JOIN THE TEAM
Are you interested in applying for Team membership or would like to find out a little more? Find out just what we look for in potential candidates for probationary membership...
We need applicants, at the very least, to be very experienced hill walkers confident in both summer and full winter conditions - with a good number of years’ mountaineering experience under their belts. Your application form should reflect this, giving a clear picture of your general experience and also including some representative examples. Ask yourself, 'Am I confident in my own abilities, in poor weather, on steep terrain in the middle of a typical Scottish winter night?' If the answer is no, then you should probably reconsider. In your trainee year you will learn specialist rescue-related skills, but you must bring the mountaineering skills yourself.
Qualifications in relevant skills are looked on very favourably e.g. outdoor and medical awards etc. You must hold a valid first aid certificate before being accepted for full membership.
Preference is given to applicants who are established within, or in immediate proximity to, our operational area. For practical reasons (cost and time spent training) we are looking for individuals who are settled in the region and can demonstrate a long term commitment to Lomond MRT.
The Committee reviews all application forms received, and invites suitable candidates to a selection day (which usually takes place in the autumn). This will involve an exercise on the hill with senior members of the team, and candidates will be judged on a variety of criteria. General hill craft, navigation and team work all play a part in the selection process.
We want to emphasize at the outset to prospective trainees the high level of commitment to the Team that you will be making. Team membership is a significant undertaking that will eat into days you would normally spend walking, climbing, or with your family.
The Team typically meets for over forty different events annually (e.g. training, fund raising and safety cover), even before we consider rescues which often come at inconvenient times of day or night. In practice, this means that you will have some kind of Team-related commitment almost every week. In the first year the Team expects 80% attendance from probationary members. During this time trainees are not part of the call out list and will not take part in rescues.
At the end of their probationary period, the Committee will consider the suitability of the trainee and their performance through the year. If successful they will be invited to become a Full Team Member on the active call out list.