AVERY COUNTY, N.C. — Robert Calloway has been part of a rescue squad for 35 years. After serving in the military, he joined the fire department and then the rescue squad. He is now the chief of the Linville-Central Rescue Squad.

"If you get out here a mile or so on the trail and you slip or fall, we are going to bring 10, 15, 20 people out here, and our organization is all volunteer. Those people are leaving their jobs to come out," Calloway said.

He says the holidays were busy for them. On New Year's Eve they were on the Profile Trail carrying out a hiker who needed help. Just days before that one they were doing another on Rough Ridge.

"At this elevation if you continue on the trail you are going to gain a thousand feet in elevation and as you gain a thousand feet elevation we're going to encounter more snow, more ice, a temperature change. Right now we are calm here. When we get on top of the mountain it's going to be windy," Calloway said.

As more weather heads in throughout the winter, he says they are staying prepared.

"We keep our trucks checked. We keep our gear in our vehicles. We are prepared any time," Calloway said.

They say another issue they have during the winter is when the sun comes through the trees, it melts the snow, making it wet and that freezes again overnight.

"You get multiple layers of it, and then it gets even worse," Kyle Kitchin said.

That's why they say before you head in the woods you must layer up and be prepared. It's something they have not seen lately.

"No, we're not. We will see people hiking in Crocs, tennis shoes, whatever, and that's not appropriate for these trails especially this time of year," Calloway said.

He advises that you need proper shoes, multiple layers of clothing, a map, a cell phone, and Ranger Seth Hembree says there is one more thing you need.

"Traction devices. They are underused. I would use the cleats," Hembree said.

If you're planning to head out soon, be ready for anything like this group of rescuers, who are ready at any time to help.