General (6)
Answers to questions about the team in general.
Recruitment (11)
Answers to frequently asked questions about the team's recruitment process, how to join and what's involved in being a member of the team.
- How do I join?
- Do I need to be a mountain guide or other professional?
- How many members does the team currently have?
- What's your equal opportunities policy?
- How much will it cost me?
- Do I get paid?
- How fit do I need to be?
- What skills should I have before applying for membership and what will you teach me?
- How much time would I be expected to commit?
- What equipment will I need when I join?
- How long does the training take?
The average annual running expenditure for the team is over £20,000. This pays for things like diesel in the tanks of the team vehicles, running costs for our base, insurance and many other things. This doesn't include capital projects where we replace something like a vehicle. Those projects are run seperately and we typically try to get grants to help cover those costs.
This is in addition to the amount team members’ have to spend for their personal equipment.
We mainly cover the Central Brecon Beacons area and South to the coast of South Wales. The total area that we cover is 1437 square km and stretches roughly from Pen Y Fan down to the coast and from the Neath valley in the West across past Newport in the east.
We also work together with the other three mountain rescue teams in South Wales to cover the entire of the South Wales area from Aberystwyth down and from St. David's in the West across to the English border and, in some cases, beyond.
However, the team can be called to help anywhere in the country or even abroad for major incidents. Mountain Rescuers from South Wales helped in the Lockerbie aircraft crash in 1988.
The number of callouts we attend each year is increasing. In the past five years it has more than doubled, and we are now attending some 80 or 90 callouts a year - that's almost two a week!
The team receives only a small equipment grant from the Welsh Office and the Sports Council. The Police also support the Team with some radio equipment. This does not come close to meeting the required funding.
Team members don't receive any payment for their services at all. Occasionally the team raises enough funds to purchase equipment like waterproofs or helmets, but other than that each members' equipment is their own.
Sgt. Jack Powell MBE, brought Police and a few volunteers together in 1959. The team was expanded and formally established in 1963.
You can apply to become an operational team member or a support member. We aim to take on a new group of trainees every year. Anyone is welcome to apply to be a trainee, providing they can demonstrate they have the required commitment, a love of the mountains - and the necessary basic equipment - and are willing to learn new skills. More importantly, they must be a team player. Support members join in non-operational activities such as fundraising, events and 'tin shaking.'
For more information on joining the team, there is a description of the joining process available.
No, team members come from all walks of life - we currently have members who are teachers, engineers, accountants, retirees, IT specialists, psychologists, nurses, electricians, architects and builders.
The team currently has 40 operational members and 4 trainee members.
The team encourages applications from all members of the community. All we ask is that you are familiar with the outdoors.
You'll be expected to buy some equipment for yourself which will get well-used. If you're a mountaineer, a walker or rambler, or a climber, you'll most likely have most of the equipment already.
Operational team members pay a small contribution towards the pager, currently £7 per month.
No, we're a voluntary organisation.
As an operational team member, you'll be expected to carry your own pack (15kg) along with some team equipment from time to time and walk for several hours in the Brecon Beacons whilst navigating.
For the support team, all you need is to be reasonably active and to notify us of any medical conditions that could affect your performance. You won't be asked to do anything outside your capabilities. We do expect that you have some hill walking experience.
We expect potential trainees to have a love of the outdoors. We'll accept people with different levels of outdoor, hill and mountaineering experience. Don't feel that you have to be an experienced mountaineer, but you should at least be familiar with a map and compass and what it's like to spend time in the outdoors.
We'll provide training in all of the skills you'll need to be safe on the mountains and to work as part of the rescute team. We'll also teach you how to use a map and compass and the type of knots that are used in our rescue systems.
Once we've trained you in these skills, you'll also undertake a general familiarisation with the equipment and vehicles as well as training in using a radio, how to handle a stretcher, searching for missing people and dealing with helicopters.
Finally, before you actually become a probationary operational team member, you'll need to go through an assesment. Once you pass that, you'll get your pager and can start responding to incidents.
The honest answer is – far more than you think! The main requirement for membership is commitment as well as a willingness to learn and the ability to work as part of a close and supportive team. As volunteers, we all give as much time as we can afford. Work and family commitments vary from team member to team member, and sometimes change with time. Some team members are available during the working week, others only in the evenings or at weekend, while others work shift patterns. All we ask is that team members – and potential trainees – honestly assess the time they are prepared to commit, and continue to do so. From an operational point of view this is the key to knowing what resources we can offer the emergency services at any incident.
…..and it’s not just availability for incidents you need to consider. There’s the regular weekly training too, the events and the fund-raising. Oh, and the odd social evening as well.
Central Beacons currently trains every Thursday, one Sunday a month and as a Foundation Member you will be expected to attend a certain percentage of these events. As fundraising is critical, you will also be expected to attend a minimum number of fundraising events. You will quickly find that mountain rescue becomes part of your life – and your family’s!
An operational team member should have hill walking boots and gaiters, watch and knife, maps (1:25,000) of the team’s area, a compass and whistle, a rucksack (at least 40litre), suitable outdoor clothing, waterproofs, bivvi bag, emergency rations, notebook and writing implements, a climbing sling, 2 karabiner, 2 prussik loops, climbing harness and a head-torch and hand-lamp. There is also a subscription which supports providing you with a pager.
As a probationary member however, the minimum you need when you join the team is:
- Hillwalking footwear
- Waterproof jacket
- Waterproof overtrousers
- Gaiters (optional, depending on your personal preference but highly recommended)
- Headtorch
- Rucksack
- Whistle
- Pen Knife
As training goes on you'll find that you need other equipment, full details can be found on the page describing the role of an operational team member.
On achieving full membership, we aim to provide each team member with team waterproof clothing.
Foundation training is between 9 - 12 months, this gives us the opportunity to teach you personal skills, for us to get to know you and for you to know us, learn how the team works and to familiarise you with the equipment, procedures and protocols. After that you will be given a pager and you will be able to reespond to incidents along with the rest of the team as a probationary member. After a year as a probationer, you will need to pass an assesment before becoming a full team member.
Although this sounds like a long time, you'll find the time passes very quickly and you'll receive a lot of support from your fellow team members.