VQ4 Student Technician

I joined Torridon MRT at a young age,I was the youngest ever team member (age 16) to join the organisation. Through the years I have worked my way from being a full team member to a Team Director and also Equipment Officer. As one of the Directors I am expected to attend team commitee meetings and also expected to help and assist in decision making for the better of the team. As the Equipment Officer I am fully responsible for maintaining all rescue kit and all PPE for team members, I have to carry out regular kit inspections and if the kit does not meet the standard due to being damaged in operational use I am then responsible for purchasing / replacing the kit. In 2013 I was also responsible for purchasing two brand new emergancy response vehicle's for the team which can both transform in to ambulance's when needed. I also have a role as a senoir team member and in the past year in the absence of the Team Leader I have been the first point of contact for the Police during rescues. This role includes liasing with the Police and also deploying team members to the hill to extract the persons in distress in the safest and quickest way possible for both parties, this also inculdes working and liasing with helcopter SAR crews. My role also includes taking charge of groups on the hill during rescue's and team trainings and assisitng at times to deliver team training. The skills I have gained during my time in the team include navigation, emergancy first aid, fisrt person on scene, radio procedures, group managment, working with SAR helicopters / crews, working with other SAR teams, technical rescue rigging, rope work, summer and winter rescue techniques, avalanche training / skills. I am part of the teams mentoring system, which along with other team members are responsible for helping newer team members settle in to the team. We are currently a team of 22 full team members.

My role includes fire fighting in a rural area, I am trained in using RTC cutting equipment, first aid, pumps and ladder operation, communication, fire behaviour, wearing BA sets and working as part of a team.

We operate 6 months of the year as a 2 person team, the Senior Instructor and my self the 2nd instructor and the other 6 months of the year we operate as a 3 person team this includes a summer / seasonal instructor. As an Outdoor Insrtuctor I am not only responsible for my self in the outdoors but I am also fully responsible for the group I am leading / instructing in the many different disciplines that I operate in. I guide / instruct in the following : Mountain Guiding, on site Climbing, Gorge Scrambling, Archery, Clay Pigeon Shooting, Loch Kayaking and low level Guided Walks. My role also includes carryig out monthly kit checks / inspections and also assisitng in maintaining a Kayak fleet and also a Mountain Bike fleet. I was also responsible in the summer season of 2013 to train the Summer / Seasonal Instructor to assessment standard for some of the Activities that we instruct and in the absence of the Senior Instructor I am responsible for the department. I am also one of the first aiders at work.

Operated heavy machinery in a quarry enviroment. I was responsible for looking after and maintaing the machines I was operating. I was also the on site first aider.