Group of individuals who aid those in distress in the mountains. Usually called in to search for missing persons or to help treat and evacuate those injured in the mountains.

These groups are normally comprised of volunteers, yet they invest in a lot of training with paramedics and doctors frequently being members.

They will work closely with the police and armed forces, in particular with helicopter units of the armed forces. In the Alps, the mountain rescue teams tend to be government organisations, in the Himalayas the defence forces take on this role.