CVSRT - March 2024

#Quiz Night

26 Mar 2024
#Quiz Night
 
The second quiz night of 2024, hosted by the Shoulder of Mutton Public House, Mytholmroyd, takes place on Wednesday 27th March 2024 from 19:30.
 
The first quiz of the year, held in February, raised an amazing £110!
 
It’s £2 per person to enter, with teams of a maximum 4 people, each team will get a free pizza and all proceeds will go to Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT).
 
Thanks to everyone at the Shoulder of Mutton for their support and happy quizzing!
International Women’s Day
 
Today, Friday 8th March, is International Women’s Day, this year’s theme is #inspireinclusion
 
Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT) are proud to honour the women members of CVSRT who play a pivotal part in running the team and help provide assistance in our community when called upon.
 
Today we are also taking this opportunity to take a look at the archives and revisit an interview one of our very own operational team members, Rebecca Freeman, gave a few years ago to the Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW) magazine.
If joining the team is something you are interested in, or you would just like to find out more about what we do, please visit our website www.cvsrt.org.uk or email us at enquireis@cvsrt.org.uk
__________
 
MREW Magazine interview with Rebecca Freeman
 
How long have you been involved in MR and what made you join? 
I joined Calder Valley in 2010 but I’d been in the Central Beacons team prior to that for two years. When I moved to Yorkshire for work, I applied to move teams too. 
In my last year at Central Beacons, I started to get involved in casualty care training for the team using my medical skills, but I’d not really been in the team long enough to be involved at a more senior level. 
When I applied to join Calder Valley, they were very enthusiastic about me joining. Within weeks I was assisting the medical officer with his duties and a year later I was elected into the medical officer role formally. We have a policy of a five-year term for any officer role, so I’ve just completed my term as the medical officer. I’m currently an assistant leader. 
I’ll still be involved in the medical aspects, as one of two doctors in the team. We don’t have an official team doctor — the medical officer role can be anyone who is interested — it’s just a bit easier if you are medically qualified. 
I get involved in the rolling training programme around medical skills and every three years we run the formal Casualty Care course, training and recertifying 30-40 members each time. We try to ensure we get a variety of external speakers in to do the formal training, so team members get a different experience and viewpoint. I make use of specialists who I know to help with this so it’s not just Alastair (the other doctor in the team) and me. I also act as an external examiner and assist in training for other teams when I can. 
I joined mountain rescue because I thought it would be fun! I was on a kayaking trip to Scotland and due to the lack of water, we’d gone hiking for the day. Whilst out in a remote valley we came across an injured 
hiker who had no means to get himself off the hill or to contact mountain rescue. We called Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team and during the call-out I got talking to someone in the team and it sparked an interest. At the time, I was completing my degree but eventually contacted what was then my local team, Central Beacons. 
 
How do you fit team commitments around your work and family life? 
It helps that my partner Rob is also in the team and accepts the fact that plans change, and life can go out of the window. We’ve been trying to decorate our bedroom for weeks now as we keep getting called out at the weekend! 
Whilst I have a crazy life working shifts it means I can be available when some people are at work. When I’m on night shifts, I can get up for a call during the day and then go back to bed. It’s no different than someone working during the day and having to respond to an evening call which means they are out searching till 2.00am. They still have to get up for work the following morning. The team is quite flexible
monthly training, maintenance of team kit and vehicles as well as business meetings to make decisions about running the team. We also have a core skills day in February/March, weekend water training and probationary assessments at the start of the year which the wider team assist with, plus other ad hoc training at the weekends too. We share out other roles, so I tend to do less talks to groups or many events due to my work commitments. 
 
What’s the best thing about being a member of mountain rescue? 
I really enjoy it. It’s great fun — and I get to do things I wouldn’t normally do and meet really interesting people who I don’t think I would have met otherwise. The social side to the team is really great. 
 
What has been most difficult? 
Whilst I was with Central Beacons, we had a difficult call-out for a missing person. The search was relatively simple and short as the person was found by a dog handler quite quickly, but unfortunately, they were found dead. It was difficult dealing with the family, trying to make 
although it’s certainly very different finding someone outside rather than dealing with it in a hospital environment but there’s a good support structure in our team, with leaders taking responsibility for following up on ensuring team members are ok and able to talk to anyone, within or outside the team. 
There’s also good training through MREW to enable team members to identify when others aren’t coping ok and having abnormal reactions to situations, recognising that team members have different reactions to dealing with issues and might be stressed even if they don’t seem it. 
 
What life experiences have you had that have influenced your role in the team, if any? 
I’ve always been quite outdoorsy. I grew up on a farm and I used to be a scout then became leader as a student. Mountain rescue has filled the space to do things outside. 
My medical background has definitely influenced what I’ve got involved with in mountain rescue. 
 
What’s a typical call-out for you? 
We get about 80 jobs a year, sometimes three a week, sometimes none. We regularly assist the ambulance service with people in difficult and remote locations and do some searches, but we don’t tend to get the ‘traditional’ call-outs for lost walkers. You’re never that far from a road in our area so we can often direct people back to a road over the phone. 
 
What would you say to someone wanting to join now? 
Well, I’m not sure I’d get in if I tried now! Many people joining now have a lot of experience and skills before they join — they’re fell runners or really hill savvy with good navigation. You do need to be hill fit with good navigation to be in mountain rescue, but we consider people on their merits. You’re a team member first and your expertise from your job is second — everyone’s equal. 
 

#Team Leader

01 Mar 2024
#Team Leader
 
Over and above being an operational member there are various roles, within Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team (CVSRT), that members fulfil to ensure the success of the team.  
 
One role in particular that has seen change this year, is that of Team Leader. 
 
During our Annual General Meeting in January, Jonathan Cole (JC) summarised his time in the Team Leader role as he prepared to stand down.  Detailing his journey in the team that started over 26 years ago.  His speech also contained several special mentions to team members who have provided JC with advice, support, and guidance over his four years as leader. 
 
In appreciation for his commitment to the team and his leadership during his time in charge, we were pleased to be able to honour JC with a lifetime membership to CVSRT.
 
Rob Freeman has been Assistant and more recently Deputy Team Leader, working alongside JC, and is in the perfect position to take on the role.
 
Rob has been a member of CVSRT for 19 years, bringing a wealth of experience with him, and we have no doubt he will thrive in this role. 
 
Congratulations Rob. 

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© 2014 Calendar photography by Hanners www.hanrahanphotography.co.uk
© 2015 All other photography remains the property of Calder Valley Search & Rescue Team.