013, Dave “Heavy” Whalley, a legendary figure among Scottish climbers, wrote: “I bet few who use the Outdoors know about the wonderful work of the Order of St John and its incredible assistance to Mountain Rescue in Scotland.” “Heavy”, a former Chairman of the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland, was highlighting in a very specific way a situation which regularly exercises the mind of Sir Malcolm Ross, who heads St John in Scotland: “There are nearly 24,000 charities in Scotland and we are in the top 50, yet St John remains the bestkept secret in the country. We need to change that,” he says. Following a major, independent strategic review, St John Scotland has set itself a series of targets including: Being more widely recognised as a leading life-saving and life-enhancing charity; attracting a younger, more active membership; and raising at least £2 million by 2020 to allow it to deliver services to more than 5,000 people. These targets present a major challenge, not just to the central governing body, known as the Chapter, but also to the 12 Area Committees which cover the whole of Scotland and not only contribute to national funds, but set their own priorities for supporting locally based projects. Around the country St John Scotland’s portfolio of activities includes the provision of transport services for hospital patients, a growing “First responder” network which works in conjunction with the Ambulance Service, palliative care projects and a number of local initiatives for the elderly and disadvantaged. Internationally, Scotland contributes to the St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem and to health care projects in Malawi. In recent years in excess of £700,000 has been disbursed annually to its causes.
It was the sale, in 1995, of the St John hospital in Aberdeen which made it possible for the Order to launch a truly national campaign to support the volunteers who regularly risked life and limb to save others in the mountains. An exercise for hearts and minds Dave Whalley was at this time in the Royal Air Force, Team Leader of the RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team and the first military chairman of Scottish Mountain Rescue. He was used to the luxury of government funding for the well-equipped RAF mountain rescue teams, but worried about the struggle the civilian volunteer teams were having in raising money to function. He was also concerned that a significant number of “characters” in the movement were wary of any form of sponsorship, which they feared would lead to the voluntary element of mountain rescue being pushed aside. He recalls an early meeting at RAF Kinloss with St James Stirling of Garden, then the “Prior” or head of St John in Scotland. “I explained that there would be a ‘hearts and minds’ exercise necessary when he met some of the teams. I was very frank and very impressed by the attitude of the Order and their desire to help. Many sponsors would have walked away, but incredibly St John agreed to speak to those who were resisting this new idea,” he said. “This was not an easy task but eventually others within mountain rescue took up the baton and after a few years the bond was made between St John and Scottish Mountain Rescue. This was a key point in the development of the movement.” Richard Waller was for 17 years Chief Executive of St John Scotland and the man who became “Mr Mountain Rescue” for the Order. He joined the organisation a year after it had sold the St John Hospital in Aberdeen and was tasked with finding the best way of utilising the annual income without eating into the capital raised. He says:“There was a long history of St John supporting mountain rescue at local level but the sale of the Hospital provided the funds to increase St John’s charitable output, particularly on major projects which would be beyond the means of any one Area or combination of Areas. “There is a strong natural affinity between St John and rescue organisations: Both share the humanitarian ideals of voluntary service for the benefit of other people. The life- saving and medical assistance aspects of many rescues provide another common link. “Mountain rescue can be seen as the land-based equivalent of the RNLI, but without the same public recognition or support. It was felt, and is still felt, that enhanced St John Scotland support for Scottish Mountain Rescue would fill a gap not occupied by any other single major funder or benefactor.” And so it began… A key meeting between St John Scotland and the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland was held in Perth in 1997 when
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Since 1997, mountain rescue in Scotland has regularly been the main recipient of St John funding. The most upto-date figures show that in the last 16 years the Order has donated £3,350,000 for the provision of 13 new bases for rescue teams, a rolling programme of purchasing and replacing vital allterrain vehicles for MR teams across the country, and sundry other expenses, including
the costs several major conferences.
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MRCofS identified the need for vehicles as a priority for all teams. It was agreed by Sir James Stirling, on behalf of the St John trustees, that the Order would provide vehicles for every team that requested one, at the rate of four a year, with MRCofS identifying recipients on the basis of relative needs. Over the next ten years 25 teams in Scotland received funding for new vehicles, usually the popular Land Rover Discovery 110. Assynt got the first and Borders the last and a rolling programme of replacing those which have been in service for over 12 years is well underway. The St John branding is a familiar sight during most operations. Early on St John negotiated a “Bulk purchase discount” with Land Rover – previously available to the police and the Forestry Commission – which means a 13% saving for each vehicle bought.
benefit of this is that it cements – literally and metaphorically – a relationship between St John and the teams, which is ongoing and mutually beneficial,” says Richard. Since the opening of the new base at Aberdeen, St John has invested a total of £2,205,000 on it and 11 others for Skye, Arrochar, Dundonnell, Ullapool, Lomond, Moffat, Oban, Arran, Galloway, Ochils and Tayside. It has also provided an interest-free loan to Lochaber for new premises there. In most instances the projects have been new-build, designed as far as funds allow to meet the needs of the teams. In some others existing buildings have been adapted. Tayside’s new base at Blairgowrie is the latest to be opened, in September 2013, and serves as a perfect illustration of the value to the teams of St John Scotland’s support. It will be shared by the civilian and police volunteer teams which cover 2,800 square miles stretching from the Angus Glens to the Perthshire Highlands. Eric Drummond, secretary of the civilian team, told the opening ceremony that after 40 years of relocating from old sheds to farm buildings, or storing equipment in members’ homes or garages, a new base was quite simply “A Godsend”.
That meeting in Perth 17 years ago also agreed that St John would help fund Scottish Mountain Rescue conferences and training seminars and offer support to the Search and Rescue Dog Association (SARDA). Subsequently the Order has also supported UK Mountain Rescue conferences, including the first to be held in Scotland and meetings in Scotland of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue.
