West Mercia Search and Rescue

Last updated

West Mercia Search and Rescue, (formerly: West Midlands Search and Rescue) commonly abbreviated WMSAR, is a voluntary search and rescue organisation which operates in the counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The organisation responds to calls for assistance from any of the emergency services and operates both by day and night.

WMSAR was formed from former members of Mercia Inshore Search and Rescue (MISAR). [1] It is principally based in Shropshire and Worcestershire with plans to expand in Herefordshire. [2]

The organisation is a registered charity [3] and its purpose is to provide back-up personnel to the official Emergency Services in a range of situations, including in particular searches for missing persons, and support at public events and during times of adverse weather conditions, natural disaster or civil emergency. WMSAR is a member of the Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR), an organisation with more than 900 members nationwide providing assistance to Police authorities in searches for missing persons. WMSAR is a member of the West Mercia Local Resilience Forum County Volunteer Emergency Committee (CVEC). [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Search and rescue</span> Search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger

Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search is conducted over. These include mountain rescue; ground search and rescue, including the use of search and rescue dogs; urban search and rescue in cities; combat search and rescue on the battlefield and air-sea rescue over water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midlands</span> Place in England

The Midlands are a part of England that broadly correspond to the Kingdom of Mercia of the Early Middle Ages, bordered by Wales, Northern England, Southern England and the North Sea. The Midlands were important in the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries. They are split into the West Midlands and East Midlands. The region's biggest city, Birmingham – often considered the social, cultural, financial and commercial centre of the Midlands, – is the second-largest city and metropolitan area in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">His Majesty's Coastguard</span> National maritime rescue service covering the United Kingdom

His Majesty's Coastguard (HMCG) is a section of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency responsible, through the Secretary of State for Transport to Parliament, for the initiation and co-ordination of all maritime search and rescue (SAR) within the UK Maritime Search and Rescue Region. This includes the mobilisation, organisation and tasking of adequate resources to respond to persons either in distress at sea, or to persons at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the United Kingdom. It is also responsible for land based search and rescue helicopter operations from 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Mercia Police</span> English territorial police force

West Mercia Police, formerly the West Mercia Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire in England. The force area covers 2,868 square miles (7,430 km2) making it the fourth largest police area in England and Wales. The resident population of the area is 1.19 million Its name comes from the ancient kingdom of Mercia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NSW Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service</span>

WIRES Wildlife Rescue is the largest wildlife rescue & rehabilitation charity in Australia. It is a non-profit organisation providing rescue and rehabilitation for all native Australian fauna. All animal rescuers and carers are volunteers. It is funded by public donations and operates throughout the most populous Australian state, New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Severn Area Rescue Association</span>

Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) or Severn Rescue is an independent, marine and land based, search and rescue organisation covering the Severn Estuary and upper reaches of the River Severn. SARA is the largest independent lifeboat service in the UK, second only to the RNLI, with 22 operational inshore lifeboats, 20 vehicles and approximately 200 personnel. They receive no funding from the RNLI.

Civil Aid Voluntary Rescue Association (CAVRA) is a voluntary search and rescue organisation operating within the South Wales area from mid to the south Wales coast]. It is a registered charity, and its purpose is to provide back-up personnel to the official emergency services in a range of situations, including in particular searches for missing persons. They also provide support at public events and during times of adverse weather conditions, natural disaster or civil emergency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Midlands Ambulance Service</span> Ambulance trust in England

The West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust (WMAS) is responsible for providing NHS ambulance services within the West Midlands region of England. It is one of ten ambulance trusts providing England with emergency medical services, and is part of the National Health Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain rescue in England and Wales</span> UK rescue services

Mountain rescue services in England and Wales operate under the association of Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW), formerly called Mountain Rescue Council of England & Wales. The association has a number of regional mountain rescue teams, each of which is an independent charity. The team members are highly trained volunteers who are called out by the police.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain Rescue Ireland</span>

Mountain Rescue Ireland is the representative body for mountain rescue services on the island of Ireland. It has eleven member organisations - ten regional mountain rescue teams and one national canine search team (SARDA). Mountain Rescue Ireland (MRI) is a member of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (IKAR-CISA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service</span> Statutory fire and rescue service

The Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service covering Shropshire, including Telford and Wrekin, in the West Midlands region of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midlands Air Ambulance</span> English charity air ambulance

The Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (MAAC), formerly County Air Ambulance, is a charity operating a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands. It operates three aircraft.

The Royal New Zealand Coastguard is the primary civilian marine search and rescue organisation for New Zealand. Unlike a number of other countries, the organisation is a non-governmental, civilian charitable organisation, with no enforcement powers. Uniformed agencies of the New Zealand government, including the police, Maritime New Zealand and customs, manage New Zealand's maritime law enforcement and border control. Coastguard New Zealand has a strong focus on boating education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue</span>

Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue (BLSAR) is a registered charitable lowland search and rescue team based in Berkshire, United Kingdom and provides support functions (primarily search and rescue) to Thames Valley Police and the emergency planning departments of various local authorities in Berkshire. In common with most UK SAR teams, BLSAR members are all volunteers.

Mercia Accident Rescue Service is a BASICS affiliated charity operation based on providing a fast-response, advanced medical team to back up the emergency services of the English counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The charity aims to provide an organisational framework within which practitioners can be properly trained and equipped to provide prehospital care, its work is supported by local fundraisinghttps://www.herefordtimes.com/news/10642134.mercia-accident-rescue-service-mars-raising-money-for-ultrasound-machine-to-be-used-at-accident-scenes-across-herefordshire/. MARS is staffed by a team of 11 doctors and two advanced clinical practitioners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Severn Freewheelers</span>

Severn Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service is a blood bike charity based in the Severn Valley in western England. Founded in 2007, it provides a free motorcycle courier service to hospitals in the region, operating a fleet of emergency-equipped motorcycles which are ridden and co-ordinated by volunteers. Severn Freewheelers is a founder-member of the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes (NABB) and co-operates with similar organisations in the area including Freewheelers EVS, SERV and Midland Freewheelers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emergency Response Team Search and Rescue</span>

Emergency Response Team Search and Rescue (ERTSAR) is an INSARAG listed international disaster response NGO search and rescue team, with bases in Henley-on-Thames, United Kingdom and Toronto, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blood bike</span>

A blood bike is a motorcycle used to courier urgent and emergency medical items including blood, X-rays, samples, drugs, and documentation between hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

The North Midlands Rugby Football Union is a governing body for rugby union in part of The Midlands, England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union for the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and the Greater Birmingham area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner</span>

The West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner is the police and crime commissioner (PCC), an elected official tasked with setting out the way crime is tackled by West Mercia Police in the English counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire. The post was created in November 2012, following an election held on 15 November 2012, and replaced the West Mercia Police Authority. The current incumbent is John Campion, who represents the Conservative Party.

References

  1. "Shropshire volunteers start search and rescue training". BBC. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  2. "Search and rescue team's trailer plea". Worcester News. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  3. "Charity Commission" . Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  4. Worcestershire County Council. "Emergency Planning Partners". worcestershire.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 December 2015.