MR teams up for national award

The Vodafone Life Savers Awards 2004 recognises, as you'd expect, heroic rescuers, including those from the emergency services, and members of the RAF Kinloss MRT and Torridon MRT are in the last 20 being considered for the 10 national awards. Local paper the Forres Gazette reports that Corporal Chris Morrison, Junior Technician Mark Falcus and Senior Aircraftman Peter Welsh - from RAF Kinloss - along with Martin Moran and Michael Dunlop - from Torridon MRT - were nominated by RAF Kinloss team leader Flight Sergeant Nigel Kenworthy for their role in the rescue of an injured climber.

The civilian and military MRTs joined forces to rescue experienced climber Andy Nesbit after he fell and was left stranded, in the dark and on a small ledge, on a sheer Torridan cliff face with a broken femur and losing blood. High winds prevented rescue helicopters from reaching Nesbit, so the two teams had to climb down to him and then lower him 700 feet to the helicopter.

The awards also cover those spontaneous acts of heroism performed by members of the Great British Public, but it would be nice to see a bit of recognition for those who regularly put their own safety on the line as part of their job or as voluntary work. They don't make the hills safer, but they can make all the difference if you fall foul of nature.