How to Call Mountain Rescue in an Emergency in the Central Beacons Area

Updated

In an emergency in the Central Beacons area, dial 999 or 112, ask for POLICE, and state clearly that you need MOUNTAIN RESCUE. This is the procedure published by the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team (CBMRT), the voluntary organisation that covers the central section of the Brecon Beacons, including Pen y Fan (886m), Cribyn, Corn Du, the Ystradfellte waterfalls, Newport, Cardiff and the valleys.

Why you ask for the police, not "mountain rescue"

Mountain rescue teams in the UK are not a separate emergency service you can dial directly. The police coordinate search and rescue on land, so the emergency operator routes your call to the police force responsible for the area, which then tasks the appropriate rescue team. Asking for "mountain rescue" first can waste time; asking for "police" gets the request into the right system immediately.

Step-by-step: making the call

  1. Dial 999 or 112. Both work; 112 reaches the same emergency operators.
  2. Ask for POLICE. Say it plainly as your requested service.
  3. State that you need MOUNTAIN RESCUE. Be explicit — the call handler needs to know the incident is on high ground or remote terrain, not a road or town incident.
  4. Give your location as precisely as you can. Grid reference, a named feature (summit, path junction, waterfall), or a what3words location all help. If you are unsure, describe what you can see.
  5. Describe the problem. Number of people injured, the nature of the injury or situation, and whether anyone is lost or overdue.
  6. Stay on the line and follow instructions. The handler may ask you to keep the phone on, conserve battery, or shelter in place.

What to have ready before you need it

  • A charged phone, ideally with a way to share a grid reference (a mapping app or paper map with grid lines).
  • The three questions CBMRT asks walkers to consider before setting out: Do I have the right gear? Do I know what the weather will be like? Am I confident I have the knowledge and skills for the day? (This is the AdventureSmartUK framework the team promotes.)

What the team covers

CBMRT describes itself as "more than just mountains." Its coverage area includes:

Area Notes
Central Brecon Beacons Pen y Fan (886m), Cribyn, Corn Du
Ystradfellte waterfalls Waterfall country
Newport, Cardiff and the valleys Urban and valley incidents within its patch

If you are outside this area, the same 999/112 → POLICE → MOUNTAIN RESCUE procedure applies, but a different team will be tasked.

Common pitfalls

  • Asking for "ambulance" for a mountain injury. An ambulance cannot reach most upland locations; the police-led mountain rescue route is what gets trained rescuers to you.
  • Waiting to see if it gets better. If you are unsure whether it is an emergency, the team's guidance is to call — rescuers would rather be called early.
  • Relying on a direct team phone number. CBMRT publishes a non-emergency number (01685 708800) for general contact, but emergencies must go through 999 or 112. Do not use the office number in an emergency.

Beyond emergencies

The CBMRT website also covers how to support the team, join as a volunteer, and its shop — including a "Pro Tips" calendar sold as a fundraiser, which the team notes has been so popular that batches sell out and dispatch can be delayed because the shop is run by volunteers with full-time jobs. None of this is needed to make an emergency call, but it explains the site's other sections if you land on the homepage first.

The one thing to remember: 999 or 112 → POLICE → MOUNTAIN RESCUE, and stay on the line.