Luminox: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
Huw: I’m Huw, born in 1963, lived my life in South Wales, been married for 33 years to Tracy, with one son and two grandchildren soon to become three.
I joined Mountain Rescue in 1981 and have been fortunate to have maintained a continual fully operational status from the day I started.
I joined the UK Civil Service after leaving school, following 40 years of service I retired from full time work in 2020. Since retiring, I work occasionally as a First Responder at a local mountain bike park centre.
Luminox: What inspired you to get involved in Mountain Rescue?
Huw: During my teenage years I was involved in the Air Training Corps/Cadets which exposed me to lots of outdoor activities, particularly mountain walking, climbing and camping. One of our instructors was a member of the Mountain Rescue Team and I became involved with being a pretend casualty for the team’s training and I acted as a “body” for the search dogs’ training. Once I saw the work of the team, I was attracted to become involved.
Luminox: How long have you been involved in Mountain Rescue and what does your role typically involve?
Huw: I started Mountain Rescue in 1981and at the time of this interview I’m approaching my 44th anniversary of involvement.
Until recently I was the team’s Leader which fully immersed me in the day to day running of the team, the operational readiness and team members’ wellbeing.
Operationally, I have multiple roles. During any incident I fit into any of the roles required at the time; Incident Controller, Search Manager, Hill Leader, On Scene Commander, I am also currently qualified in Blue Light and Off-Road Driving, Remote Rescue Medic, Swift Water Rescue Technician.
Luminox: Can you walk us through a typical rescue operation?
Huw: I don’t know that there is a typical operation, each one has it’s own characteristics but in broad terms:
The Rescue Team Incident Co-ordinators get contacted by either one of the Police Forces, Ambulance Services or sometimes Fire Services. The most available Co-ordinator puts the team on “Stand By” by alerting team members that an incident is on it’s way. The Co-ordinator takes all the incident information available at that time, develops an initial plan of how the incident will commence and once happy with the plan shares it with team members and calls-out the team.
Some team members travel to team base for the team’s 4x4 response and incident control vehicles, other team members travel direct from where they are to the incident rendezvous point (RP).
If it’s a search, one of the team’s Search Managers work with the Police (often a Police Search Advisor) to produce a plan of how the search areas/segments will be mapped and resourced. On arrival at the RV, team members are deployed into areas and searching continues until the missing person is located or until the Police are content no other areas need searching.
If it’s a rescue of an injured person and their position is known, the team RV’s at the nearest suitable point (roadside, car park, farm, etc) and the team’s Incident Controller is responsible for deploying the right equipment (medical, ropes, stretcher) and persons to the rescue site.
At the conclusion of all incidents we hold a “hot” debrief to identify learning points, what went well, etc before everyone departs to go back to base or homes. Back at base the vehicles and equipment are made ready for the next callout.
Luminox: What has been the most challenging or memorable rescue you’ve been part of?
Huw: There have been many as you might expect and we always have stand-out memories of our first this, or our first that and it’s difficult to single out just one, so I’ve gone for three!:
My first major incident after starting Mountain Rescue was 1983 to Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons. A horrible night for weather and outcome. The Team Leader of one of my neighbouring Mountain Rescue Teams lost his life whilst saving 3 young people who’d been blown off the summit. The rescue was of the 3 people and the body recovery of the Team Leader.
Next one, another body recovery, this time the body of a good friend who’d died whilst out in the outdoors. Mountain Rescue Team’s are used to seeing and assisting with dead person recoveries but the added emotional challenge of it being someone we know is significant. This gentleman had been a good friend for many years and we’d shared many good days on the mountains, I look back fondly upon our times together.
The third is a happier one, and more recent. In 2022 the rescue of an injured mountain biker who’d come off his bike, landing on his head. Thankfully his good quality helmet had done it’s job preventing serious head, brain and skull damage, however the same cannot be said of the indirect impact to his spinal cord. My role was leading the medical care and treatment needed and using the advanced trauma skills I’ve learned I made sure he was treated, handled and evacuated to hospital with the best possible care. Hospital scans confirmed he had sustained a fracture of the uppermost part of his spinal column where the spine meets the base of skull. Without appropriate treatments to get him off the mountain the outcome would very likely have been either full or partial paralysis. He continues to lead a normal and full active life, he and I keep in regular contact.
Luminox: How do you and your team prepare for extreme weather and difficult terrains?
