Equipment and Vehicles

The Team has a primary Mountain Rescue Post at Newton Stewart Police Station (we will soon take occupancy of a new base) where most of the equipment is stored. The Team's Land Rover and Base Trailer are based there. A secondary equipment base, with a Volkswagen Caravelle 4x4 and trailer, is located at Castle Douglas.

It costs between £20,000 and £25,000 per year to run the Team effectively. Much of this total is spent on equipment which includes maintaining the fully equipped Mountain Rescue Land Rover, Volkswagen Support Vehicle and their respective trailers.

The Newton Stewart based trailer allows the Team to set up a base at the site of an incident leaving the Land Rover available for other uses including a mobile communications unit. Both the Land Rover and the Base Trailer are equipped with 10 metre extending masts.

The Team was donated our Volkswagen Caravelle by the Order of St. John in July 2002. This vehicle gives more scope for transport of members, acting as a second mobile base and as an equipment store. It is fitted with seats to carry 7 members with the rear seats being quickly removable to allow for the transportation of equipment or a stretcher.

The Team carries and maintains a great deal of equipment. Much of this equipment has to be replaced on a regular basis e.g. ropes, helmets, oxygen and Etinox (for pain relief) cylinders, first aid equipment and batteries. Expensive items like stretchers and radios need renewed when damaged or outdated.

The Team receives some help with the purchase of equipment from the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland and more recently the Scottish Government, but a significant amount of the equipment is bought through local fund raising activities. Along with other teams throughout Scotland, we also received modern high-tech radio equipment which makes communication so much more reliable.

This is done in several ways including flag days, sponsored events and presentations to local community groups. The Team is supported by the local community through events such as these and also by organisations who kindly give donations to Team funds. We are extremely grateful to all our supporters, and if you feel you may be able to contribute visit our Sponsorship Page.

It is the Team's aim to provide front line members with quality clothing and equipment to ensure their safety, as well as that of any casualty, while on a search and rescue mission.

All 37 callout members are issued with full 'all weather' protective clothing. The main 'kit' comprises a variety of layering garments, including waterproofs, manufactured by Keela, with other garments sourced from Berghaus, Slioch and Buffalo.

Members still provide a great deal of their own personal equipment, including rucksacks, boots, GPS receivers and much more. Our Gallery is a good starting point to find out about our recent training, PR and fundraising activities.