By Debra Barnhard Averett
The season has begun. The Timpanogos Emergency Response Team is volunteering their time once again to protect the community''s safety on Mount Timpanogos.
Every summer the Timpanogos Emergency Response Team aids and rescues about 50 people, Glen Meyer, director of TERT said.
TERT keeps people safe that are going up Mount Timpanogos, said Bob Easton, district ranger.
TERT also helps with making sure that people hiking Mount Timpanogos are doing things they are suppose to be doing, such as keeping them on the trail and preventing fires, Easton said.
There are about 120 volunteers and 60 that participate on a constant basis with TERT, Meyer said. Each year they put in nearly 6,000 man-hours, he said.
Meyer offered some tips to hikers and climbers. Be prepared, Meyer said.
'Take extra clothing and plenty of water,' he said.
'Water is the more important of the two,' Meyer said.
Take at least one gallon of water per person, he said.
There is some altitude sickness on the mountain, Meyer said. Most of the people that get altitude sickness are from California and haven''t adjusted to the altitude yet, he said.
Some of the trends that are seen every year there are hikers and climbers slide down the snow field and glacier to save time, Meyer said.
They risk the possibly of hitting rocks or sharp edges along the way, he said.
TERT was started in 1983 by Wayne Kearney to assist hikers and climbers on Mount Timpanogos, Meyer said.
TERT provides three services on Mount Timpanogos. They provide medical and health response, Meyer said.
TERT also provides help for people that get lost on the trail, he said.
TERT provides health education to the public, Meyer said.
'TERT is composed of an all-volunteer group of emergency medical technicians, climbers, radio communicators, and other interested persons,' Meyer said.
TERT not only tries to protect the safety, but also reports the temperatures from Mount Timpanogos, Easton said.