MOFFAT Mountain Rescue Team (MMRT) hosted and participated in its first multi-agency exercise since the start of the pandemic last weekend.
Usually an annual event, the team began the planning back in July to ensure the weekend, which had a ‘winter’ theme, was one to remember.
Rescuers were joined by representatives from search and rescue teams from across Southern Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as special guests Iain Monro from Dumfries and Galloway Police Division, James Richardson from Dumfries and Galloway Council, Ryan Macfarlane from the Met Office and Graham Crawford from Lyon Equipment.
Saturday took the format of workshops focusing on the multi-agency incident, command and control of a winter rescue and winter avalanche medical skills.
Sunday was a practical day spent in the Moffat Hills and, with some imagination, simulated the search for a missing team of walkers and climbers who had been observed being caught up in an avalanche. A command centre was set up in the Moffat Mountain Rescue base with the Moffat Control Vehicle stationed at the foot of the valley to ensure everyone who was deployed into the search area returned safe and well.
A spokesperson person for MMRT said: “The weekend was enjoyed by all and the Moffat MRT would like to thank all who participated over the weekend to make it so worthwhile.”
