Mountain rescue in England and Wales

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Mountain Rescue services in England and Wales operate under the umbrella association of the MREW - Mountain Rescue England and Wales (formerly called Mountain Rescue Council of England & Wales). Mountain Rescue England & Wales


The MREW is a member of the International Commission for Mountain Rescue (Internationale Kommisia fur Alpines Rettingwesen, (IKAR)).

Voluntary mountain rescue teams in England & Wales are independent charities whose membership consists of highly trained volunteers who are called out by the Police (who are responsible for land based search & rescue but generally lack the training and resources to undertake the function). Individual teams are normally known as an MRT (Mountain Rescue Team) but some use the term SRT (Search & Rescue Team) or MS&RT (Mountain Search & Rescue Team).

Individual teams are members both of the MREW and their regional association (which is also represented at MREW). Neither MREW or the regional associations have authority over the individual teams but provide an opportunity to discuss and agree standards, training and equipment. MREW does provide some irregular equipment funding for MRTs, but Teams have to finance their own running costs through charity fundraising or sponsorship. MRTs in England and Wales receive no government funding. An exception is the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service, which is part of the military. The RAFMRS has primary responsibility for aircraft crashes on high ground, but also responds to civilian calls for asistance with hikers and climbers.

Although the primary focus of mountain rescue is to locate and evacuate injured and/or lost persons in upland environments, teams also undertake a wide range of roles (which may differ from team to team):

  • animal rescue
  • missing person searches in lowland areas where access or terrain is difficult
  • support to NHS ambulance services for difficult casualty evacuation
  • support to government agencies/emergency services in flood and heavy snowfall
  • support to government agencies/emergency services at major incidents
  • swiftwater rescue

Urban search and rescue is currently undertaken by the fire & rescue services as part of their statutory responsibilities but at least one mountain rescue team has chosen to train in this field.

Each team has its own area of responsibility but can deploy outside these areas in support of other teams.

Cave rescue had its own umbrella organisation but some teams operate as both cave rescue teams and mountain rescue teams.

The is also an association for Search & Rescue Dogs at national and regional level called National Search & Rescue Dog Association (SARDA). SARDA handlers must be full team members of a mountain rescue team and, once graded, will operate alongside that team, but can be deployed in support of other teams.

[edit] *Organisation

The co-ordinating body for Mountain & Mine Search and Rescue Teams in the Lake District is the Lake District Search & Mountain Rescue Association

The co-ordinating body for South Wales is covered by the South Wales Search and Rescue Association

The co-ordinating body for North Wales is the North Wales Mountain Rescue Association

The co-ordinating body for Search & Rescue in caves, moors and hills in West Yorkshire, Lancashire and the Pennines is the Mid Pennine Search & Rescue Organisation

The co-ordinating body for North East is the North East Search & Rescue Association

The co-ordinating body for the Peak District is the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation which was formed in 1964.

The West Country of England is covered by the South West England Rescue Association


The Yorkshire Dales are covered by the Yorkshire Dales Rescue Panel

  • Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO)
  • Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (FRA)

[edit] External links

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