Shannon Lucas, a member of Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit, who was holidaying in Sligo made a recent visit to the Sligo Team. BAMRU is a volunteer team based in the San Francisco Bay Area, which also covers part of Yosemite National Park.
http://www.bamru.org/

http://bamru.blogspot.com/2010/07/bamru-in-ireland.html

Following the success of last years event the Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue have announced they are holding a sale of local artwork to raise much needed funds. Members of the public are invited to attend the exhibitions opening on Sunday the 13th of June at 5pm in Tobergal Lane Cafe, Sligo Town.

Heidi Wickham secretary for the mountain rescue team says “around 15 artists have very generously agreed to donate 50% of their sales as a donation to us. This is a great opportunity for the public to view and purchase a wide variety of contemporary art as well as supoporting a local 999 service.

Come along to Tobergal Lane Cafe on Sunday to meet members of the team, check out their control vehicle and equipment and have some food and wine. There will also be a raffle for tickets to the Cairde Festival.

Sligo/Leitrim Mountain Rescue were called out to Knocknarea Mountain this afternoon after a woman sustained injuries when she fell while out walking. The woman, who was in her 40s and from Glenfarne in Co. Leitrim, had been out with a friend when she slipped on some loose rock on the descent from Knockrea, and injured her lower leg.

The Mountain Rescue Team were tasked to the scene, along with ambulance staff. The woman was taken down safely and brought to Sligo General Hospital for treatment. Alan Sayers from Sligo/Leitrim Mountain Rescue said the incident is a reminder of the extreme care needed while out hiking.

 Sligo and Leitrim Mountain Rescue were alerted by Gardai yesterday evening after a man was reported missing near to Benbulben mountain in North Sligo.  A search operation was launched with assistance from the Garda Air Support Unit.

A group of local people who had joined in the efforts, located the man at first light this morning. The 46-year-old was not injured but was taken to Sligo General Hospital for treatment.

Alan Sayers from Sligo/Leitrim Mountain Rescue said they were delighted to find the man safe and well and it was fortunate that the current weather conditions are so mild.

For the first time, the service will have its own designated 4X4.  As a voluntary organisation Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team was not in a position to purchase their own vehicle. The National Parks and Wildlife Service based in Glenveagh in Co. Donegal, has stepped in and donated one from their fleet.

Sligo and Leitrim Mountain Rescue spokesperson Alan Sayers says the new addition will make a major difference when it comes to rescue operations, especially in adverse weather conditions.

The 2000 Nissan Pathfinder pickup is currently being kitted out and will be ready for service in the coming weeks.

Rescue of a young ewe that fell onto a small ledge near Glencar waterfall

Seasonal mountain walkers are not necessarily the same as seasoned mountain walkers. Irish mountains are not high by international standards but they are challenging. People suffer serious injury and death in the hills of Ireland.

The Christmas holiday period is a time for leisure and recreation, including hill walking. It is a period where people often succumb to an “excess of zeal” and don’t plan properly. Failing to prepare adequately for your “adventures” is preparing to fail. Tragedy has occurred in the mountains of Ireland over the Christmas New Year period.

Before following your star into the hills over the coming weeks please reflect on these three wise things; all fundamental to a safe day in the hills – you, the weather and the terrain. When planning, remember that these factors are related and interconnected.

First consider the skills that you and your companions possess, it really all starts there. You should not venture into the mountains alone no matter how experienced you are. Food, drink, spare clothing, first aid kit, map and compass are all essential equipment. Navigating effectively in cloud requires knowledge and experience, built up over years. The inexperienced may have the “gadgets” but not the knowledge to use them effectively. Equipment will not make you physically fit; fitness is also built up incrementally over time. The stamina of the weakest member of the party should dictate the day’s plan or itinerary. Taking children into the high mountains in winter is not advisable.

The second and possibly most critical is the weather; it can quickly become your enemy. Listen to the forecast before making your plan, Irish weather is variable and unpredictable. Rain, wind, temperature and visibility are key considerations. As you go further up you get more rain and wind but less temperature and visibility. Low level routes are sufficiently challenging for most walkers in poor conditions. Don’t go too high or too far when poor weather is forecast; poor weather can kill you. Short days give insufficient contingency; minor mishaps escalate on a dark stormy evening. Don’t allow your enthusiasm outstrip your experience.

Thirdly and finally the terrain is a very important factor. Even in good conditions steep terrain can be too challenging to those not accustomed to it. Apart from rocky terrain, steep grassy slopes are treacherously slippery when wet.  The hills are very wet now and likely to remain so for months. The best boots won’t stop you from slipping and falling on steep wet ground. When the weather gets cold, that water becomes ice at altitude, increasing the dangers. Ben Bulben will still be there in the long, hopefully dryer, calmer days of summer. The marked trails and lower hills are a good initial preparation for the longer trips of spring.

Don’t make Christmas a sad anniversary for your loved ones.  Stay prepared, stay safe, stay happy.

Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team thank all those people who support them financially or otherwise, Have a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year holiday. If you do need assistance, rescue volunteers in your area, will be willingly there for you.  Do not stack the odds against yourself by being excessively zealous over short winter days.

Remember it’s about you, it’s about the weather and it’s about the terrain.

A DOG trapped for five days on a cliff was returned safely to its owners yesterday (15/12/09). Sam, a 13-year-old Springer Spaniel, was rescued from a narrow ledge at Tormore Cliffs above Glencar Lake in north Leitrim.

It took Sligo Leitrim MRT more than four hours to bring the dog to safety on Monday. Alan Sayers from Sligo and Leitrim Mountain Rescue said the operation was carried out in difficult conditions.  “We were on an exercise in the area on Sunday so we were kitted-out and at the scene within 10 minutes when we got the call. But it was pitch-dark by that time and we had to abandon the mission until the next morning,” Mr Sayers said.Meanwhile, the dog was barking in distress while balancing on a narrow ledge with very little room to move. It took four hours for a mountain rescue team of four to bring the dog to safety. One team member abseiled 20ft down a cliff face towards Sam after ropes were anchored to the top.

But the animal was so weak that it was a dead weight and as a result it was impossible to carry him up the slope. Instead, the rescuer abseiled a further 60ft down the cliff to ground level with the dog in his arms. Mr Sayers, who remained on top of the cliff holding the ropes, said: “It was very precarious because there was so much loose rock so it had to be done very slowly. It was a tricky operation.”

After a small amount of food and water Sam was soon wagging his tail. The Gilmartin family, who live in Ballintrillick village, Co Sligo, about 20km from where the dog was found, were reunited with their pet yesterday.

Further details -  Irish Independent Article 

14 year old Springer Spaniel Sam, who was trapped on the mountains at Glencar for five days is reunited with his owners, thanks to Sligo/Leitrim Mountain Rescue team at Glencar Co. Sligo. L-R Annie Gilmartin, owner, Conal Sexton, mountain rescue, Andy Gilmartin, Mark Magennis who found the dog, Heidi Wickham, mountain rescue and Mairead Gilmartin. Photo: James Connolly / PicSell8

A major search was initiated last Thursday in County Fermanagh following reports of a light aircraft crash in the area between Enniskillen and Belcoo. Members of the Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team were scrambled following a request for assistance from the local Northwest team in what developed into a major regional search operation involving three Mountain Rescue Teams, Sligo Coast Guard and PSNI helicopters and local farmers.

The Northwest Team was tasked by the PSNI following a number of sightings of a plane in distress allied to reports of a loud crashing sound.

“At this stage visibility was practically nil due to the severe rain showers affecting the region. The Police in Fermanagh requested the deployment of a large number of personnel to conduct a search of a very extensive area and we responded to this along with our colleagues in the Donegal Team. Nine team members immediately made themselves available to assist in this operation with a second group ready to travel later in the afternoon,” said Alan Sayers of the Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescure Team.

Two of the Leitrim based members were first to arrive at the Incident Centre in Derrygonnelly where they were immediately tasked with searching a remote upland and wooded area.

“Thankfully visibility improved later in the afternoon allowing police helicopters to scan the search area whilst up to forty mountain rescue member combed the hills and forests surrounding the area. By late evening we had found no trace of any aircraft whilst aviation authorities confirmed that they could account for all registered aircraft. Although we are satisfied that this was not a hoax type of incident and some mystery remains as to the origin of the call out the search was discontinued from 1800 hours. “As a team, we were extremely pleased by the quick response time and dedication of our members in the face of what did appear to herald a long and harrowing search operation,” concluded Mr. Sayers.

There was double tragedy for the local mountain rescue team at the weekend with the recovery of the remains of a farmer in Drumkeerin and an exhaustive search for a missing Czech national in Donegal. Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team was called to Manorhamilton last Thursday night where man had collapsed in a remote area of Drumkeerin. He was pronounced dead by a GP but due to poor accessibility and the difficulty of the terrain gardai and ambulance personnel were unable to remove his remains.“Using our rescue stretcher we succeeded in removing the man’s remains to a roadway from where he was conveyed to Sligo General Hospital,” explained Team Leader Alan Sayers. “As a team we would like to again extend our sympathy to the family on their sudden and tragic loss,” he added. The next morning they were called to assist the Donegal Mountain Rescue Team after a 57-year-old Czech national went missing from cliffs in the Glencolmcille area. He had been fishing from the sea cliffs there during the week and had failed to return home. After two days of searching the teams were able to find the area of the cliffs where he fell.It appears that he had himself tied with to the cliffs but the rope fayed and his fell off a sharp drop into water below.It is believed his body will be washed back onto shore on Friday and a search will continue then involving Sligo rescue helicopter.
“As a rescue team,” concluded Mr Sayers, “our primary focus is on preserving life. Fatalities are however also an integral part of mountain rescue and we do our best in these circumstances to recover the remains of the deceased in a dignified manner.
“It’s very important for their families.”

Team Searching in the Glencolmcille area