To maintain a fully-operational team, we need to regularly recruit new members. In mid-November the east section welcomed five new trainees to their number and over the weekend the west section also ran an induction day for new recruits. These induction days offer the opportunity for those interested in joining the team to see what we do and how we operate and also for us to assess the basic skills that they already have.

Following a general introduction to the team and an explanation of team kit, the seven inductees headed out on a navigation exercise in the Poldice Valley in what was rather poor (and typical) wet weather. After lunch, we ran some simple first-aid scenarios, followed by the inductees planning and carrying out a search for a missing runner. Having successfully located the casualty, they provided first-aid care before packaging them for evacuation along the valley in a team stretcher.

Of the seven inductees, two decided that the team wasn’t for them, with the remaining five all demonstrating the appropriate skills and attitude needed to be accepted as trainees. Now the hard work starts for them, joining weekly training sessions and weekend SAREXs, aiming to earn the red jacket at the end of the process.