Training is a key part of the team’s development to ensure that skills are kept refreshed. Callouts rarely happen on warm summer evenings, so the team train hard to be prepared to go on the hill in all weathers, at all times of the day.

We dedicate 2 - 3 evenings a month, 4 additional full days and extra weekends throughout the year, building and honing skills in the following disciplines:

• Wilderness first-aid and casualty care - medical assessment and assistance in remote areas
• Search management - incident command, maps, routes, hazards, profiling, scenario planning, resources
• Helicopter - safety protocol, comms, winching, high lines, zone management
• Stretcher management - stretcher party protocol, casualty care, steep ground techniques with anchoring
• Technical cliff/crag rigging - rope, belay and anchor systems, equipment, knots, climbing, casualty care techniques
• Mountain skills - hazards, environment, maps, navigation, route planning, equipment, emergency procedures
• Communication skills - radio protocol, call-signs, function, language, logs
• Winter skills - ice and snow anchors and belaying, ice axe and crampon techniques, hazards
• White water skills - deep river, gorge and rapids, ropes, buoyancy, belays, throws, anchoring

All these training sessions are done in the spare time of the MMRT volunteers, so it is a big commitment throughout the year.

Due to the remote nature of our work, first-aid training is advanced, as it can be several hours before a casualty reaches professional medical help or a hospital. All team members are trained to Remote Emergency Care REC 3 & 4, and many have advanced WEMT (Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician).

All full team members are certified in Mountain Skills, and many also hold qualifications in Mountain Leadership, Search Management, Cliff Rescue, Rigging, and Party Leader, Helicopter, White Water and Winter Skills.

As well as hosting the annual Croagh Patrick pilgrimage, MMRT have also hosted and organised Equipment and Safety courses for Mountain Rescue Ireland.

In addition, MMRT train with our partner organisations, especially the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter team based in Sligo R118. Training MMRT members for air rescue is standard within the team and the deployment of a helicopter crew works in conjunction with MMRT ground support. Close attention is paid to working in the new aircraft’s (Sikorsky S-92) heavy downdraft, making safe zones for landing/holding, winching MMRT personnel, our equipment, and casualty evacuations, are all part of what we do on the hill.

Mayo Mountain Rescue Team (MMRT) is a busy, experienced and dynamic voluntary mountain rescue team which provides a mountain Search and Rescue emergency service (via 999/112) for county Mayo and nationwide, if requested. We operate 24/7, 365 days/yr.

Mayo Mountain Rescue Team (MMRT) is comprised of hillwalkers and mountaineers living all over Mayo who have a common interest in the enjoyment of the outdoors.

The team is made up of builders, farmers, medical professionals, electricians, teachers, engineers, outdoor instructors, self-employed and civil servants, in fact men and women from all walks of life. The volunteers currently range in age from 25 to 70 years of age and come from all over Mayo. Some members drive up to 50 miles for the pleasure of setting off on a rescue in the rain. All the volunteers have a love of the mountains in common. This voluntary service is physically, technically and mentally demanding so working as a team is crucial in providing this service in demanding circumstances.

The minimum age is 21 years of age to join the team. Recruitment takes place as and when the team require new probationary members to replenish the ranks where some full team members take a sabbatical for a number of months.

A voluntary organisation providing 24/7, 365 days/year 999/112 emergency cover on the mountains and hills of Co. Mayo.

Mayo Mountain Rescue Team (MMRT) is a 100% Voluntary Organisation. The Team provide the Search and Rescue Emergency Service and pre hospital first aid for people in distress on the mountains of Mayo and are tasked by An Garda Síochána.

MMRT is comprised of hillwalkers and mountaineers living all over Mayo who have a common interest in the enjoyment of the outdoors.  The Team responds to emergency callouts on all the mountains in Mayo including Mweelrea, the Sheffrys, the Nephin Beg Mountain range and Achill Island. Callouts are predominantly on Croagh Patrick with up to 80% of all annual callouts being focused on the pilgrimage mountain.

The team is made up of builders, farmers, medical professionals, electricians, teachers, engineers, outdoor instructors, self-employed and civil servants, in fact men and women from all walks of life. The volunteers range in age from 25 to 70 years of age and come from all over Mayo. Some members drive up to 50 miles for the pleasure of setting off on a rescue in the rain. All volunteers have a love of the mountains in common. Most don’t talk about the fact that they joined the team to help others, but on every callout the satisfaction of the team is palpable, evident in the good humour and willingness to help and in the compassion shown to our casualties so that we can evacuate them as quickly as possible to a warmer, safer environment. Currently the team has approximately 35 members and obviously due to work or family commitments, it is just not possible to attend every callout, but in general about 12-15 members respond per callout. Physically and technically demanding, callouts generally take several hours, occasionally overnight or for several days in the rare case, there is a huge personal time commitment being involved with the Team.

Often our work involves close involvement with one or more of our fellow emergency services or mountain rescue teams. It is worth noting that the unofficial members of our team include family members, partners and employers of our team members because without their understanding and flexibility it would be impossible for us to do our job. The team also give support to local voluntary and statutory service providers, such as Westport Social Services ‘Meals on Wheels’, when requested during inclement weather.

As well as emergency callouts, MMRT coordinate the Rescue and Emergency Care Services on the annual pilgrimage walk of Reek Sunday in July of every year, where sometimes up to 20,000 people  have climbed the mountain in one single day. This involves months of planning and co-ordination across what has become known Reek Weekend.