Six weeks later Mr Drummond spoke to a strategy meeting of St John Scotland and told members that the support offered by the Order since 1997 cannot be matched by any other organisation, “Not even the Scottish government”, he said. “I ask where we, where Scottish Mountain Rescue, would be if we had not received St John funding: In Tayside we would struggle. It costs between £30,000 and £40,000 per year to keep the team operational. The Government grant is worth approximately £9,000 to us and the remainder we need to find from support and donations.
St John Scotland has provided further help in the shape of sponsorship for the MRCofS website and the employment of a Project Officer. Meanwhile local Area Committees of the Order have continued donating funds to their local teams for items such as GPS devices, defibrillators and clothing.
“If St John had not purchased our base, I doubt if we would ever have managed to do so for ourselves. As it becomes more and more difficult to raise funds we have been eroding our savings which have been gathered over the years in the hope of buying a base. Thankfully St John has come to OUR rescue.”
Back to bases One of the first tasks facing Richard Waller, when he took his post as Chief Executive of St John Scotland, was to find a new home for Aberdeen Mountain Rescue Team. Thanks to a longstanding relationship with the Order in the Granite City it had for many years been based in an old stable block at the St John Hospital. When it was sold off an offer was made to provide a new base, which eventually proved to be in a more convenient and functional location in Westhill.
More than mountain rescue Mountain rescue is changing of course, as everyone involved is aware. Since November 1 last year, following the Scottish Government’s creation of new National Police and Fire Services, Regional Resilience Partnerships now cover the country and replace all of the former strategic co-ordination groups. M.R. is now a major player in the country’s Resilience Partnerships at regional and local level. The 1,000 volunteers involved around the country have already experienced an expansion of the sort of work they do. “Mountain Rescue” has become “All-terrain Search and
“The exercise in relocating the Aberdeen team served to highlight the plight of others who we discovered were having to contend with makeshift arrangements, storing equipment in members’ homes, garages, sheds and even metal containers ‘parked’ on open mountainsides,” says Richard. “The trustees quickly recognised that a base is one of the most important assets that can be provided to a team and they set about finding a way of doing it as and when funds permitted.” The policy which was developed and has proved successful, means that St John Scotland retain ownership of the bases. “A key
Rescue”. There has been an explosion in call-outs to emergencies elsewhere, involving not just climbers and hill-walkers, but the community in general. Arran MRT, recipients of St John Scotland support for a base and a vehicle, were prime examples in March 2013 when blizzards battered the island and volunteer teams spent six days and nights rescuing stranded motorists and people cut off in their homes. They delivered supplies to isolated properties and helped farmers locate and recover livestock from enormous snowdrifts. Their St John-branded Land Rover proved invaluable. Ochils MRT first received support from St John – a bespoke Land Rover – in 2001. Team Leader Kev Mitchell says it replaced the “Gas-guzzling, second hand V8 Land Rover we managed to buy from our somewhat more affluent neighbours, the Lomond MRT”. At that time the Ochils team was based at a double garage behind council nurseries in Menstrie. It had no running water, no toilets, but it did have electric power…and four sockets to charge the torches. In 2006 the team set out on what Kev describes as a long and difficult journey to build a new base. It took four years and the intervention of St John Scotland and its chief executive Richard Waller to overcome numerous setbacks. The new base, whollyfunded by St John and costing more than £250,000 was finally opened by the Grand Prior of the Order, the Duke of Gloucester, in 2010. “The new post has completely transformed the way the team operates,” says Kev. “It has allowed us to set up a control and communications base, provides facilities to run courses for the Ochils team and numerous others like SARDA and the MCofS. We also have a full programme of visits by schools, youth groups, community groups and hillwalking clubs, which allow us to promote hill safety, Scottish MR and St John Scotland.
Dundonnell MRT has received support amounting to £164,000 over the last 13 years, in the shape of new bases at Dundonnell itself and at Ullapool, plus funding for a Land Rover, which is just about to be replaced under St John Scotland’s rolling programme. Chairman Keith Byers says: “We are a team of some 40 volunteers spread out over a vast, sparsely-populated area of some 2,600 square miles of the mainland Highlands, incorporating some of the most remote hills and glens. We provide 24/7 assistance, in
St John “The bedrock” Braemar MRT has just taken delivery of a new Land Rover, 75 percent funded by St John and one of a series of vehicles the team has received through the rolling programme. Secretary Malcolm MacIntyre says: “This is a huge benefit to us because it allows us to plan our funding efforts with some surety in the knowledge that one of our vehicles will be largely paid for. This allows us to focus on funding for the many other costly aspects of running a busy mountain rescue team. Kat Cubby, Team Secretary at Moffat MRT, tells a similar story: “St John’s contribution is immense and invaluable. We received funding for a purpose-built base (Opened in 2007) which has provided a venue for training and the safe storage of equipment. It means we are always ready to go to provide an effective and efficient rescue service for the benefit of the community.” A final word from Jon Hart, chair of Scottish Mountain Rescue, from a glowing personal tribute to Richard Waller, as he stood down as Chief Executive of St John Scotland: “I can truly say (and evidence) that the Order of St John has been the bedrock upon which we have all collectively developed and delivered a truly world class Scottish Mountain Rescue Service.” Websites: www.stjohnscotland.org.uk www. mountainrescuescotland.org www.mcofs.org.uk Article written for “Scottish Mountaineer” by Colin Adams on behalf of St John Scotland, January 10, 2013. Colin Adams Media and PR Email: colinadams@ blueyonder.co.uk Telephones: 01324 825383 and 07949 861565.
