Coronavirus: Hillwalkers warned of limited rescue services

People who get into difficulties while hillwalking in Kerry may face having to make their own way down mountains due to concerns about the health and safety of rescue crews as a result of the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Kerry Mountain Rescue has warned people that they could also face delays in being reached by rescue teams in more serious incidents because of restrictions being imposed due to the Covid-19 crisis.

It has also appealed to walkers to forego their enjoyment of the hills for the moment and to stick to lowland paths and walkways, while strictly observing physical distancing.

“Our already over-burdened hospitals don’t need or want any avoidable admissions over this difficult period,” KMR said.

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The KMR team said it had to make a number of difficult choices because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the high volumes of people using the Kerry Mountains over last weekend.

KMR spokesman Colm Burke said the rescue team’s first priority when called out to any incident would be ensuring the safety of its members and their families.

“We are all volunteers, many of whom lives with and care for vulnerable people at home and in our working lives,” Mr Burke said.

While KMR would do what it could to assist people who made an emergency call seeking help from mountain rescue teams, Mr Burke said people who were uninjured or simply lost would be asked to consider waiting until morning or better visibility to extricate themselves.

He said people regarded as “walking wounded” would also be asked to consider making their own way down from the mountains.

Mr Burke said people who suffered serious injuries or immobility would be attended by the absolute minimum of KMR team members needed to complete the task.

“Because of this, evacuation will be less straightforward and the overall time to transport you to medical attention will be much longer,” he cautioned.

KMR said support from the Irish Coast Guard helicopter would only be requested for someone who had sustained time critical injuries.

Mr Burke apologised for such measures which he claimed ran contrary to everything KMR believed in but stressed such measures were necessary to protect its members.

He added: “By its very nature, mountain rescue requires close contact between both rescuers and casualty, exposing everyone to infection.”

He acknowledged that KMR team members could also infect an injured climber.

KMR warned that if walkers failed to observe the guidelines on physical distancing, it might lead to a situation where the team might not be able to respond to a request for assistance.