Warwick Rotarians learn more about Warwickshire Search and Rescue

Warwick Rotarians recently had a visit from a team of volunteers from a search and rescue group to learn more about their vital work.
Warwick Rotary Club President David Smith with the Warwickshire Search and Rescue team.Warwick Rotary Club President David Smith with the Warwickshire Search and Rescue team.
Warwick Rotary Club President David Smith with the Warwickshire Search and Rescue team.

Volunteers from Warwickshire Search and Rescue (WARKSAR) arrived in their mobile control minibus last week to join members of the Warwick Rotary Club for lunch.

Tess Lukehurst, kayak team leader and fundraiser was accompanied by Adrian Smith, trainee search technician, and Medic, and Amelia Weaver – a pre-hospital trauma doctor.

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Tess explained WARKSAR is now a vital emergency service, and that they are a charity made up of volunteers called out by the police for support when vulnerable people go missing.

36 Lowland Search and Rescue teams now exist and are part of the volunteer support to police and coastguard services.

Warwickshire Search and Rescue covers the Warwickshire and Coventry areas where over 700 people a year go missing.

They have been fully accredited since December and have 30 fully trained personnel and 35 more in training.

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Some like Tess have specialist training – she is a Kayak team leader, and search co-ordinator, others are riverbank searchers, a dog team and on-foot searchers as required.

They all need a full set of kit costing £300 and the teams carry first aid and defibrillators.

Personnel are trained to locate missing persons, how to search, and work in difficult conditions such as floods, and provide emergency assistance.

In just the last three months they have been called out 18 times by the police to help locate missing persons.

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Tess told Rotarians that they receive no funding or pay and have running costs of £10,000 each year to provide equipment, insurance, and training.

Warwick Rotary Club President David Smith gave a donation Warwickshire Search and Rescue on behalf of the club.

Anyone who would like support Warwickshire Search and Rescue can click here