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
“Overall it has enabled us to develop in a more effective and professional manner and has allowed us to serve our community better and provide not only mountain rescue but also community resilience assistance to local communities.”
response to requests from Police Scotland, to rescue or recover people in trouble on the hills or who are simply missing in more lowland environments. “It would have been impossible for a team of our nature to raise the level of funds so generously provided by the Order in addition to the money we have to find each year to supplement the annual support allowances forthcoming from Scottish Government and the Police “Prior to the Dundonnell base being provided the team often had to deal with bereaved folk by the roadside. Having a purposedesigned building in Dundonnell has allowed us to deal with those private and sensitive matters in a far more appropriate and caring way. “The fact of the Order’s generosity in securing the new Land Rover for the team has enabled us to proceed with a degree of confidence towards our long-held ambition of establishing a formal ‘East Coast’ base in Dingwall. We are now close to concluding a site purchase and shall shortly be embarking on a fund-raising effort to allow a base to be funded and constructed.”
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Search Management Update Mark Leyland, Chair Search Management and Digital Mapping working group. All Mountain Rescue Teams are involved in searching for missing mountaineers in their local hills. Increasingly, Teams are also being asked to assist for lost or missing people (mispers) on the lower ground and within urban and semi-urban areas. The Scottish Mountain Rescue Search Management course has now been running for five years since its initial inception in 2009. During that time it has developed and changed incrementally with new tools being introduced on a regular basis. This article outlines some of the more recent thoughts and tools that may be useful to a search manager. The Process The basis for the course, and a useful framework for all searches, is the Scottish search management process (figure 1). Starting with the information received, the search organiser completes the stages
in a cycle, which in turn generates more information. The key to this process is in the information both initially received, and in that generated through the search process. Tools to help generate information SARLOC All Teams were circulated with the details of this immensely useful tool, and hopefully, all Teams will now be fully familiar with the SARLOC system for locating lost persons using a smart phone. This system has been used effectively now on numerous occasions, including recently, and perhaps surprisingly, for a missing despondent who decided that they would respond to the MRT’s request, thereby giving an exact grid reference of their location. The main disadvantage of SARLOC is that access to the internet is required in order to view the mispers location. The Search Management and digital mapping working group are currently working on a text based version of this which should allow search managers to receive a text to their phone giving the misper location. As this uses less “bandwidth” it should be much more useful in remote areas . The text and receipt will be both usable from “non smart” phones If you need a reminder of how to access SARLOC then contact Andy Rockall the SMR project manager. The site is password
protected to prevent unauthorised access by the public. Selfies! Imagine (!) you get a call from a lost individual, who although they have a phone signal, doesn’t know exactly where they are and of course doesn’t have a map or a compass. Getting them to take a photograph of their view in a couple of directions and then sending them to your phone could be a useful addition in your attempts to narrow down your search area. ” I ‘m standing next to a white post above a forest……”
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE Any Hour, Any Day Any Weather... Action
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Action
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• • • • • • • •
Briefing Deployment Recording updates Refreshments Collection of teams Debrief No trace re-evaluate. Etc, etc…
Information
Evaluate Scenarios
Plan/ Tactics
Assets
Plan/ Tactics • Recording of incident • Risk assessment rescuers/ casualty • Identify teams • Identify search areas • Transport • Media strategy • Etc, etc…
Information
Assets • • • • • •
MR Teams/ Civilian/ Police/ Military ARCC SARDA/ Specialist dog Specialist skills (SRT, boat, cave etc) Police investigation team Etc,etc…
• • • • • • •
Casualty profile Topography Medical conditions Experience Weather Other risk factors Etc,etc…
Scenarios •Most likely events •Extenuating circumstances •Identify primary area •Linear routes • Local knowledge • Statistical data relative to casualty and topography •Other known locations • Etc,etc…
missingpeople.org.uk website “missingpeople” are a charity who can assist in locating missing people through the use of social media.
International SAR database A very large data set which gives lots of information. The bad news is you have to buy this book…
They many strands to their operation, but for us as search managers, the most relevant are probably publicity and “textsafe” which are available 24/7/365. Publicity On the publicity strand, they are able to very quickly generate tailor made publicity, whether through local fliers, posters, print media or even through the use of digital advertising hoardings as you would see in the city centre or alongside urban motorways. This is backed up by a confidential helpline and email contact allowing messages to be relayed to Police ort MRT if required. Messages can also be sent out through facebook and twitter and any sightings received. Textsafe is a method of sending a text to the missing person. As the message is from a “neutral” source rather than the Police, this often promotes a better response and again the helpline is confidential. To contact them either email 116000@ missingpeople.org.uk or Call 116000. They are happy to give advice if you are not sure what would be most appropriate.
You may also be fortunate in dealing with your misper that they themselves have a tracking device such as these http://www.mindme.co.uk/mindme-locate. html You could also try using phone apps such as Viewrangers buddy beacon system. Viewranger itself is free to mountain rescue teams, and if you don’t mind having your phone permanently tracking you then this may work in some areas. www.viewranger.com (Lies, dam lies and) Statistics Like a lot of data sources, these can be useful or a distraction depending on how they are used
Tracking of searchers. Increasingly, technology is giving us more tools to help us track our search teams on the hill and deploy them more effectively. This has shown to reduce radio traffic which gives a bit more calm in an often very busy control vehicle.
Scottish MR training Courses The next SMR Search management course is running on the weekend of 8th and 9th November 2014. There will be a digital mapping course running alongside this, and it is to be held at Kindrogan Field Studies centre. Bookings through the usual channels. http://training.mountainrescuescotland. org/course-dates-at-a-glance/
GPS microphones worked through the existing Scottish MR radio system are becoming more reliable and are used by several teams.
Dropbox resources The search management group is collecting resources which will be freely available through a dropbox account. This will be available to anyone to browse or to use.
