The specialised team of the Mallorca Firefighters was created in 2000 to meet the need for a professionalised group in mountain rescue
The Mountain Rescue Group (GRM), the specialised team of the Mallorca Firefighters, celebrated the 25th anniversary of its creation this morning with a day at the Sanctuary of Lluc. The president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, paid tribute to all the firefighters who have formed part of the group since it was founded.
The Mountain Rescue Group, which belongs to the emergency service of the Consell de Mallorca, was created in 2000 to cover the need for a specialised team to act in incidents and rescues in the mountains. The driving force behind the creation of the group was Toni Ferragut, former head of the Fire Service. He wanted to professionalise the staff to have an elite team prepared for all types of rescues.
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The Mountain Rescue Group celebrates its 25th anniversary with a day at Lluc
Initially, the GRM was made up of ten members, who were not unified in a specific park but rotated between the different parks. As demand and the number of rescues increased, the team grew. Today, it is made up of 40 members, divided between the Sóller Park ─ where there are eight corporals and sixteen firefighters ─ and the Inca Park ─ with sixteen firefighters.
The president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, congratulated the Mountain Rescue Group ‘because they are a reference point and do admirable work, saving lives in very complicated situations’.
The Mountain Rescue Group is currently the elite of the specialised groups. It is a benchmark in mountain rescues and is one of the groups that carry out the most interventions in the whole of Spain. Due to the difficulty and high degree of technicality of its work, the GRM does not stop training – in fact, it carries out up to eight training manoeuvres a year – and takes part in simulations.
During the CONFERENCE to commemorate the anniversary, a tribute was paid to all the firefighters who have formed part of the Mountain Rescue Group. Specifically, three members have been part of the group since the first day of its creation. There were also different demonstrations and activities for children and the day ended with a brotherhood meal.
Increase in rescues
In recent years, the activity of the Mountain Rescue Group has increased exponentially, tripling the number of rescues. It has gone from an average of 100 rescues per year to more than 300. In 2024, 331 sorties were made, compared to 326 in 2023. This figure is even more remarkable if we compare it with previous years when the number of rescues exceeded 200 (229 in 2021, 163 in 2020, 212 in 2019 and 205 in 2018). This confirms the upward trend in the activity of the Consell’s specialised group.
The Consell de Mallorca has also begun the process of incorporating a helicopter, which will be destined for the Mallorca Fire Service and, in particular, the Mountain Rescue Group. This is a long-standing demand for the island’s emergency service, which is much needed to carry out its work. In this way, it will be possible to reduce the reaction and response time in the event of an emergency in complex scenarios.