Frequently Asked Questions

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When was the Team formed?
How many Team members are there?
How can I make a donation to the Team?
How do I become a Team member?
How many members attend each callout?
How long does it take to turn out the Team?
What is the most common time for a callout?
How many callouts do you do each week?

When was the Team formed?
The Team was formed in 1946. See our History page. [Back to the top]

How many Team members are there?
Currently (Jan 2006), we have 46 Team members. See our Team Members page. [Back to the top]

How can I make a donation to the Team?
There are various ways in which you can support the team - from making a small donation to considering including us in your legacy. The Team (a Registered Charity) relies on voluntary contributions and cannot survive without your generosity. Our Support Us page has all the necessary details. [Back to the top]

How do I become a Team member?
You will be from a mountaineering background and will have some local knowledge. Initially, you will be asked to attend 3 specific training exercises and attend a day's assessment with Team members on the hill. After this, if all is well so far, you become a Probationary Member for one year, attending callouts and weekly training exercises. At the end of a successful probationary period, you become a full Team Member. Contact our Secretary for further details. [Back to the top]

How many members attend each callout?
Analysis of our statistics shows that between 13 and 24 members attend most callouts. Many things affect the response (work hours, urgency of callout, holidays, etc), but we do not have a rota. We are all on call 24/7. [Back to the top]

How long does it take to turn out the Team?
We can usually have the first vehicle away within 10 minutes of receiving the call from the police. All members are contacted by pager and some also have SMS. It is a distinct advantage having members who live close to our HQ. [Back to the top]

What is the most common time for a callout?
Our statistics show that for 2005, Sundays (22) were busiest, shortly followed by Saturdays (20). Midweek days involved 8-12 callouts each over the year. The most likely time of day is between 1 pm and 5 pm when we received 62 callouts in 2005. The summer months are generally busy but October was busiest (13) and February was quietest (0)! [Back to the top]

How many callouts do you do each week?
We can go 6 weeks without a single callout. There was nothing between 15 January and 5 March in 2005 (yet overall, the year was our busiest ever). Equally strange, we can sometimes have several callouts in the same day - even at the same time! We are generally prepared for multiple, simultaneous callouts. However, if we are overwhelmed, we routinely will call a neighbouring team to assist. [Back to the top]