The current demanding situation of Mountain Rescue teams across England and Wales
In recent years, the concern of the demands on Mountain Rescue volunteers across England and Wales has been increasing, in 2023 there was a total of 3,462 calls resulting in 2,775 deployments of team members, and over the whole year there was only nine days where no mountain rescue teams were called to respond to an incident.
Let's have a look at some of the stats in detail from 2023 from the Mountain Rescue 2024 Annual Review
- Total number of calls: 3,462
- Total number of team deployments: 2,775
- Busiest months: 33% of incidents in May, June and August
- Age groups most frequently involved: 25-60 = 46%
Llanberis alone responded to 309 of these incidents, with next door Ogwen Valley receiving a further 173. In the Lake District, Wasdale responded to 163 calls, and nearby Langdale Ambleside responded to 116.
For many teams now this is becoming dangerously close to a breaking point, being mostly in rural areas, they deal with more calls than the professionally paid Fire and Rescue service, however receive little to no financial support from government.
It’s not sustainable in the current form. There are very real concerns about the well-being of team members and the impact on their families, and working lives. Mountain Rescue team members are incredibly resilient and will continue to respond and rescue to calls for help in the mountains, but there is now a very real danger that teams will not be able to answer and respond safely to every call. What happens when that breaking point finally comes?
- There would be more pressure on the regular emergency services.
- The Coast Guard and Air Ambulance would be called on more.
- There would be more severe outcomes for many casualties, and exposure to the elements would cause more injuries or fatalities. This could lead to increased NHS costs.
- A replacement for MRT could cost the government millions of pounds a year to provide the equivalent service.
- Knowing there is a strain on Mountain Rescue or that Mountain Rescue might not be able to respond to you, could discourage people from heading to the mountains.
- There would be an increase in unrecovered fatalities, MRT are often involved in search and rescue operations.
- This could lead to a continental European system where insurance is needed for rescues.
What can BMC members do to help?
Firstly, ensure you have the best skills for the activity you’re heading out to enjoy, check out some of our skills videos or have a read of our recommendations for working with a mountaineering professional.
Many BMC members are incredibly experienced and have an opportunity to help educate others in the mountains, or before they even head there, when giving other information remember:
- Keep it positive, the outdoors is for everyone, and we are all learning. You’re more likely to help with a positive attitude.
- Keep it simple, Adventure Smart ask three simple questions: 1. Do you have the knowledge and skills for the day 2. Do you know what the weather is like 3. Do you have the right gear?
- Before people head out point them in the direction of useful resources, links to the BMC safety messaging, weather forecasts, or helpful books.
- Remember to keep yourself safe! You can’t help others if you’re not safe yourself.
The BMC will continue to support mountain rescue teams across England and Wales.
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