Exmoor Search and Rescue Team

Callout 03: 4-5th/2/25. North Devon On Tuesday evening, Exmoor SRT joined our colleagues from North Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team for an extensive search of dense woodland for a missing person. The teams searched until the early hours when our colleagues from Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Tavistock and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Urban Search and Rescue Team took over, they in turn were relieved by the Plymouth and Ashburton Dartmoor teams. On Wednesday morning the missing lady was located by a member of the Public close to areas we were originally tasked. Mountain Rescue England and Wales North Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Ashburton Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Plymouth ⛑ Devon and Cornwall Police Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service #ExmoorSearchandRescue #mountainrescue #devon #northdevon #teamwork

Race night cheque presentation ESRT were very grateful to receive the generous donation to funds from the recent race night in aid of the team’s work, held at Quince Honey Farm. Race night committee members had a tour of the rescue centre prior to the cheque presentation. Thank you once again for all your support. #ExmoorSearchandRescue #fundraisingevent #southmoltonquincehoneyfarm #wednesdaywellness

Thank you from all at Exmoor Search and Rescue for the amazing support from the RYNO group. RYNO manufacture high quality decking and paving systems and have generously supported the team throughout 2024. It's much appreciated. RYNO® #ExmoorSearchandRescue #MondayMotivation #teamwork #nonprofitorganisationUK

Having received a donation from the Police of a dinghy and buoyancy aids, the team first started up a water section to assist with searches of canals and still water in the mid-noughties. We had no swift water capability and were rarely tasked in a year. Now we have two powered boats, raft, sled and a section of 14 swift water rescue technicians, flood water responders and water incident managers. In 2024 the team attended three multi-agency flood incidents and we provide a National asset that may be tasked anywhere in the country. #ExmoorSearchandRescue #nonprofitorganisationUK #throwback #mountainrescue #SwiftWaterRescue #volunteers

Exmoor Search and Rescue's annual winter training weekend ‘enjoyed’ freezing temperatures, clear blue skies and torrential rain, all good testing conditions for our weekend of skills stations and scenario based exercises. This year we welcomed 6 team members from the Norwegian team Svelvik røde kors hjelpekorps who had hosted the international SAR games last year. It was great to share working practices, kit familiarisation and show them some of ‘our patch’ throughout the weekend. Thanks go to them for joining in with all the activities so readily. Friday night the team worked at skills stations; drone flying at night, airway management of a casualty with a helmet as well as doing our annual BLS assessments.Thanks to Exmoor National Park for once again hosting us in their fabulous accommodation at Pinkery. Saturday involved a host of scenarios from lost walkers on the open moor to asthmatics in the Lyn Valley. Having such a range of casualties meant many of our specialist teams skills could be put to the test. The kayaker stuck on the strainer in the East Lyn testing site management and dynamic risk assessments, while casualties fallen down scree slopes involved triaging 3 people and prioritising their care. Despite the horrendous rain on Sunday, the team continued with Skills stations on Search techniques, Water rescue theory, and casualty management. A very full weekend for all the team members, trainees, our supporters helping as ‘bodies’, observers and training deliverers. Now it's time to sort and dry the kit ready for our next callout to put all this training into practice once again. #ExmoorSearchandRescue #exmoornationalpark #exmoor4all #fridaymotivation #RescueSkills

Fall protection kit inspection As with all our PPE (Personal and Protective Equipment), it needs regular inspection to ensure it is current and fit for purpose. This time it was the Fall protection kits being checked for evidence of wear and tear. #exmoorsearchandrescue #roperescuegear #nonprofitorganisationUK #Wednesdaywisdom #mountainrescue

Call out 02: 26-27/1/25 South Somerset The team were asked to assist in a multi agency response to various flood events in South Somerset. The MASHA (Multi agency strategic handling area) was Taunton fire station, and from there we were deployed first to Ilminster and then to Charlton Mackrell. The latter involved the evacuation of 67 park home residents (and their pets). ESRT water section worked alongside ASSAR/ BARB/ Coastguard, Fire and Police to ferry the residents through the thigh deep water so they could be taken to a rest centre set up in Somerton. The team started their journeys home at 6.30am after a 12 hour deployment. Mountain Rescue England and Wales #ExmoorSearchandRescue #mountainrescue #teamwork #waterrescue #somerset

Drone training This month's Drone section training focussed on searching open moorland at night and assessing trainees in their knowledge of the teams Drone capabilities. #ExmoorSearchandRescue #searchandrescuetraining #DronesForGood #DroneSearchAndRescue #volunteers

The team was founded in 1992 by members of the North Devon emergency volunteers. Our Control vehicle then was a caravan towed behind a personal car and kept on the Chair’s drive. Now, we have a 4 wheel drive VW crafter with an electronic mast, two computers with GPS tracking, electronic mapping, all stored in our bespoke Rescue centre in South Molton. #ExmoorSearchandRescue #nonprofitorganisationUK #throwback #mountainrescue

Water Section Training The first water team training of the year saw the team going back to basics with throwline practice, conditional and true or tethered rescues, and using the quick release on our cows tails should we become stuck in a fast section of flowing water. Conditional rescues are when the casualty can help themselves to receive a throwline and unconditional rescues would involve a swift water rescue technician going in the water to ‘catch’ the casualty. January water temperatures were chilly at Watersmeet so we were thankful for our warm layers under our dry suits. National Trust #ExmoorSearchandRescue #exmoornationalpark #SwiftWaterRescue #waterrescuetraining #NationalTrust