WOODHEAD Mountain Rescue Team have been given a top accolade for their efforts during last year’s floods in Yorkshire.
The team, based near Holmfirth, have received the South Yorkshire Police Chief Officers’ Commendation – the highest honour a mountain rescue team can achieve.
They were given the accolade on Tuesday for their efforts helping the emergency services in Sheffield and Rotherham during the floods in June last year.
Although more used to working on peaks and moorland, they were called in to support over-stretched emergency services and worked on a variety of missions, from evacuating elderly residents from care homes to freeing a pregnant woman from her flooded flat.
Mike France, team leader of Woodhead Mountain Rescue, said: “We covered lots of different types of missions. We’re all volunteers and many of our team and Edale Mountain Rescue worked all night and then went to work the next day.”
He said the commendation was a huge honour for the team.
“It is a real recognition of the work we do. We are very pleased because it is a stunning honour. It shows the public that the team is equal to the other emergency services even though we are volunteers.”
Mountain rescue volunteers from Woodhead and Edale worked for 10 hours to rescue people trapped and in danger from rising water in Sheffield and Rotherham.
Barnsley-based Inspector Mihajlo Milinkovic liaised with both teams.
He said: “These volunteers then returned to their own homes and, in some cases, cleaned themselves up and went back to their day jobs. Their assistance to our force during that period was first class and they cannot be praised enough for that dedication.”
The teams were presented with their commendations by South Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Andy Holt at the force’s Niagara Sports and Social Club.
ACC Holt said: “It’s been said that a volunteer is twice a citizen and we certainly recognise and appreciate the help given to us by the mountain rescue teams during these exceptional circumstances.”