One such system that has been developed can be seen on http://www.durtyevents.com/gps-racetracking.html
This is currently being updated and should be even more useful in the future. Other useful sources The 2011 MR E+W stats summary http:// www.searchresearch.org.uk/downloadsuk mpbs/13556434714e40eee77e749.pdf
If you would like a link sent to you to access this then please email smrsearchtraining@gmail.com
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
One of the most used sources for missing person searches (although specifically NOT mountain searches) is the “Grampian statistics” which help to give a statistical probability of the distance travelled for particular groups. There are also several companies offering tracking systems based on mobile phone technology which involve texts linking in to a web based map.
It may also be useful to reference Geographies of Missing People (www. geographiesofmissingpeople.org.uk) which includes the newly released reports following interviews with people who went missing .This is one of the first of its kind and gives an insight into why adults leave, where they go, and what happens while they are missing.
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Working with Resilient Communities in the Scottish Borders By Steve Penny, TL Tweed Valley MRT en-mass to offer assistance. This might be prompted by social media postings, news stories, or word of mouth. There is always a challenge in managing members of the public. The Resilient Community initiative provides an opportunity to have a coordinated and effective response from a community that can support the police and MR teams.
What is a Resilient Community? Resilient Communities is an initiative supported by Local, Scottish, and the UK Governments, the principles of which are, communities and individuals developing local response and expertise to help themselves during an emergency, in a way that complements the response of the emergency responders.
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Emergencies happen, and these can be severe weather, floods, fires, or major incidents involving transport etc. Preparing the community for these types of events will make it easier to recover following the impact of an emergency.
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Resilient Communities missing people
and
In this article I will look at how the Resilient Communities initiative can be used to benefit both the police and MR teams involved in missing person cases, particularly in rural areas. We have seen a number of high profile missing person cases where members of the public turn out
At the end of last year, Seymour Haugh, TL of Borders Search and Rescue Unit (BSARU) and I pulled together some guidance to help Resilient Communities prepare for a missing person exercise and action pre-plans. Others may find this of help when dealing with community groups in their local area. To date, we have held two joint training sessions with Resilient Communities in the Scottish Borders with more planned. Some suggested guidance on how Resilient Communities can assist in the preparation of a Missing Person Search Exercise & Action Plans
as quickly as possible. Exercising will help prepare communities.
3 On many occasions, members of
the public come forward to offer assistance to the police on missing person searches but in almost all cases these volunteers come as individuals with no structure or organisation. The Resilient Community network provides an excellent opportunity to build a level of co-ordination and organisation to what would otherwise be a group of individuals.
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The two Mountain Rescue Teams in the Borders support the police in many missing person searches. Both teams can be called out via the police. Missing Persons
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It may be a member of the community who has gone missing (scenario 1) or it may be someone from elsewhere that goes missing in the community area (scenario 2).
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One of the main differences between these two scenarios will be how the community will react initially but in the end the support that can be given to the police and Introduction specialist search teams will be very similar.
1
The following points will help Resilient Communities to plan for an exercise with police and mountain rescue teams and to develop their own local action plans.
2 If community volunteers are to be used in searches for missing persons, the over-riding principle is to ensure the safety of community members at all times and to put in place a combined and coordinated search effort that locates the missing person
Scenario 1 – A community member goes missing
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When someone goes missing within a community it will be very much up to the family and/or friends of the missing person to first identify that the person is indeed missing and then make a call to the police (and consider calling the Resilient Community Coordinator). An early call to the police will allow resources
to be brought to the search quickly.
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For example, in any situation where a search of countryside areas is required (ie generally searches outwith streets, homes and gardens etc) then a civilian volunteer Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) may well be asked by the police to assist. In such cases it is very helpful to the MRT to be called in by the police to assist at the earliest opportunity. Even being put on standby by the police will help the MRT to prepare. MRTs don’t mind being stood down!
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Each case will be different, but when considering the urgency to place on a missing person the following might help: • Age • Medical condition (including levels of vulnerability) • Weather profile – past, present, future • Subject experience • Equipment/clothing • Terrain and hazards in area A very young or old person perhaps with a known medical condition in poor weather conditions, poorly clad and in areas with (say) steep banks, watercourses, forests etc would typify a rapid call to the police. An average aged fit and healthy individual in good weather conditions with proper clothing for the conditions and in areas with few specific hazards etc would typify a “consider and evaluate further” response before calling the police.
Before Police and resources arrive:
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specialist
Families (and communities) will be eager to start searching for missing local people, and there will be much that immediate family and friends can do quickly (if safe and ideally not on their own) by searching around the area where the person was last seen or known to have been. Perhaps driving local
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A good record of which areas have been looked at and when these were done and who was involved must be kept. The Resilient Community Coordinator must have a means of communication with any group sent out before the police arrive.
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BUT it is also very important to remember that safety of all parties is paramount. Lack of coordination in the search can waste valuable time and may lead to more casualties. Uncoordinated searching may make areas less suitable for the working of specialist search resources such as air-scenting Search and Rescue Dogs or tracking dogs.
parking as there will be a significant number of vehicles arriving during a search. The community should provide a parking marshal (with safety reflective vest).
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It would be useful to have details (grid references) of any clear open playing fields (football, hockey, rugby) in the locality that could be used for helicopter landing.
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The community volunteers should wear hi-viz vests to aid identification and for safety. After Police and resources arrive:
specialist
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When the police and specialist resources are involved to coordinate and assist in a search then it is important that community volunteers work closely with them in a joined-up approach. The police are in overall control of the incident.
13
The
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community needs (if at all possible) to provide access to suitable premises to use as a control area. Ideally the premises will have reasonable rooms from which to run the search and for searchers to rest. A village hall is ideal. Toilets should be available. The premises should have power, - an internet connection would be helpful, but not essential. MRTs will use radio sets that require an aerial mast to be set up outside an appropriate window. A photocopier is a bonus.
