North West Mountain Rescue are currently looking to recruit new volunteers across Co Derry and beyond.
The rescue team are one of the many teams in the North West looking to take on new recruits and are looking for new volunteers to expand their mountain rescue team.
The North West Mountain Rescue Team, which has three teams, are looking for new members for their Central (Sperrins), West (Fermanagh) and East (Belfast) section teams.
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The rescue team was established in Derry city in 1980 to provide a search and rescue service for the North West of Northern Ireland.
The operational area has extended to include all of Northern Ireland, with the exception of the Mourne Mountains which is covered by its own team.
The Team provides a 24-hour call-out service at the request of the PSNI, requiring a high level of commitment from team members who are expected to respond in all weather conditions, 365 days of the year.
Speaking to MyDerry , Lynn Lusty, who is an active member, said: "We are all volunteers and we are on the lookout now for new members to join us this year.
"They are people who join every year but sometimes their situations change and they can no longer commit to the schedule that is needed at our team. That's why we do a recruitment drive year, just so we can have the required number of volunteers in case something happens.
"It's a very rewarding opportunity for someone to get involved in if they think they're up for the role and they can commit to saving lives.
"And when people join up they will get all of the training that they need as a probationer for around a year-and-a-half. Prospective members will complete an intense induction program to learn the core skills of mountain rescue.
"On completion, they will gain a qualification in rescue and emergency care and then they will move to probationary status, and gain experience by participating in operations, training and fundraising activities.
"It's a good team of people, with good friends to be made and it's a good opportunity to keep fit with training occurring once every two weeks in the evenings and usually on a Saturday or Sunday once a month."
Applications for North West Mountain Rescue Team are now opened until July 17. If you would like to apply, you can do so by emailing secretary@nwmrt.org for further details and an application form.
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