Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team has become the first in the country to produce a video series promoting safety.
The launch of the six short information videos, each about two minutes long, coincides with a large increase in the number of people hiking and mountaineering in the north west, particularly since the onset of the Covid pandemic.
The figures bear out the crucial role now played by the Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team — this year its volunteers were involved in 14 callouts, three of which were fatalities.
Now with more hikers and hillwalkers taking to the slopes and mountains, the video series couldn’t be more timely.
Team Leader Ciaran Davis says the six videos are ‘short and to the point.’
They deal with calling the emergency services when lost, how to deal with an accident, basic First Aid on the mountain, following the STOP rule if lost, how to prepare for a hike, and how to help the emergency services find you.
The videos can be viewed online at SligoWalks.ie website.
Fiona Gallagher, of Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team, says they can also be accessed across a range of social media channels.
Another team member, Alan Sayers, says the Sligo Leitrim Team will be sharing the video series with others.
Meanwhile, Sligo County Council Cathaoirleach, Councillor Paul Taylor, has praised the Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue Team for its work, saying the region ‘was fortunate to have the help of such volunteers.’
