As part of the requirements gathering process for the GAISS Project (Geograpically Aware Information Support System), which is an Enterprise Ireland funded, proof of concept phase project. Kristian and I spent last weekend as observers (mostly as observers, though the argo pictured below did get (ab)used for a short time) on an excercise run by the South East Mountain Rescue Association.

This was to allow us to see both in practice and, later on Saturday, on paper, how their processes operate. To that end, we learned lots, and were completely exhausted by the end of the day.

Remarkably, all SEMRA personnel are volunteers, and give up much of their time in order to hone their search skills in order that you and I have some hope of survival if we get lost or injured on the mountains in the South East of Ireland. What is more remarkable still is how well organised and efficiently they operate given that they are so few in number and are all voluntary.