Mayo Mountain Rescue Team
A Voluntary Organisation providing 24 hour 999/112 emergency cover on the hills and mountains of County Mayo.
Mayo Mountain Rescue Team was founded in the late 1980s as part of the Western Mountain Rescue Team. At the start activity was low with few callouts and little organisation and training. In 1996 MMRT was reformed and recruited new members bringing the team total to 35 members. From there training schedules were put in place and fund-raising committees organised.
Since then the team has gone from strength to strength with a core group of long serving members and a waiting list of new applicants to join each year as some existing members are forced to cut back due to other commitments.
All but the newest members have Mountain Skills Training and First Aid to REC and Advanced REC level. Whilst many members also have partaken in Cliff Rescue, Rigging for Rescue, Search Management, Party Leader and Mountain Leadership Training. The equipment has also vastly improved with new lighter stretchers, vacuum splints, radios and a Land Rover, for use as an all terrain Ambulance. Our Mobile Base Command unit bought in 2006, is our latest addition to our vehicles, and provides greater flexibility to the team.
Mayo Mountain Rescue Team is a 100% Voluntary Organisation. It is comprised of hillwalkers and mountaineers from all over Mayo and even further afield. The team responds to emergency callouts predominantly on Croagh Patrick with up to 80% of all annual callouts being focused on the pilgrimage mountain. As well as the callouts MMRT also coordinate the activities of all Rescue Teams on the annual pilgrimage walk of Reek Sunday in July, where some 20,000 people climb the mountain in one single day.
However MMRT have also being involved in various other outdoor events throughout the county such as the Focus Ireland 4 peaks Challenge and the Gael Force Adventure Race based in the Westport Area to mention but a few.
MMRT run their own half marathon each September 'Run for Rescue' formally 'The Coastal Charity Challenge' this event is a competitive race, as well as a family day out. Its all about participation and raising much needed funds for our team. All proceeds go directly to MMRT to assist us in training and obtaning new equipment.
