Surrey Search and Rescue volunteers are on call around the clock to support and search for some of the county’s most vulnerable and at-risk missing people.
Lisa Townsend, Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, and her Deputy, Ellie, recently joined them on an evening training session, where volunteers (both human and canine!) were training over a range of distances.
As part of the training, both Lisa and Ellie volunteered as ‘missing people’ and were asked to hide in the woods so the dogs could be put to the test in their training.
Around 80 members of the public volunteer with Surrey Search and Rescue, one of the busiest lowland search and rescue teams in the country supporting police and partners in finding some of the 2,100 people each year who go missing in our county.
They are trained to search across a range of environments, from urban areas to rural farmland, as well as around water. Volunteers can provide first aid to those who need it and then help get them back to safety.
Speaking about the session and the work of the team Lisa said: “This voluntary specialist search team support Surrey Police and other emergency services to find missing vulnerable adults and children.
“No matter the time of day or night, teams respond as quickly as possible to minimise the time a person is at risk.
“They operate in farmland, urban areas and woodland, while some volunteers specialise in water rescues and search dog training.
“Surrey Search and Rescue relies wholly on donations, and the work of these unsung heroes is absolutely invaluable.
“Seeing the team in action has been fantastic, and although we’ve had just a brief glimpse of the challenges they face, it’s so impressive to see their professionalism and dedication.”
Ellie said: “I’d like to thank everyone who gives their time to Surrey Search and Rescue to support the emergency services and help save the lives of some truly vulnerable people.”
To find out more, you can watch a video of the training evening here!