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Communities will need to identify areas that can be used for
The community can assist the police by identifying anyone who has particular local knowledge, either of the missing person or the local area and ensuring that these people are available.
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Where possible, details of any farmers who may have livestock in the potential search areas (eg bulls or cattle with calves etc etc) are available.
20
In cases of a prolonged search, if possible and appropriate, the community may be in a position to help out with simple hot and cold
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Some ideas on how a Resilient Community can help
roads, checking favourite paths, or going to likely spots etc. In many situations, it would be possible, and generally safe, for the community to carry out searches of their own properties (eg gardens, sheds etc) and farmers to carry our searches of steadings, outbuilding etc etc.
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drinks and sandwiches/cakes for search teams. Deployment of volunteers to search
community
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Community volunteers should be mustered at a safe identified rendezvous (RV) point perhaps close to (but not in) the search control area (this will depend on each situation). It is essential that all volunteers’ names should be officially recorded before an operation commences. All volunteers MUST be suitably dressed for the weather and environment. Pet dogs should NOT be brought.
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Once teams have been briefed, it will be the ultimate responsibility of the police to allocate areas to be searched. Wherever possible, each community volunteer group will be accompanied by a police officer or this may be delegated to an appropriate specialist. Where this is not possible the police will need to be satisfied that the community volunteers can search safely within their levels of experience and in the area allocated.
23 The police will be responsible
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
for the appropriate risk assessment for community volunteers but communities can help by ensuring that: • The police are given a list of all names, addresses, (may require dates of birth) and contact (eg mobile phone) details of all
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volunteers involved. • The community volunteer searchers should use simple reflective vests or jackets to aid identification and for safety. • Volunteers are of appropriate experience for the tasks and are appropriately clothed to keep them safe. • Volunteers do not head off on their own. All volunteers will need to be properly time logged in and out, briefed at the start of the search, and then debriefed at the end. This is VERY important.
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At the end of the search it is ESSENTIAL that all volunteers safely log out and are debriefed by a police officer (or others delegated). This is for their own safety. Scenario 2 – Someone from elsewhere goes missing in the community area
25 When someone from elsewhere goes missing in the area, the Police may contact the Resilient Community Coordinator for assistance. In such cases, points 13-24 will be relevant.
The above guidance can, and will, be adjusted in the light of experience either from exercise or actual incidents. Training with Communities – Clovenfords, Scottish Borders, example In April this year, our team (TVMRT) joined the Clovenfords community for a joint exercise that also involved Police Scotland and Scottish Borders Council. The scenario involved two unrelated missing persons who were on holiday in the village. The Community Coordinator was alerted by locals that the two were missing. The Coordinator then contacted the Police (who alerted the team) and
mustered the local volunteers. At this stage the exercise was testing the procedures for calling out the Resilient Community volunteers. Once mustered, they were signed in and given pre-determined areas to search around the village (local paths, playing field etc). There was a strict time limit put on this initial search. One team found an article belonging to one missing person. As the Police and Team arrived on scene to set up base, the community volunteers were returning to debrief and record what had been found. From this point the Police and Team took over the search as would happen in a real incident. For the purposes of the exercise, we took the opportunity to demonstrate how a SARDA search dog and handler work an area to help the community understand that process. We also demonstrated a bankside search using appropriate personal protective equipment, as well as a casualty find, treatment, and evacuation. A number of community volunteers got some hands on experience of casualty handling and stretcher carrying! In addition, a number stayed at base to get an insight into how a search operation is managed from the MR and Police perspective. Overall, the exercise was well received by all who took part, and all benefited from the experience. I know, that should we ever have to tackle a missing person incident in the Clovenfords area, the community will be in a far better position to offer coordinated and effective assistance. This was the second such exercise (BSARU exercised with the Hutton & Paxton Community in November 2013) and will be repeated as required with other Resilient Communities in the Scottish Borders. More information on Resilient Communities can be found on the Scottish Borders and Scottish Government websites. http://www.scotborders.gov. uk/info/119/emergency_ planning/1211/resilient_ communities
Search And Rescue Dog Association 1965 – 2015 Few people are aware that SARDA was founded by Hamish MacInness from his cottage in Glencoe fifty years ago in 1965. To celebrate this piece of Mountain Rescue history SARDA Scotland and Hamish are organising a 50 year celebration next year. With this in mind, we would love to hear from any dog handlers from the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s who were members of the Search and Rescue Dog Association in the early years or who were members of SARDA Scotland.
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Please contact: secretary@sarda-scotland.org.
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The St John Scotland leadership Development Programme In partnership with Mountain Rescue Ireland and Scottish Mountain Rescue are pleased to invite you to attend
THE 2014 LEADERSHIP OF EMERGENCY SERVICES PROGRAMME Hosted at Glenmore Lodge September 10th -12th 2014 Context: Leadership in any emergency service requires clear leadership in operations but what about other times? How do you as a leader deal with the challenges away from the emergency? This two day programme is designed to assist emergency services leaders (volunteer and full time) and emerging leaders in their roles. A mix of information, discussions, scenarios and practical psychology - the course’s aims are to provide participants, both voluntary and full time, with: • Professional training in leadership knowledge, skills and self-awareness. • A safe reflective space to consider leadership goals and personal development. • A networking opportunity. • Fundamentally this personal leadership course is about change: showing leaders how they might change; and how relationships between services might change. The course brings people together in a neutral space and presents them with information and powerful questions. In a small but vital sense, the course is revolutionary. It challenges the usual way of training, where the ‘right way’ is taught. It brings people together outside the vertical silos of our State and volunteer bodies and challenges them to consider what type of leaders they want to be in the company of others from different services - but with the same questions. Can we be better leaders? Can we create better organisations to benefit of our communities? PROGRAMME CONTENT: Course modules include Leadership Values; Team Culture; Working with People; & Creating a new Leadership Contract for oneself. Course delivery is based on a coaching model where participants consider and agree their own actions. Who is it for? A number of places are initially reserved for volunteer civilian Scottish Mountain Rescue members. However applicants from all SAR related emergency services are welcome. A survey of past participants determined that 60% had changed their leadership style as result of participation. Some mentioned their better awareness of people; while others mentioned their use of the leadership models taught on the course. End of course evaluations and the resultant survey have supported refinement of the course structure.
