Volunteers working with police to track down vulnerable people

 

 A Midlands-based charity that helps to track down missing vulnerable people has been boosted by the addition of a new Incident Control Unit. 

Warwickshire Search and Rescue (WarkSAR), which is run entirely by volunteers, took possession of the specially-adapted Mercedes Benz Sprinter Panel van last month, which will be used to co-ordinate its search and rescue missions across the county and beyond. 

Earlier this month the new vehicle’s capabilities were demonstrated to Alex Franklin-Smith, Deputy Chief Constable of Warwickshire Police, during a visit to the force’s headquarters in Leek Wootton. 

Mr Franklin-Smith said: “The life-saving specialist services that Warwickshire Search and Rescue provide communities in our county are invaluable. 

“Warwickshire Police, and many other local services who work together as part of our Local Resilience Forum to prepare and respond to major and critical incidents, will significantly benefit from the availability of this additional specialist equipment. 

“On behalf of Warwickshire Police, I welcome this investment and look forward to seeing the additional levels of protection this will provide to keep people safe in Warwickshire.” 

WarkSAR is comprised of more than 40 fully-trained volunteers, who search for missing people on land, in water – using kayaks – and they also use drones to scan areas from above. The Incident Control Unit is used to co-ordinate all these efforts. 

The new van, which cost more than £75,000 including the extensive fit out, was purchased following two years of fundraising activities and replaces the organisation’s previous vehicle, a former police riot van donated by the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner in 2015.

 Ian Malins, chair of WarkSAR, said the vehicle had served them well, but had started to show its age and needed replacing. 

“When we got the van it still had riot screens and toughened glass windows,” he said. “Some of our handy members did a great job of converting it into a mobile office on a small budget, and we even kept the prisoner cage in the back for secure storage!” 

The new vehicle is rather more fit for purpose. Purchased from Midlands Truck and Van, it has been adapted to the 75-strong team’s specifications by Doncaster-based Cartwright Conversions. The fit out includes office-type space for Search Managers to use when managing callouts, two laptop docking stations, WiFi connectivity and a digital radio for secure communication with search teams. There’s even a built-in generator to charge up radio and drone batteries as well as boil water for volunteers’ drinks. 

Joseph O’Connor, Sales Executive atMidlands Truck and Van, based in Coventry, said it was obvious that a specialised vehicle was needed, so great attention was given to providing something fit for purpose.

“We had several meetings where we detailed vehicle specifications, and options were demonstrated so that WarkSAR could see how they operated and what the benefits would be for the rescue vehicle. 

“These meetings were very open and we sat down as a collective to discuss all aspects of the vehicle, which included both practical and safety options. Some options you tend to take for granted, but when they are out in the middle of nowhere and struggling for phone battery, the charging package all of a sudden becomes a lifeline.” 

Mr O’Connor said the meetings had left him “blown away” by the number of people that go missing in Warwickshire and the surrounding areas, the importance of having specialised teams that can assist in finding them, and in turn the need for a vehicle that fulfilled their needs. 

“All of the members of Warwickshire Search and Rescue are very open and considered in their approach and they welcome suggestions I made, especially when they could see the benefits in their field,” he added. “It was a pleasure to deal with them and I am glad that I could be part of supplying a vehicle that potentially could save lives in my local area.” 

Mr Malins acknowledged the help of Midlands Truck and Van, as well as the team at Cartwright Conversions who handled the van’s extensive fit out, which also includes storage space for important items when setting up on a callout, such as road cones, signage as well a welfare tent for search volunteers. 

“We expect the new van to give us 15-20 years of service, so we needed to get a really good job done on the fit out and make it worth the massive fundraising effort,” he said. 

“We also couldn’t have done it without a number of generous donations, which included grants and funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire, Warwickshire Police Community Fund and the High Sheriff of Warwickshire. 

“We’ve now started to train all our drivers so they are comfortable and safe driving what is quite a large van and also know how to quickly set it up ready to operate when we get called out.” 

Philip Seccombe, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire,said: “I’ve been delighted to be able to support Warwickshire Search and Rescue with funding to help both the purchase of the vehicle and its subsequent equipping. 

“Both myself and my Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner have taken part in training sessions with the team, so I know first-hand the dedication and expertise the volunteers all have. 

“Policing regularly calls on the assistance of the lowland search teams for assistance in finding vulnerable missing persons, both on land and on our inland waterways. They provide skills, expertise and equipment that would not otherwise be readily available to Warwickshire Police, so Warwickshire SAR has been a very deserved recipient of my Grants Funding over several years.”