Huw: I and the team are very weather aware. I have a particular interest in how weather works, weather patterns, darkly development of approaching weather systems
In preparation for a significant weather event we hold planning and pre-briefing meetings involving our Leadership, Incident Controllers and any other relevant stakeholders. That feeds to the readiness of the team vehicles and equipment with any weather-specific focus such as shovels/chains for snow, drysuits and water PPE for flooding responses.
For difficult terrain, it’s those areas where we spend a lot of training time. It’s important to be on top of what Search And Rescue techniques, equipment and skills work best in the difficult situations and it’s why trading in those is so important.
I grab whatever chance I can to get out and test myself in the weather and whichever area of difficult terrain I’ve not been to for a while. Personal fitness for team members is obviously a good thing although some days there seems to be no escape from the huffing and puffing going uphill!
Luminox: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in Mountain Rescue
Huw: There have, and continue to be, as you might expect many challenges, both at a team and personal level.
Team level – in more recent times the big COVID period of lockdowns. We continued to be called to lost and injured people in the prolonged environment of no/reduced/distanced training, PPE (in the hottest of weather maintaining fully clothed PPE, mask, goggles, gloves), difficulties in obtaining and maintaining PPE and virtually no opportunities for fund raising to maintain income.
In 2017, the team’s base had a fire which wiped out nearly all your vehicles and equipment. The team maintained it’s operational status during the recovery thanks to the stoic response from team members, the public, supporting organisations and fellow Mountain Rescue Teams.
Personal level – I think personal fitness, energy and enthusiasm are often challenging factors. Having been involved for so much of my life I’d say Mountain Rescue is engrained in my personal DNA and I recognise for every low point there are many more high points.
Luminox: How do you stay calm and focused in high-pressure situations?
Huw: I’m not sure, I think probably training and experience?
I think being proactively exposed, and making myself available, to operational situations over a long period of time definitely helps. Ensuring my involvement in the diversity of SAR work builds experience and learning which I carry into the next missions as well as sharing it with my colleagues.
“Train Hard, Operate Easy” is an often used statement and whilst that certainly helps, there is no substitute for continual real-time experience
Luminox: Can you share an example of a particularly difficult rescue and how you overcame it?
Huw: I have countless memories of significant Searches and Rescues and if I recalled them all we’d be here all month talking about them. Even those which might be deemed as straightforward would all share the same sense of achievement.
The one I’ve chosen to share here I feel demonstrates the dedication, willingness and humanity of Mountain Rescue team members and for me personally the challenge on resolving the situation while keeping my team members safe.
A winter’s Friday night at the start of most people’s weekend. A night of heavy rain, cold wind, low cloud shrouding the mountains. A call from one of local Police Forces to assist with getting a person off a mountain. A vulnerable person with mental health behavioural issues and because of those issues a reluctance to co-operate with Police Officers on scene.
This was during my time as the Mountain Rescue Team’s Leader and the battle with myself was, should this be a situation I ask my team members to be in?
How I overcame this?;
Being clear and honest with messaging to team members about the situation to help them decide their individual course of action; Evaluating with the on-scene Police Officers about the other resources options they’d considered to get the person off the mountain (they had exhausted all other options); Established a distance Rendezvous Point for team members to assemble for a small “advanced recce party” to go to the site.
I was also reminded by one of the Rescue Team’s Doctors that “this isn’t just about the individual’s behaviour, it’s about getting them and the Police Officers to safety”. This gave me the confidence we were about to do the right thing and the subsequent careful handling of all persons on site resulted in a successful and safe outcome.
Luminox: How do you think your work has impacted the communities and individuals you’ve helped?
Huw: It is the Team’s DNA to help educate and inform. We provide a welcoming approach to community group (schools, clubs) talks, visits, exhibitions, displays which deliver education and safety advice.
Also a proactive social media marketing of the work we carry out as well as safety advice, I hope all of it helps inform the public of how to safely enjoy the terrific outdoors that we all have on our doorsteps.
Individuals – I hope every individual that I and the Team have helped has seen the positive impact of the help we have provided. There are countless occasions to look back on and reflect that we have saved a persons life and as a rescuer there is no better feeling.
Luminox: Have you seen any changes in the way Mountain Rescue operates over the years?
Huw: Oh yes, many, many changes. At the beginning of the 1980’s when I first started, team members were called out to an incident by landline telephone or even by team members knocking each others doors. Current day, every team member is alerted at once to an incident via SMS and/or email.