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Participant comments: “Great material and personal knowledge…” “Very well communicated, well paced at right level and informative…” “Very worthwhile, very thought generating on a personal level…” “Excellent course, well balanced…very thought provoking…“
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Course Delivery Team Pat Holland has been in mountain rescue since the late 1980’s. His particular interests are in search planning and incident command. He has been national chairman of Mountain Rescue Ireland; the Irish Museums Association and the Local Authority Curators Group. He holds degrees in archaeology and has taken courses in managing change, management, local government studies, facilitation, transactional analysis for leadership, life coaching, train the trainer, N.L.P. practitioner and peer support in critical incident stress management. Mary Mullins has been in mountain rescue since 2000. She has served as team Secretary, team Chair, National Secretary and Deputy Team Leader. Her particular areas of interest are Casualty Care, search management and Critical Incident Stress across Ireland and currently sits on the mountain rescue medical accreditation committee. She holds a WEMSI EMT and PHECC EMT qualification and is a CFR instructor. She has a B.A. in Community Studies and other qualifications include: facilitation for leadership, counselling skills, peer support in critical incident stress management; transactional analysis; and train the trainer. Diarmuid Scully (MSc Emergency Management, Dublin City University & retired Defence Forces Commandant) is a Business Continuity specialist. He has also worked with Eircom & the Red Cross. A mountain rescuer for over 20 years, having served as national Treasurer and currently liaison to the Air Corps and Coast Guard. He holds qualifications in information technology, project management, logistics, business continuity, search management and search & rescue.
2014 Programme Details Dates: 10th-12th September 2014 Location: Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore, Scotland Times: The modules run over two and a half full days, starting at 2000Hrs on Wednesday 10th September and finishing at 1600Hrs on Friday September 12th, 2014. Course Fees:
Voluntary, unpaid, blue light responder teams - ONLY £75.00 pp Example: MCGA volunteers, SAR volunteers, 4 x 4 volunteers, British Red Cross volunteers, Scottish MR members. NB –Voluntary team members whole course rate is £75.00 pp. (This includes accommodation and food costs at Glenmore Lodge. This course fee is heavily subsidised and supported by St John Scotland). Paid, full time blue light responder agencies - £150.00.00 pp Example: Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance. Service, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service employees (NB: This excludes any accommodation or food costs) Accommodation: For those whose course fee is not subsidised then accommodation and food costs are normally separate and paid directly to the accommodation provider (Glenmore Lodge) Residential full board - £98.00 pp Class size: Class will be small, not more than 16. Places must be reserved by sending an official order number or participation confirmation on agency headed paper. Bookings: Places are transferable by you to another nominee at any time. Cancellations are not possible. To book on the programme please contact the MRCofS project manager as outlined below. Equipment: While some discussion groups may move outside in dry weather, there is no need for any specialised equipment other than a coat & sturdy footwear. Course, meals, etc will be in casual dress. Activities: The course consists of short taught modules followed by discussion activities. There will not be any technical/rope work or outside physical activities. Materials: A full printed manual will be provided. Please bring pen and writing materials. Booking Details By e-mail: To book on the programme e-mail the MRCofS project manager: projectmanager@mountainrescuescotland.org By post: Send a cheque (with your full details) to: MRCofS Project Manager Glenmore Lodge Aviemore PH22 1QU
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
THE 2014 LEADERSHIP OF EMERGENCY SERVICES PROGRAMME
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UK Search And Rescue Helicopter Service Spring 2014
Jim Fraser, Kintail MRT
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Where Did We Leave It? In Edition 28, back in May 2012, we had a broad look at the history of SAR helicopters in the UK, the GAP contract which had recently been awarded to Bristow and CHC, the bidders for the MAIN contract, the contract timetable, potential bases, potential aircraft and role equipment.
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A year later, in Edition 31, the MAIN contract had been awarded to Bristow and they provided an article about their solution. Another article examined how that solution, and particularly the choices of base location and aircraft type, were likely to affect Scottish teams. What Are They Saying About It? In the intervening 12 months, the major event has been the commencement of operations for the GAP contract. From a mountain rescue perspective, this has been about the changes at Stornoway where new aircraft with an improved radio fit and improved role equipment entered service in July 2013. However, all the other little bits and pieces going
on in the background will have a major impact on future provision so that is what this article is about. Bristow ran a series of Stakeholder Engagement Events near each base location during late 2013 and the Prestwick and Inverness events took place in December. It was mainly a Bristow presentation but there were contributions from the Department for transport (DfT) and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). The presentation included a bit about Bristow and their experience, a contract overview and coverage information, the aircraft and equipment, manning, and SAR stakeholders. The Inverness event that several MR personnel attended was valuable and answers were provided to several important questions as well as to some not so important questions. By the time you are reading this, MRCofS and MREW will have met with the MCA during May to discuss some of the training and operational concerns that have been raised by mountain rescue.
