A DONATION from Tomintoul Distillery has enabled the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team to purchase new equipment which will help save lives this winter.
One of the busiest mountain rescue teams in Britain, CMRT is made up of around 40 trained volunteers who give their time freely to provide assistance to injured or lost persons in and around the Cairngorm Mountains.
The vast area they cover includes the Northern Cairngorms, Ben Alder and areas of the Monadhliath Mountains to the East Side of Loch Ness – including the area surrounding Tomintoul Distillery.
The team rely almost entirely on grants and donations to help keep themselves safe and their equipment up to date.
Last year, as part of the CMRT’s 60th anniversary celebrations, Tomintoul became the ‘Official Spirit of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team’, and the distillery pledged to assist these local heroes with funding to support the purchase of much needed kit and supplies, as well as enhancing training exercises and education opportunities for the team and its supporters.
Tomintoul’s latest donation has bought the CMRT a very specific piece of kit – an £8000 ‘Easy Pulse CPR’, which is a compact mechanical chest compression device that can help keep a casualty alive while the team get them down off the mountain.
CMRT’s deputy team leader, Willie Anderson, explained: “When involved in rescues it is impossible to maintain CPR whilst we have a casualty on a stretcher. The Easy Pulse device can maintain chest compressions automatically during the time a casualty is carried to safety.
“This is really important for us, particularly with avalanche victims, and can give a casualty a viable chance of life when in the past, without this device, there would be no hope for them. It truly is a really exciting new addition to our rescue equipment.”
Willie added: “The support from Tomintoul Distillery has been exceptional – we could not have purchased this innovative piece of kit without their continued kindness and support.”
Distilleries director and master distiller, Robert Fleming, said: “The Cairngorm Mountains are part of Tomintoul’s brand fabric – the natural environment, fresh air and pure water from the Ballantruan Spring all add to the uniquely smooth and mellow spirit the distillery is known and loved for.
“A haven for whisky lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike, our rugged Speyside landscape attracts visitors from all over the world. But the outstanding beauty and thrilling adventure on our doorstep is paired with often treacherous and unpredictable weather – and the need for this type of lifesaving equipment is a reality for the CMRT.
“The hardworking team – made up entirely of volunteers – offer up their time, skill and courage for our community. Functioning in often arctic conditions, the CMRT has saved literally hundreds of lives over the years and with months of winter weather still ahead of us, we’re proud to be able to support them to continue to provide this vital support year-round.”
