West Midlands Search and Rescue

Search and Rescue

WMSAR work in partnership with the Hereford & Worcester Fire & Rescue Service, West Mercia Police and West Midlands Ambulance service across our operational area to provide Search and Rescue services 24/7, 365 days of the year.

As co-members of the Hereford and Worcester Branch of the West Midlands Ambulance Trust Community First Responder scheme, we also provide Community First Response (CFR) in our local communities for the Ambulance service and First Aid support for community events alike.

Inshore Lifeboats - Water Rescue

Under a local Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with our local Emergency Services, our Lifeboats/Rescue boats teams are both audited and approved be called out by the Police, Ambulance, Fire and Rescue Services to the Rivers Severn & Avon and other water related incidents.

 We maintain working links with our local Maritime and Coastguard Agency Rescue Coordination Centre and with the Severn and Avon Navigation Authorites.

Our team also provide safety boat cover (and First Aid cover) for local water events such as Worcester Rowing Regatta and Worcester Dragon boats.

Staying safe in and around water: see the latest advice and statistics from ROSPA.

The team has also been recognised for  a 'Blue band' award for Health and Safety during a commercial Safety Boat contract. 

Swiftwater Rescue

WMSAR have specialist Swiftwater Rescue Teams  trained to Internationally recognised standards by the UK's leading training center, Rescue 3.

These teams specialise in the rescue of endangered persons or animals where there is a significant risk from fast moving or flood water incidents.

We are further fortunate to have experienced and qualified Swift Water Instructors who have access to some of the latest equipment, including Rescue Boats, Rescue Rafts and Rescue paths (which also double up as 10 man rescue sleds).

Land Search

WMSAR is a member of and works with other ALSAR teams across the UK.

WMSAR is the ALSAR allocated team for the West Mercia Police region incorporating Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.

We look to recruit volunteers from all over these three counties to assist Police in the search for missing persons.

In addition, we also provide Marshals, Communications and Command and Control for such organisations as Macmillans Cancer on their cycle rides and Hill Walks, the British Heart Foundation and the Throckmorton Airshow 2011 in aid of Help for Hero's.

To date we have helped Macmillan's raise in excess of £100,000. 

Upton Upon Severn 2007

Flood Rescue and Rescue Evacuations and Pollution support.

WMSAR has a fleet of rescue craft and specialist craft that are approved to be deployed to help the Fire and Rescue Service and other Search & Rescue Agencies to rescue-evacuate people during flooding, and be able to provide basic levels of pumping, power, lighting, blankets and emergency communications including cross communications with other agencies.

These are managed through the West Mercia Local Resillience Forum CVEC, Herefordshire and Worcestershire divisions.

We are registered with DEFRA under the FRNE Project to provide flood support across the UK.

We also provide contingency Environmental Protection assistance to the Environment Agency for deployment of  Pollution Booms on behalf of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service