At the UK & Ireland MR Conference in September 2014, the MCA and Bristow will provide the searching with helicopters workshop. What Will Be Hovering Over Us? New Sikorsky S-92 aircraft arrived at Sumburgh and Stornoway last spring in preparation for the GAP contract and those aircraft were flying SAR missions shortly afterwards. The new aircraft have a radio fit and role equipment similar to the requirements for the MAIN contract. This includes a Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS) fit. The night vision capability has been developing over the intervening months. It is important to realise that the training load for this capability is high and there are no shortcuts. Work continues toward regulatory approval. These are the first UK civilian SAR aircraft with a full NVIS capability so this is new not only for Bristow but new for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and new for the UK aviation industry. It is also a building block on which the NVIS capability on
the MAIN contract will be built.
Agusta Westland AW189 SAR. Bristow
AW189 SAR cabin: loaded. Bristow
AW189 SAR cabin: rear-crew only. Bristow
Sikorsky S-92 aircraft will operate from Sumburgh, Stornoway, Humberside, Caernarfon and Newquay. Stornoway will be the training base for the S-92. The aircraft that are used for the MAIN contract will have a new specification. The cabin layout is expected to change. When the appropriate regulatory approvals allow, the treatment area will be above the fuel tank on the port side of the cabin and there will be seating along the entire starboard side. Illustrations of this new layout are provided on the Bristow SAR website. The contract requires these aircraft to accommodate eight survivors, two of whom are on stretchers, but the S-92 will accommodate two survivors on stretchers and 10 or 11 seated on crash-proof seats. It is expected that when conditions demand it, the S-92 will carry up to 21 survivors. This is made permissible in SAR aircraft by an exemption to the regulations allowing for “Passengers not secured in seats.”
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
S-92 Capabilities and Role Equipment • Rescue Capacity – 21 persons or as required • Endurance – over 4 hours • Range – 268 nm radius of action • De-Icing equipment • Twin Hoist • Medical Suite Mission Equipment • Mission Management System • High Definition Forward Looking Infra Red & Electro-Optical camera systems • Automated Search and Target Acquisition Systems • Cabin Wireless intercom • Winchman intercom with range in excess of 5km • Satellite communication including broadband. • Medical data transmission • Full NVG Capability SAR Stowage • Rear Ramp Stowage • Low profile tank stowage • Forward Storage • Movable Medical Equipment storage Agusta Westland AW189 aircraft will operate from Inverness, Prestwick, St Athan, Manston and Lee-on-Solent. Inverness will be the training base
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for this aircraft. This is a new aircraft type and certification of the oil and gas variant by the European Aviation Safety Agency was issued on the 7th May 2014. The first example of the SAR variant is being built in Milan and is expected to be completed shortly. This will be a major watershed in the project, allowing significant progress with test and certification, aircrew training and operating procedures. The second example will be built at Yeovil and is expected to be ready by late October 2014. The top specification of flight simulator, configured for the AW189, was certified at Milan in March 2014 and this supplements a flight training device (without motion systems) that was certified in September 2013. A flight simulator configured as a SAR AW189 is due to be installed at Bristow in Dyce in mid-2015. AW189 maintenance dominates the Agusta Westland Training Academy engineering course calendar for the remainder of 2014.
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
AW189 Capabilities and Role Equipment • Rescue Capacity – 16 persons or as required • Endurance – over 4 hours • Range – 200 nm radius of action • De-Icing equipment • Twin Hoist • Medical Suite Mission Equipment • Integrated Mission Management System
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Pavehawk Cabin. 56th Rescue Sq, USAF.
• Two retractable screens roof mounted • Rear crew role changing to reduce fatigue during searches • High Definition Forward Looking Infra Red & Electro-Optical camera systems • Enhanced Target detection Acquisition Systems • Cabin Wireless intercom • Winch man intercom with range in excess of 5km • Satellite communication & HF • Medical data transmission • Full NVG Capability SAR Stowage • Rear SAR equipment stowage The contract requires these aircraft to accommodate four survivors, two of whom are on stretchers, but the AW189 will accommodate eight survivors with two on stretchers and six seated on crash-proof seats. This is equal to the contract requirement for the larger aircraft. It is expected that when conditions demand it, the AW189 will carry up to 16 survivors. Mountain rescuers are used to Sea King and S-92 cabins that are tall and narrow. The low and wide cabin of the AW189 may be new to us but it is the more normal helicopter cabin. It has almost exactly the same volume as the cabin of the Jayhawks and Pavehawks used for USCG SAR and USAF CSAR but the Hawk cabins are a little longer and a little narrower.
The target for EASA certification of the SAR variant is believed to be October 2014. Even then, the Full Icing Protection System (FIPS) will not be certified and aircraft will enter SAR service in April 2015 with the standard icing protection system only. This is an improvement on Sea King capability so it is not a huge impediment to operations. FIPS test and certification requires winter conditions and there is no replacement for a full season of challenging conditions. The final outcome is expected to be an aircraft ready to take full advantage of all that dense winter air. November might be a more realistic target for certification of the SAR variant but if it creeps out beyond the end of the year then things start to get difficult. The DfT have stated that they are satisfied with Bristow’s back-up plan should the AW189 not be ready to enter service in April 2015. However, neither the DfT nor Bristow have stated what that plan is. Two versions exist in the helicopter industry rumour network. Version One involves using S-92 airframes but where those airframes are to come from is not clear. New S-92 for Sumburgh and Stornoway, before 2017, are also rumoured and if such a plan is in place then its delay might provide the necessary airframes. The S-92 version allows full Contract Lot 2 capability. This version alters the training load because of the need for S-92 aircrew who will later fly in AW189. Version Two involves using Agusta Westland AW139 SAR airframes. Two such aircraft are said to be currently in build. This is similar to the aircraft currently operated by CHC at Lee-onSolent and Portland. This version of events is not compliant with the contract because of the aircraft’s smaller cabin and reduced radius of action so it would be expected to attract contract fines. EASA reports indicate the likelihood of a reduced type-rating course, allowing credit for prior experience on AW139, so the training load is expected to be reduced. The number of mountain rescuers carried would probably be no more than in a fully fuelled Sea King on a hot summer afternoon, except all the time. Hopefully, we will never need to know which version is correct. The change to new aircraft types means that, regardless of the operator or regulatory framework, total SAR experience on type will lag three
or the Royal Navy. In early May 2014, the recruitment programme is nearly complete.