In many other ways too. Modern day Mountain Rescue, whilst being a voluntary service nevertheless maintains very high stands of training, certification, accreditation, insurance cover, equipment, PPE. Voluntary UK Mountain Rescue is very much akin to the standards of a fully funded and resourced emergency service – all by using rescuers’ volunteering time.
I don’t feel there’s any doubt Mountain Rescue’s current day capability and broad range of skills, qualifications and operational capability is poles apart from what it was when I first started.
Luminox: What’s the most rewarding part of being in Mountain Rescue?
Huw: For me, the easiest question to answer. Knowing that I have saved someone’s life. There is no better, or rewarding, feeling.
Very close to that is my second answer which is; working proactively with my fellow team members and colleagues, helping them develop themselves and our team using the mistakes I’ve made and the good results I’ve achieved as examples.
Luminox: How has your time with Mountain Rescue changed you personally?
Huw: Hmmm, this a thought provoking question. I guess joining as a 17 year old and now being in my 60’s I’d have changed as a person anyway without Mountain Rescue? But I certainly think a Mountain Rescue life has opened opportunities for travel and outdoor activity experience that otherwise I might not have had.
Without my Mountain Rescue experiences I am convinced I wouldn’t be as comfortable as I am handling life situations. After a lifetime doing it I still find occasions on arrival at an incident site or RV and think to myself “how on earth are we going to do this?”. I think the experience allows me to be on the positive side of the equation and work through it logically and safely – just like life.
Luminox: What does receiving an MBE mean to you?
Huw: I feel it incredibly humbling that someone felt I was worthy to be nominated for the MBE and then furthermore humble for the nomination to be accepted.
I feel that accepting the offer of the MBE was, and is, a recognition of the service provided by Mountain Rescue nationally. Lots of others across the UK do the same as me and I am very proud of what we all do.
Luminox: How has this recognition affected you and your team?
Huw: I don’t think it has affected us in what we do or how we do it. The award announcement and my presentation at Buckingham Palace created positive opportunities to publicise the work of Mountain Rescue. And, over 8 years on it remains a conversation piece when I’m doing talks and presentations, which hopefully continues the public engagement with Mountain Rescue.
Luminox: What advice would you give to those interested in volunteering for Mountain Rescue?
Huw: If you’re interested, or you think you might be interested, then give it a go.
Try not to underestimate the amount of time that’s necessary to train, attend incidents and contribute to the functioning of the Team.
Don’t be afraid to contact your local Team and find out more about their commitment requirements, expectations and to find out more about the types of incidents they get called to.
As with so many things, the more you put in the more you get out. I’ve been fortunate to have had, and am having, a fabulous Mountain Rescue life and I heartily recommend anyone who thinks they’re interested to try it.
Luminox: How do you feel about being recognised by Luminox for your contributions
Huw: I feel very humbled that my name was put forward and that Luminox feel my story of my Mountain Rescue life is a worthy one.
I’m also very excited to be involved and I look forward to helping with, and being part of, the campaign.
Luminox: How important is reliable equipment, like watches, in Mountain Rescue?
Huw: Reliable equipment is absolutely crucial in Mountain Rescue. We go out to help others in sometimes the worst of weathers and very demanding situations and it’s vital our equipment works. One of the reasons I’m looking forward to be involved with Luminox is the track record of reliability, quality and functionality.
Luminox: What do you think of Luminox watches, and how would they fit into your daily life?
Huw: The “Recon” model of watch that I’m wearing now is my first taste of a Luminox watch and so far I am very impressed with how robust it feels, without feeling cumbersome or heavy. Mountain Rescue activity involved a lot of nighttime work during the dark and already I am very impressed with the brightness and clarity of the watch face features in the dark.
This watch has already fitted in very well to my daily life as well as my Mountain Rescue life.
Luminox: We believe that every second counts, how do you make every second in your life and of those around you count?
Huw: One of my ethos’s is; to “get something out of every day”. Doesn’t matter what that something is. Some days it’s something little, others days it’s something huge, it doesn’t matter which.
I’m greatly helped every day by an amazingly supportive wife and family. I’m also helped massively by the fact that I am energised by being with and engaging with people. Between us all we can fill each day with great stuff, get things done, enjoy the moments, all of which helps us deal with the not-so-good-times and those all-important quieter moments of “downtime”.
Huw's pick: RECON Point Man 45 mm, Heritage Watch, XL.8825.H.SET
