The 2023 statistics of the Börzsöny Mountain Rescue Service have been compiled. In the previous year, the mountain rescuers carried out 71 missions, including technical rescues where assistance was provided for accidents or removal of fallen trees. In total, 47 individuals were assisted or rescued, with one case in Naszály mountains and the rest in the Börzsöny mountains. The majority of interventions were technical rescues, and the second most common category was "Rescue," where the exact location of the distress call was known.
We appreciate the trust of hikers; most requests for assistance came directly to our phone number or were personally requested from us. The majority of search and rescue operations or medical aid tasks were performed around Nagy-Hideg Mountain and Tax, with the peak of our activity in January 2023 due to the beautiful snowfall attracting many people to the Börzsöny.
The most common injuries were various fractures, sprains, and dislocations. In some cases, we had to perform rescues due to hypothermia, and out of the 47 assisted or rescued individuals, sixteen had to be immediately handed over to the National Ambulance Service.
Our association made significant progress last year, relying specifically on donations from Börzsöny hikers due to the lack of government support. With the received donations, we were able to fully equip our industrial climbers, purchase an electric chainsaw, various rescue and medical equipment, as well as advanced communication devices, and pay the bills.
Thanks to the mayor of Szokolya, we now have a permanent base in the Szokolya health center. The mountain rescuers can quickly reach a significant part of the Börzsöny from this base, and in drier weather, even Csóványos is reachable in about half an hour.
In 2023, the mountain rescuers participated in numerous public and private events, showcasing their activities and providing advice. We conducted sessions for children at all Duna-Ipoly National Park summer camps, offering basic hiking and first aid knowledge in addition to entertainment. We hope it was as enjoyable an experience for them as it was for us. Additionally, we presented our rescue activities at various public events.
Prevention is a crucial aspect of the mountain rescue service, so we placed great emphasis on weather briefings and hazard warnings. The warnings were typically prepared with the professional assistance of László Nagy, an employee of Ipoly Forest Co. and the editor-in-chief of Forestry Journals. We take pride in the fact that in critical cases, even the national press picks up our warnings and regularly reports on our work. We believe that continuous information updates assist Börzsöny hikers, and our hiking tips help less experienced hikers.
We are volunteers into a non-profit organisation. Please be cool and support us.
