Agenda item

Seamus Kearns, the Operations Manager from Surrey Search and Rescue, explained that the organisation, a charity with no funding other than by donations, and operating with volunteers, was formed in 2010 along the lines of a similar team in Sussex, to support the emergency service in a search and rescue role, across Surrey.

The Team, consisting of 60 volunteer operators, 10 support officers and 6 operational dogs, had been called to assist the emergency services on 70 occasions already in 2014. All tasks came from the emergency services, which filtered all calls for assistance. The team had an off-road ambulance and an incident command vehicle, as well as water-borne transport.

The biggest demand on the team was to search for missing persons, such as people with Alzheimer’s or dementia, vulnerable adults, people threatening self-harm, and young people.

In the UK, search and rescue is split into Mountain Rescue, Lowland Rescue and Air Sea Rescue. The Surrey Team was part of a national lowland rescue arrangement.  In addition to rescuing many individuals, it was estimated that the team had saved Surrey Police in excess of £500,000 over the previous 2 years.

Each volunteer received a minimum of 6 months training and the Team had recently participated in training provided by Surrey Fire and Rescue on wildfires. They were required to reach set standards on navigation, medical qualifications (such as CPR, using defibrillators and safely transferring people onto spinal boards) but could also be called on to operate road blocks or rest centres. The 6 rescue dogs were also volunteers and had to undergo extensive training.

The Committee congratulated Seamus Kearns and the Surrey Search and Rescue Team for their valuable service to Surrey residents, noting that the Team and individual members had already been the recipients of a number of awards.

Despite having excellent social media arrangements, Surrey Search and Rescue had an ongoing need to recruit new volunteers and raise funds. The off-road ambulance, whilst carrying up to date equipment, was 18 years old and would, in due course, need replacing. Members suggested that the Council should promote the service through a Heathscene article and suggested a presence at the Surrey Heath Show.

            Resolved that

(i)            The presentation be noted and Surrey Search and Rescue be invited to provide an update to a later meeting;

(ii)          Officers be asked to explore the possibility of a related article in Heathscene; and

(iii)         Surrey Search and Rescue be advised to attend the Surrey Heath Show for publicity purposes.

Note: Councillor Paul Deach noted, for the record, that he had previously published content for Surrey Search and Rescue on the Residents Network.