Achi news desk-
Now a new reporting system has been created to promote mountain safety, by allowing those who go to the hills of Scotland to share their near misses and incidents with the wider community.
The aim of the new system, a joint project between Mountaineering Scotland and the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), is to improve the safety of hill walkers, climbers, mountaineers and others who enjoy spending time exploring hills and mountains.
The ‘Near Miss’ online reporting system, which encourages the collection and sharing of reports of near calls in the mountains, includes a simple online form that anyone in the UK and Ireland can complete.
READ MORE: Climber scales new heights with first ascent of Scotland’s hardest winter climb
Information collected by the system will be available for all to read, with the hope that people will learn from the experiences of others and gain knowledge that will keep them safe on their own adventures.
Ross Cadie, Senior Mountain Safety Adviser at Mountaineering Scotland, said: “It’s great that our two organizations can work together for the benefit of all mountain users. By sharing reports of near misses, we can together improve our understanding of the challenges faced in the mountains and work towards safer mountain experiences for everyone. It has always been important to learn from our mistakes, but learning from other people’s experiences is even better!”
Key highlights of the new reporting system include the ‘Near Miss’ portal – a central online platform for sharing experiences and lessons learned from near misses from across the UK and Ireland – and ‘Community Engagement’, which’ n encourage the mountain community to take an active part in reporting and reviewing incidents that happened.
The ‘Education’ section of the new system will also allow those new to the hills to benefit from the experiences of others, gaining potentially life-saving knowledge.
Dan Middleton, Climbing Development Manager at the BMC, said: “It’s great to be working with Mountaineering Scotland on this project, and by coming together to share this scheme we hope this will lead to a more open safety culture for the benefit of us. All.”
Those in Scotland who wish to share their near misses can do so by visiting Mountaineering Scotland’s dedicated ‘Near Misses’ page, or for those living in the rest of the UK and Ireland, the BMC’s Incident Reporting page .
In 2022 Scottish Mountain Rescue teams – which do not include Lochaber, Glencoe or Cairngorm teams which operate separately – were called out 843 times to 636 incidents. These involved 21 deaths, 11 of which were mountaineering accidents.
These included six deaths within two weeks between February and March. In 2021 there were 19 deaths over the year, seven of which occurred in mountaineering events.
In January this year, mountain rescuers issued a warning to climbers after a series of winter incidents on the Scottish hills.
Volunteers faced a busy start to the season with two avalanches, medical deaths and “very challenging” rescues.
READ MORE: How dangerous are the hills of Scotland?
Matt Smith, Police Scotland’s national lead for mountain rescue, said there were around 10 more rescues last month than the previous December.
He said: “What the teams are up against is exactly what walkers or adventurers will be up against.
“Mountain rescue teams have had to deploy in very challenging conditions, for long periods of time, to help people who have been injured or lost, or who need help.
“They face some long, dark, very cold nights to get these people off the hills. The rescue teams in Scotland are incredible, the level of dedication and professionalism, second to none.”
In August last year, the deaths of three climbers on the Aonach Eagach ridge, in Glencoe, triggered a joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive and Police Scotland.
One of the climbers, Dave Fowler, was a mountaineering expert based in Fort William, and he worked with West Coast Mountain Guides to offer guided routes across Scotland’s most difficult terrain.
It is believed that the three fell together, roped together as they wound their way along what is believed to be the narrowest ridge in the British Isles.
