As part of the Staffordshire County Scout Commissioners 2015 Challenge Leek’s Monkey Explorer Scouts recently visited Buxton Mountain Rescue Team’s Headquarters at Dove Holes.

After a short presentation about the work of the team, the twenty youngsters were shown the wealth of equipment carried on the team’s response vehicles.  They also experienced the weight carried by rescuers on a call out.  Explorer, Oliver Barlow, then took the roll of casualty and his fellow scouts placed him in a vacuum mattress.  Safely in the ‘full body splint’, he was loaded onto a mountain rescue stretcher for the ‘carry off’.  The scouts then had a go at carrying Oliver, including passing him over obstacles, such as might be encountered on a real rescue.

The Explorer Scouts also got a brief sneak preview of the team’s brand new control vehicle just prior to it entering service very soon.

Dana Heath, 16yrs, an Explorer Scout from Leek said, ‘The MRT hosted a short presentation which taught us about what procedures they have to go through with every call.  It was really interesting to hear what they had to do, but it was great fun putting it into practice and carrying our friend in the stretcher over a few obstacles!  It was amazing to hear that they work from donations too!!

Photo credit: BMRT.   Oliver all wrapped up and ready for the stretcher.     The full group from Leek’s Monkey Explorer Scouts