How we can help

Financial support

If an accident happens — we know how quickly the bills can add up. Be it unexpected expenses, the need for timely assessment and rehabilitation — mentally or physically — or a family left dealing with the consequences of tragedy, we’re here to help.

We can offer an immediate support grant, in lieu of insurance payout, so the team member and their family aren’t left in financial limbo. We’ve also supported families with funeral expenses for team members who have died ‘in service’.

Psychological support

Team members frequently deal with the results of traumatic injury, both above and below ground. Over the years, besides helping those injured in the hills and mountains, they’ve been called to rail and air crashes, and road traffic accidents. They’ve attended suicide victims and carried out body recoveries. And, from time to time, they’ve been called out to deal with their own.

As volunteer team members, they deal with trauma and tragedy with professionalism and efficiency, but sometimes this exacts a toll which may not be immediate. Things might just build up over months — or years. Or maybe a team member is questioning whether they should feel the way they do when everyone else around them ‘seems okay’. We’ve supported family members too, who’ve been impacted by something connected with their other half’s operational involvement.

There are a number of ways we can support psychological rehabilitation — either face-to-face or online.

• The applicant can identify a therapist local to them, then make an appointment for initial assessment and treatment. We liaise direct with the therapist to cover the costs.

• We refer the applicant to Rightsteps for 1-1 online assessment and treatment. Again, we liaise with Rightsteps to cover the cost. We can also organise online group therapy sessions with them, on request from a team.

• Team members can register with Togetherall, for a clinically managed, mental health support service which is available online, 24/7, and completely anonymous. Registration is simple and there’s a wealth of useful resources, including tailored self-help courses on topics such as anxiety, sleep, weight management and depression.

Physical rehabilitation

When a team member sustains injury during training or call-out — or even during a supporting activity — the result can be far-reaching.

For that team member it can mean time off work, maybe loss of earnings, loss of fitness. Maybe a niggling injury which never quite resolves itself. For their family, it likely brings the frustration of an injured partner keen to be back on the hill! And for the team, it’s one less person on the call-out list.

With this in mind, we always encourage timely application to the fund, so we can get team members to the physical rehab they need, as soon as we can. Again, we offer two options.

• The applicant can identify a physical therapist local to them, then make an appointment for initial assessment and treatment. We liaise direct with the therapist to cover the costs.

• Our agreement with The Fire Fighters’ Charity allows us access to physical assessment, physiotherapy, lifestyle advice and exercise facilities. We will also negotiate with local health practitioners if this is more convenient.