Ewing Confirms Support For Mountain Rescue
Launch Of Mountain Map
EWING CONFIRMS CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAMS
Minister for Community Safety Fergus Ewing today confirmed that the Scottish Government will continue to support the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland with £300,000 in this financial year.
The Minister was today visiting the Loch Lomond mountain rescue centre to see the launch of ‘Mountain Map’, an innovative mapping package that will allow mountain rescue teams to map and share the areas that they are searching when coming to the aid of those in trouble in the Scottish mountains.
The software allows teams to collaborate and exchange information ensuring that a full and accurate record of search patterns and strategy is maintained. This new facility is in contrast to the traditional way in the past of drawing on paper maps and asking searchers to copy the information to their own maps, or if they were lucky and had access to a photocopier, producing black and white copies.
Fergus Ewing said:
“As a former member of Lomond Mountain Rescue Team, I welcome this new software which is an exciting new development in mountain rescue. I very much welcome the introduction of this new system which will allow better co-ordination and planning of searches and enable the accurate exchange of vital information.
“The Scottish Government fully recognises the vital role of the mountain rescue teams as they go to the aid of those who get into difficultly on our mountains. I am therefore delighted to confirm that we will continue to support the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland with £300,000 in this financial year.”
Alfie Ingram, Chair of the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland said:
“The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland are very grateful to the previous and ongoing support of the Scottish Government for Mountain Rescue in Scotland. Further to improving the provision of service, I am pleased today to present the digital mapping software which will enhance our search management capabilities.
“I can also announce the release of the 2008 statistics, which although showing a continued increase in the number of accidents, also show a decrease in the number of incidents per person hours on the mountains.”
NOTES
1. The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland is the representative and coordinating body for mountain rescue services in Scotland.
2. The Scottish Government funding to the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland of £300,000 for 2009-10 is distributed to all of their affiliated voluntary rescue organisations. This involves every team/organisation receiving the same minimum amount of funding and the remainder distributed based on the number of call-outs each team/organisation dealt with over the preceding 5 year period. This approach is aimed at ensuring a fair and appropriate distribution of the funding.
3. The police have primary responsibility for all land-based search and rescue, and for this purpose they call on support from other agencies including the voluntary mountain rescue teams affiliated to the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland
4. The new software will allow details of incidents to be exported to others involved in the search including Police Control Rooms, the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre and other mountain rescue teams.
5. The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland recently published its Incident Report for 2008. A full breakdown of the statistics for 2008 is available from the Mountain Rescue Committee for Scotland and is available on their web site at:
http://www.mrcofs.org/
