Keen adventurous walkers with a good local knowledge and love of Dartmoor and with a strong desire to help people, are needed by Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Tavistock (DSRT).
The rescue team is looking to boost its numbers of its operational hill parties which are deployed when police ask for help in searching for a lost person or rescuing an injured walker.
The team’s services are entirely voluntary and in particular demand in situations where weather conditions are poor and the location of the missing person is unknown. Volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Members are trained to become proficient emergency responders in first aid through to navigation, searching techniques and radio operation. Individual search teams are coordinated through a team leader who is in constant radio contact with the controller coordinating the search effort.
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A team spokesman said: “We’d like to hear from you to become a trainee hill party member.We welcome anyone from any background, although applicants must be 18 years of age and should live or work within 30 mins drive of Tavistock with access to transport to attend training and callouts. They should also have an appropriate level of physical and mental fitness to cope with extended callouts in challenging weather conditions on Dartmoor.
“They should work well within a team and have the basic ability to navigate with a map and compass.. Also important is good local knowledge, specifically of Western Dartmoor.”
Potentially other skills that can be brought to the team, such as first aid, working at height, off road driving would also be major bonuses.
New members should also commit to attend at least 18 training sessions each year help support fundraising and other events to benefit the team.
More details and an Application Form https://dsrt-tavistock.org.uk/support-us/join-us/
Applications should be submitted by Friday (November 8) to guarantee a place on one of the team’s interview days. DSRT Tavistock is a charity which receives no government funding and every member is a volunteer, relying on donations from the public to stay operational.