Mournes rescue team receives £212k boost

Mournes rescue team receives £212k boost

16 February 2022

THE Mourne Mountain Rescue Team has received a £212,000 financial boost to purchase new lifesaving equipment and an all terrain vehicle.

One of two organisations which played a key role in the devastating blaze which destroyed over 900 acres of scrubland in the mountain range last April, the money has been made available under a Covid community scheme announced by Stormont rural affairs minister Edwin Poots.

Skywatch NI — which provided aerial footage for firefighters to help them tackle the rampaging fire — received £284,000 from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

Last year’s malicious blaze was one of the biggest gorse fires in living memory which destroyed rich habitat across the Mournes.

At its height, over 100 heroic firefighters battled the inferno for two and a half days in challenging conditions with huge flames fanned by winds and difficult terrain presenting the Fire and Rescue Service with significant challenges.

Firefighters worked around the clock to save as much of a landscape teaming with life as they could during what was a complex operation, with some having to travel up to an hour on foot to reach the blaze carrying their equipment with them.

Volunteers from the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team assisted with the multi-agency response to the fire and are delighted with the financial boost they have received.

In addition to the new 4x4 vehicle, the organisation plans to spend the money it is to receive on a wide range of equipment and personal protective equipment. The cash will also help purchase an inflatable shelter, defibrillators and mountain rescue stretchers.

Rescue team co-ordinator, Martin McMullan, said the entirely voluntary 999 emergency service is on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

He said the team is ready to respond to assist those in need through mishap, injury or illness whilst living, working, and playing in the greater Mourne region.

“As one of the busiest teams on the island of Ireland, with over 100 rescues last year, pressures on the team and its specialist resources, including wear and tear have increased considerably,” Mr McMullan explained.

“The funds awarded through the DAERA Rural Community Rescue Fund will enable us to expand our resources, reducing pressures and increasing the capacity of the team to meet with the continually growing demand.”

Mr McMullan added: “We’re exceptionally grateful to the Department and its officers for making such a significant contribution to the team and, in turn, to the wider Mourne community as a whole.”

Mr Poots, who was in Newcastle recently to present Ian McCracken from the mountain rescue team with a letter of offer, said the organisation and Skywatch NI showcase the very best of Northern Ireland.

“They are community organisations that rely wholly on the commitment and dedication of volunteers who often risk their own lives for the protection of others,” he continued.

“Both organisations played a vital role in the fire that scorched the Mournes in April last year. The rescue team assisted on the ground, while Skywatch NI helped to direct the the Fire and Rescue Service with thermal imaging from hi-tech drones.”

The Stormont minister said that without doubt, the contribution of both organisations helped save lives, businesses and minimise the impact on biodiversity in the area.

Mr Poots continued: “This funding will enable Northern Ireland Search and Rescue Teams (NISAR) teams from across the region to purchase essential life-saving equipment such as all-terrain vehicles, defibrillators and fire-resistant personal protection equipment.

“Throughout the pandemic there has been an increase in the number of people visiting our countryside and using our waterways and in some cases this has led to an increase in the level of call-outs experienced by Northern Ireland Search and Rescue Services. 

He added: “This scheme will help improve the responsiveness of the NISAR services and safeguard delivery of those services into the future.

“I am delighted to be able to provide this necessary support to community Search and Rescue Services to ensure that our rural open spaces and waterways are safe and attractive to the increasing the number of visitors we have to our countryside.”

The rural community rescue fund is assisting nine NISAR teams across the province who rescue some 500 people each year to purchase essential life-saving equipment.