In an emergency call 999 and ask for Police then Mountain Rescue

 

Volunteers are the heart of Scottish Mountain Rescue. Our 26 Member Teams are made up entirely of volunteers (around 850 of them in total). Mountain Rescue volunteers are people drawn from all walks of life, who share a commitment to go out at any time of day, in any weather and in any location to perform search and rescue operations. They are dedicated and together provide tens of thousands of hours of service to the country saving many lives each year. They are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Volunteer for us. Whether you are interested in joining a team, becoming a fundraising volunteer and supporting us to raise money, helping with admin, or offering your skills to support the running of Scottish Mountain Rescue, there are lots of ways to get involved. Without our incredible volunteers our charity and our 26 member teams simply couldn’t do what we do.

Being part of a team is supportive, friendly, funny, frustrating, and political, all at the same time! But most of all supportive. It’s been a great network of friends for me and a fantastic learning experience.

Lara Adams – Kintail Mountain Rescue Team

Join a Team

What it takes to join an MRT:

  • Experienced hill walker or mountaineer comfortable in all weathers in the terrain that the team you are joining covers in both summer and winter conditions
  • Have full mountain “kit” of suitable mountaineering clothing and personal equipment
  • Under 75 years old
  • Knowledge of basic first aid, a first aid certificate would be preferable
  • Have a reasonable level of fitness
  • Able to navigate effectively off paths using map and compass
  • Live in or close to the geographical area that the team you wish to join covers
  • Be willing to pass a probationary period if that is part of the process for the team you are joining. In some teams, new members are not able to attend call outs until they have passed their probationary period
  • Have good communication skills
  • Be willing to work in a team
  • Have made a commitment to remain in the area of the team that you wish to join for a reasonable period.

 

Ask yourself:

  • Are you confident in the mountains/outdoors, in awful weather, in the middle of the night?
  • Do you have sufficient availability to be able to make a commitment to attend training and call- outs?
  • Can you cope with an injured casualty?

Positions are usually based on knowledge and experience, so it is a good option to go out and gain outdoor experience before volunteering.

How to Join

Please find your local team and use the map to locate your nearest team. Please contact the team to find out if they are currently recruiting and to find out more about their joining criteria.

Please note that not all teams may be currently recruiting and some may have a waiting list. The exact joining criteria will vary from team to team.

If you are interested in joining a team, we recommend you read the pages on ‘How we Train Volunteers’ and ‘How we Support Volunteers’ to find out more about the training involved, and the support provided to volunteers.

Volunteer for Scottish Mountain Rescue

Scottish Mountain Rescue is powered by volunteers. In addition to the amazing 850 volunteers who make up our 26 Member Teams. We have volunteers who give their time and energy to support all the behind the scenes work which goes into providing a world class rescue service in Scotland’s mountains and remote places. From administration to media and communications or fundraising, there are lots of ways that volunteers make a difference.

If you have skills, experience or knowledge that you think you could offer in a voluntary capacity, that could benefit Scottish Mountain Rescue then we would be interested to hear from you.

Our roles are flexible and can fit around you, whether you want to contribute regularly or occasionally.

Please check the News pages for details of roles that we are currently recruiting or contact us at info@scottishmountainrescue.org to find out more about volunteering for Scottish Mountain Rescue.

I’m very much a ‘behind the scenes’ volunteer for Scottish Mountain Rescue. From the warmth and safety of my kitchen table I volunteered as a fundraising assistant.

Nikki MacLean, Fundraising Volunteer for SMR in 2019

As a keen hill-walker myself I thoroughly appreciate the work of the Scottish Mountain Rescue and taking on this role meant I could be a small part of the team that are out there all hours and all weathers helping keep people like me safe on our mountains.

Nikki MacLean, Fundraising Volunteer for SMR in 2019

I had great support and training in my role, the opportunity to meet inspiring people, hear some amazing stories and be part of an organisation that is pivotal in ensuring people can get outdoors and explore our beautiful wildernesses safely

Nikki MacLean, Fundraising Volunteer for SMR in 2019

Supporting Volunteers

We recognize that volunteering in a mountain rescue team is a major commitment for both volunteers and their families and we want our volunteers and families to know that support is there for them every step of the way.

 

 

Find out more about the support which is available to both volunteers and their families.