Construction of the Inverness Base. Jim Fraser.
Hangar illustration: BalfBeatty-Bristow decades behind compared to Sea Kings. However, the large step up in aircraft capability will provide an early compensation that will be built on as the years go by. Though provision will change, it will have a broadly equal value and can be expected to develop and improve steadily during the contract period.
Who Will Be Hovering Over Us? A key method for ensuring that appropriately experienced search and rescue aircrew will be manning the aircraft of the UK SAR Helicopter Service contract is an arrangement called Managed Transition. This enables Bristow to recruit from amongst the aircrew of the current MoD SAR fleet. Transfer to Bristow is then managed to ensure that the MoD has sufficient manpower during its remaining period of SAR provision and the Bristow provision can commence in a timely manner. Offers of employment through the Managed Transition scheme began in early February 2014. Bristow expect that the background of the aircrew will be roughly one third civilian SAR, one third Royal Air Force and one third Royal Navy. Of course, several of the one third CivSAR will have previously served in the Royal Air force
It is important to realise that the different aircrew roles and employment arrangements mean that it is not always straightforward to compare civilian SAR flying with military SAR flying. Civilian, RAF and RN aircraft all have different organisation of the crew and unlike civilians, military aircrew routinely change jobs every three years. This means that the training requirements and the way that experience builds up are different in a civilian SAR helicopter organisation. It’s one of the best jobs in the world and the MoD lets them do it into their forties but the CAA lets them do it until they are 60 or more. How Will They Be Hovering Over Us? Conversations with CAA inspectors have revealed a commitment within the authority to providing a regulatory framework that keeps us all safe without compromising the lifesaving tasks that are central to the SAR role. It is hoped that the CAA will contribute to future updates but on this occasion the demands of other work precluded a contribution. Bristow will have two types of Air Operating Certificate (AOC) for this contract. One will be a specialist SAR AOC based on a CAA publication called CAP 999. It is largely about what the air operator’s operating manual must contain. It includes the type of pre-training they must give to ground emergency service personnel (like us) and the exemptions to the normal aviation regulations that are
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Downwash remains a worry for many since both new types are powerful and use highly effective modern rotor designs. Sorry guys, but you are just going to have to get over it. It is not going away because that is just how it is with all modern helicopters. That downwash is what will keep you and the rescued persons safely in the air: 1960s standards of aviation safety end on Hogmanay 2015. To deal with safety issues on the ground caused by downwash, both aircrew and MR will have to develop, learn and practice mitigation techniques. Expect to use highline a lot more. Make sure you get your people working under these new helicopters in the most extreme
downwash conditions that you can contrive so that there are no surprises during rescues.
Bristow advertised for SAR aircrew and engineering staff shortly after contract award in March 2013. Commanders and rear-crew are required to have previous SAR experience. Rear-crew are required to have “operating experience in helicopters gained in an environment similar to the intended operation”. It is believed that the recruits include several experienced civilian SAR aircrew as well as military SAR aircrew who recently left the service. These include former air force and navy SAR flight commanders and squadron commanders and some that have received the Air Force Cross for outstanding flying during SAR operations.
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10 or 12 bases where considered during these processes. All of those were judged to meet the nine KUR. The 12-base solution, when using modern aircraft, provided performance significantly beyond current levels and was judged to be a ‘Gold Plated’ solution that could not be justified in the current economic climate. The 8 and 9 base solution performed below current levels. The 10-base solution met the KURs and also met current performance levels. The base that featured most highly in the review of withdrawals was Lossiemouth followed by Portland, Boulmer and Lee-on-Solent. Portland and Boulmer were eventually selected for withdrawal on the basis of the least impact on response time for incidents rated Medium Risk or above. The 10-base solution being implemented by Bristow therefore includes Sumburgh, Stornoway, Inverness, Prestwick, Humberside, Caernarfon, St Athan, Manston, Lee-on-Solent and Newquay. Remote refuelling sites are expected at Plockton, Fort William, Oban, Glenmore, Braemar and Killin but have not been confirmed at the time of writing.
Base locations and radii of action. Bristow permitted during SAR operations. Exemptions include passengers not secured in seats, carriage of dangerous goods used for SAR, low flying and flying near obstacles.
SCOTTISH MOUNTAIN RESCUE May, 2014
Performance Class is a concept of helicopter regulation that concerns the continuous judgement of whether the aircraft can continue the flight, or land safely, in the case of a critical power unit failure. SAR is a role that challenges the boundaries of performance classes more than any other civil helicopter flying. It is the passage from one performance class to another that is being announced when a military SAR pilot declares “committed” on the intercom. It is believed that the final details of the CAP that have been reviewed during the last 12 months are concerned with performance class.
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Changes to Restrictions In Training as a result of the change to civil aviation regulations do not mean that there have not been such restrictions previously. They exist for all SAR helicopter providers. These include restrictions on performance and human external cargo. CivSAR does not allow live stretcher winching in training and this is unlikely to change. Where Will They Be Flying From? A MoD project team undertook, on behalf of the DfT, a Basing Analysis Review to determine a basing strategy that meets the nine SAR-H Key User Requirements (KUR). The DfT later employed Atkins Defence to review the basing strategy independently. Solutions using 8, 9,
Balfour Beatty is constructing the necessary new bases and work began at Humberside on 7th March 2014 and at Inverness on 12th March. Construction at the next two bases, Manston and Caernarfon, will begin in the next couple of months.