Ruth Finnie, Office Manager, volunteers with Scottish Mountain Rescue, a charity that provides a specialist search and rescue service in the mountains and remote communities in Scotland, to keep people safe and help people if they get into difficulty. Ruth shared with us why she chose to volunteer with the charity and why it is important to her.
Why did you choose to volunteer with Scottish Mountain Rescue?
“I spend all my leisure time out on the hills, whether it be walking, climbing, or canyoning and over the years I have mastered the ability to stay safe on the hills, an invaluable skill. To me, joining Mountain Rescue made sense, I’m fortunate to live in Lochalsh which enables me to contribute to a vital service in my community. It's a way for me to give back, learn new things, build strong friendships and be part of a big family.”
“I am a part of the Kintail Mountain Rescue team, we have a typical membership of around 25 volunteers. The team operates in the North West Highlands of Scotland and covers an area from Kyle of Lochalsh on the west coast, to Loch Ness in the east.”
What are the main activities you undertake as a volunteer for Scottish Mountain Rescue?
“We train together monthly to keep our rescue skills and equipment knowledge up to date. On top of that, there’s specialist training in areas like rigging and Remote Rescue Medical Technician techniques.
“During our searches we routinely work with Police Scotland, the UK Search and Rescue Helicopter Service (HMCG), RAF MRS and neighbouring Mountain Rescue Teams to get the best outcome possible.
“Scottish Mountain Rescue also provide us with more training courses to cover the national skill level used across all teams. Avalanche, Technical Rigging, Water Rescue, Remote Rescue Medical, 4x4 Vehicle driving are just a few of the many courses.
“As a team we also give our support to local gala events – Highland Games, Dirty 30, Highland Cross and Wet West Paddlefest.”
Why is your volunteering work important to you?
“The Northwest Highlands of Scotland is remote, wild and mountainous. Through Mountain Rescue I can build a life that blends adventure with purpose—looking out for others while embracing the wild beauty of the hills.
“The area includes some of the most impressive and remote landscapes in Scotland, encompassing 39 Munros (a Scottish mountain that is 3,000 feet or higher in elevation) including those in Glen Affric, the Five Sisters of Kintail and South Shiel Ridge. The impressive Falls of Glomach and the Affric Kintail Way, are also in our callout area.”
