Team Equipment

Over the years the Team has acquired more sophisticated equipment which has enhanced and extended its capabilities on the fell. The call-out system makes use of alpha numeric readable pagers carried by all members. Our radios are more efficient and less cumbersome, we can communicate with helicopters, and monitor communications from their Air Rescue Co-ordination Centre. We can communicate with the County Ambulance Control Unit and its ambulances. Members carry radios in their vehicles and we can communicate with them at all times.

The Team maintains two Land Rover Ambulances fitted with radios for mountain and helicopter communication.

We also have a Rescue Boat Rib to evacuate casualties across Ullswater or to carry team personnel more directly to casualty sites to the east of Ullswater.

A casualties blood pressure, temperature, pulse and blood oxygen level can now be monitored on the fell, and by means of a small portable fax machine, information transferred from the casualty site to hospital medical staff. We also carry a defibrillator, hot-air machines to assist in warming hypothermic casualties, oxygen, entonox and a variety of splints dressings and drugs of use in casualty care. In continuing this process of development, a number of members are undergoing further training in Advanced Emergency Care, so that the insertion and maintenance of drips can take place on the fell, if a doctor is not present, and defibrillation can be undertaken.

The Team works closely with the RAF Helicopter Crews to facilitate efficient evacuation of casualties, to gain access to remote areas and to cover ground quickly in a search situation. Members take part in regular training with the crews in order to maintain competence in the various aspects of winching, flying and communicating with aircraft.

All these skills and the variety of equipment used requires continued application, practice and training.

The Team runs a regular training programme, set against a wide training syllabus, and exercises are held at the Base and on the fell. All records of incidents, training, members logs and team data are held on computer and regularly maintained.