our minimum manning level at my post is 4 - but that is not enough IMO, last year on a number of days there was me, one other experienced and two novices. I can't send a novice down on their own to the advanced flag point, so have to send my experienced guy, which leaves me and two novices to do Flag, Radio, Rider, Bike and Debris. When we had an off that is exactly what we did, my two novices did superbly including loading into the helicopter which they had never practiced before. My concern was they'd be frightened off by being thrown in at the deep end, but they were there the following day. I do get a bit peeved when you see pictures of a cast of thousands at certain points, when we are up on the mountain struggling on the bare minimum.