Mountain Rescuers Facing Serious Financial Crisis

The serious financial crisis facing the Irish Mountain Rescue Association will have a serious effect on teams in County Wicklow that carry out trojan work in saving many lives each year.

Members of the I.M.R.A. work on a voluntary basis and the shortfall in funding comes has come in the face of an increasing

More rescues means a financial crisis

number of incidents on Irish mountains, particulary Wicklow.

Despite the mountains being closed for nearly four months last year due to Foot and Mouth Disease restrictions, teams responded to 132 incidents. Since Christmas 2001 there have been five fatalities on Irish mountains, one of them being in Wicklow.

According to David Butler of the I.M.R.A., the increase in recreational use of the Irish Uplands, the mountain rescue service is coming under increasing pressure to correspond with the rise in incidents.

`The safety of team members is a huge priority but because of the funding situation, we are not provided with basic personal rescue equipment such as harnesses, helmets and waterproof clothing, The purchase of essential equipment is often delayed until funds are available through donations or fundraising efforts', says David.

I.M.R.A is now calling on the new Government to prioritise realistic funding for the mountain rescue service to ensure that basic equipment needs are met.