International Women’s Day Profile: Susie
International Women’s Day Profile: Susie
Susie McCulloch
Ochils MRT
I joined Mountain Rescue because someone told me I couldn’t — that I wasn’t good enough. I’ve never been very good at accepting that I’m not capable of something, so it only strengthened my determination to prove otherwise. I was already a keen hill walker and had developed a good level of medical knowledge through my work as an Ambulance Technician.
I’m a Search Dog Handler and Secretary with SARDA Southern Scotland and a member of Ochils Mountain Rescue. My journey started with SARDA in 2018, originally as a “body” hiding for the dogs during training. Watching the experienced handlers at work and seeing how much the dogs loved what they were doing was inspiring. It didn’t take long before I knew I wanted to become a search dog handler myself.
I get so much out of training with my dog, Caoimhe. There’s something special about being out on the hills together — trusting her to do her job while guiding and supporting her as her handler. I love the teamwork involved, and Caoimhe certainly enjoys long hill days and the chance to work and play.
One of the things I value most about Mountain Rescue is the community around it. From teammates who paced me on long runs while training for the Highland Cross, to the incredible support I’ve felt from the team since having my first daughter, it really is a special environment to be part of.
This past year has looked very different for me in rescue. Becoming pregnant and welcoming our daughter, Romilly, meant learning to adapt and push myself in new ways. I stayed on the call-out list until late in my pregnancy, working out the practicalities of carrying both a rucksack and a bump.
It was important to me that becoming a mum wouldn’t mean the end of my involvement in search and rescue. Becoming a mum changes things, but it doesn’t limit what we can achieve. At just 12 weeks old, Romilly has already joined me at two SARDA training weekends and several Mountain Rescue training evenings. I’ve had to be flexible and adjust my expectations, but we’ve been learning together how it all works.
To every woman who’s ever been told “you can’t” — watch us.
