A probationary team member is a novice full team member. In passing assessments to achieve probationary status the individual has proven his or her rescue skills and mountain skills to be of a standard appropriate for operational use. However, upon completing the basic training the team member will be short on experience and will be unfamiliar to the team.

During the probationary period the party leaders will attempt to give the new members as broad a range of experience as possible. They will be "picked on" to carry out functions which they may have experienced only in theory during their basic training. During this period they will settle in to the team, becoming another familiar face on training and call-out. Most will quietly progress to full team membership after a year.

The end of the probationary period will see the member equipped in the same gear as other full team members and being sufficiently well trained to deal with any situation that a mountain rescue team member may be presented with. The training does not stop though, and recorded training will take place until the member leaves the team.

Back to top