Local teams in UK's largest ever mountain rescue training exercise

Members of ten different groups joined forces for 'Peak Diamond’, the UK’s largest ever mountain rescue exercise on the weekend of September 21-22.

The Buxton, Glossop and Kinder Mountain Rescue Teams, as well as the Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation were all put through their paces in weather that flitted from clear and hot to stormy conditions. 

Taking place at JCB’s test quarry in Staffordshire, the exercise took eight months to plan and simulated an air crash with mock casualties and different unfolding scenarios to challenge the teams. 

“The best way to test the Mountain Rescue response to a major incident is to allow teams to apply their skills practically,” a spokesperson for the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation, who organised the event said. 

“With such a major event, all emergency services must operate together, utilise ‘Ten Second Triage’, apply the ‘JESIP Principles’ and communicate effectively whilst working swiftly and safely. 

“Over the past eight months, the exercise team have pulled together the resources and equipment to make sure this exercise reaches its potential and provides adequate learning opportunities.” 

Peak Diamond concluded a busy weekend for the Glossop Mountain Rescue Team (GMRT), who were called to the Snake Pass by the North West Ambulance Service on Friday morning. 

A pair of hikers were on day two of walking the Pennine Way from Edale to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders, when one of them fell ill and was in ‘considerable distress’.  

Fourteen rescuers dashed to the casualty on a hillside, where GMRT say she, “was assessed on scene by paramedics and the team co-ordinated the extraction and evacuation from the hill.”  

“The casualty and her friend were then transferred to an ambulance for onward transport to hospital.” 

She has since been discharged and is continuing her recovery at home.