Policy on Membership
New Members & Trainees Programme of Training

Policy on Membership.

1. Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, colour, or creed. Owing to the nature of the work and the interaction with the full time emergency services, certain categories of person who have been involved with previous criminal activity, or behaviour incompatible for work with children and young persons, may not be accepted for membership.
    

2. Any able-bodied person who complies with the insurance company’s definition of able bodied may apply for membership. It will be the policy of the team to informally interview the prospective member usually at an induction evening. Where membership is refused, the team will not be required to give any reason for refusal of membership.
    

3. All applicants for all grades of membership will fill in the teams application form and declaration of prospective member’s previous health and medical facts that will directly affect their membership grade.
    

4. The normal route for entry will be to complete all of the following:-
   a.         Serve a total period of 18 months as a probationary member.
   b.         Attend an entry assessment day.
   c.         Satisfactorily complete the basic training course,
   d.         Within the 18 months probationary period, satisfactorily pass the  basic training assessment, and be recommended by the training group to become a probationary operational member.
   e.         On successful completion of the 18 months probation, be formally invited by the team to become a full operational member.
    

5. Implicit in this policy will be the requirement for the prospective member to clearly demonstrate an ability to work with and be accepted as a member of the team.

6. On satisfactorily completing basic training the probationary member will be expected to progress to intermediate training and to be available for continuation training, exercises, call - out and fundraising as required.
   
    

New Members & Trainees Programme of Training

The following activities are additional to the main team programme and are for prospective trainee members.

Every effort should be made to attend these sessions. (Full Team Members are encouraged to attend as refresher sessions or to assist with the training).

The programme is based on the Core Competence model developed by the Team and derived from the Minimum Standards identified by the Mid Pennine Search and Rescue Organisation (MPSRO).

The dates for these sessions will be handed out at the first induction evening.

They will normally begin in early October and run for 10 weeks on Wednesday evenings. Those sessions that coincide with the main Team programme will run from 19:00 to 20:00, other sessions will run from 19:00 to 22:00. Unless otherwise notified, all sessions will be held at Ray Lane Vehicle Base in Garstang.

 Sessions & Techniques covered during Induction Training

• Introduction to Mountain Rescue
   

• Equipment review
   

• First Aid basics
   

• Search Techniques and Incident control
   

• Search exercise and personal kit check
   

• Stretcher/Casualty handling exercise
   

• Navigation exercise
   

• Team vehicles and Driving
   

• Rope work and Belaying
   

• Radios /Helicopters/Flares/Lighting & Search and Rescue Dogs Association (SARDA)

•  In addition to the above:
   

• An MPSRO residential weekend “Introduction to Mountain Rescue” course will be held in October.
   

• A “Helicopter Basics” day course at RAF Leconfield.

It is expected that trainee members will attend these events during their first year with the Team.

It is also expected that attendance at normal Team meetings will be higher than the normal 50% required of a Full Team member. Fund Raising events are an essential part of the programme.

 Prospective Team members require a current Red Cross or St Johns Ambulance First Aid Certificate (or equivalent). You should obtain this within six months of joining the team if you haven’t already got one.

The First Aid standard for call out members is a Mountain Rescue Council (MRC) Certificate. The Team runs it’s own MRC First Aid course, but you must hold a basic First Aid certificate prior to attending this course.

Standards set by the team are high. Failure to meet any of the above requirements maybe seen as a lack of Commitment and your services may no longer be required.

Further information may be obtained from the Team Leader.