In reply to anonymous123:
I think the time commitment can be different depending on the team you're on and your own circumstances.
I was on a team outside of the honey pot areas (we had on average 2-3 shouts a month) and the time commitment didn't feel onerous at all. But then I had no real other commitments (no kids, pets, elderly relatives etc) and a flexible job so I had enough spare time to be doing plenty of my own climbing, running etc and team stuff was a fun addition rather than a burden.
'Usual' MRT work included quite a bit of standing in carparks in the rain, flogging around irrelevant areas for the third day of a search, driving out in the middle of the night to be stood down after 20 mins, carrying heavy rucksacks up a big slope to get a better view of a helicopter sorting the situation out before you arrive, and some amount of slightly tedious fundraising, kit cleaning, repetitive training, and committees.
On the flip side you get to play with some great toys, hang out with a fun bunch of people (which makes all of the above much more enjoyable), and occasionally do something really special helping out someone in need. It was great fun and I loved doing it, if I hadn't had to move away from the mountains due to work I still would be.
Post edited at 13:35