Improved response time for Exmoor search and Rescue
Since 1992 the Exmoor Search and Rescue Team have been assisting the Police in the search for missing and vulnerable persons. This may be walkers or groups of Duke of Edinburgh Award participants, but it is as likely to be elderly people, children or despondents.
The team assist the Police over a considerable area, which stretches from Bridgwater in Somerset via Tiverton and on to the Cornish border at Bude. Therefore a large proportion of the area includes South and West Somerset, including Taunton Deane, Bridgwater and the Quantock Hills.
Team members live all over the operational area, so assistance has always been quick to arrive 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, wherever it is required. However until now both the team's Ambulances have been based in North Devon. In order to enable a quicker response to the Taunton and Bridgwater areas, the team have now acquired a third response vehicle: A Land Rover which is based near Wellington. From this new location, the Land Rover Ambulance will be able to assist the Avon and Somerset Police with all weather Search and Rescue capability, with more equipment readily available.
Chief Inspector Kevin Instance from Avon and Somerset Police said "Avon and Somerset Constabulary hold the work of our volunteer search teams in very high regard. The Exmoor Search and Rescue Team have a vast amount of local knowledge and a very professional approach to Search and Rescue. Many people owe their lives to this team. Working alongside the police they make a major contribution to keeping the people of this area safe."
Team leader of Exmoor Search and Rescue Team, Phil Sparks said "We have many team members living and working in the Taunton area, and the increased availability of our equipment will improve the efficiency of our searches in West Somerset and Taunton Deane."
The team are also called to assist the South Western Ambulance Service if they receive a call for assistance to a location that is not accessible by a road ambulance and a helicopter response is either not available or suitable. On recent occasions a Land Rover has been required on the Quantock Hills and it's location in Wellington will assist in the team's rapid deployment.
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