Search and rescue are proud to play their part in the community

Some of you will be aware from reading our previous articles in the Halifax Courier, that all our members, whether they are operational full team members, trainees, active supporters, dogsbodies or training casualties '“ everyone volunteers their time freely.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Sep 2017, 15:12 BST
Updated 11th Sep 2017, 12:26 BST
Team members at a fire station open dayTeam members at a fire station open day
Team members at a fire station open day

They all contribute precious time that could be spent with their families and instead they dedicate this time to ensure the smooth running of the team, allowing us to continue to provide a life-saving emergency response service to the community, all in support of the statutory emergency services.

In the last 12 months, CVSRT members and active supporters have voluntarily contributed an incredible 14,054 hours to help keep the team going. Of that figure, 3708 hours were on callouts, 5938 hours on training and the remaining 4408 hours were on public events and fundraising.

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Based on those figures you can see the team is kept very busy with Public Events and Fundraising, which is a massive part of what we do.

Team members at a doggy fun dayTeam members at a doggy fun day
Team members at a doggy fun day

Throughout the year we’ve attended 169 community events and fundraisers ranging from; providing safety cover for outdoor activities in remote areas i.e. fell races, organised walks and mountain bike challenges, to Mountain Rescue awareness talks, presentations and base visits for community groups, schools and youth groups.

We also got involved with helping the local council with debris and litter clean ups on hard to reach steep ground and waterways.

The popularity of outdoor activities, races in remote areas and extreme sports and challenges has seen our involvement rise rapidly over recent years.

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In 2010 the team covered approximately 25 events and in this last 12 months we’ve covered 169.

Calder Valley Search and Rescue TeamCalder Valley Search and Rescue Team
Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team

Obviously covering so many events takes time and commitment from our team of volunteers, and whilst we try and cover as many as possible, unfortunately it’s not always possible to fulfil every request or invite.

Our apologies if we’ve had to decline one of your events.

To help our task of selecting which events to support and cover, we have a set of criteria, which we always refer back to. Our raison d’être or reasons for the team’s existence is; to relieve suffering and distress amongst persons affected by accidents or natural hazards.

To provide search and rescue, primary casualty care, emergency equipment and person-power in remote areas or hard to reach locations, and to provide training or education to persons involved in outdoor activities.

Team members at a doggy fun dayTeam members at a doggy fun day
Team members at a doggy fun day
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By following these simple guidelines, we hope maximise our members time, focus on activities which the team may realistically be called out to assist with should an incident occur, and for us to thank the community for supporting us.

Whilst all our team members give their time freely, we do request a donation for our services on events.

It’s worth remembering that it costs approximately £40,000 per year to remain operational. CVSRT is a not-for-profit organisation and a registered charity and receives no direct funding from the council or government.

This amount is raised entirely through fundraising and donations from the community and local businesses. All donations go directly towards keeping a roof over our base in Mytholmroyd, maintaining our emergency response vehicles, purchasing essential equipment and paying for training to develop specialist skills. None of this would be possible without our volunteers.

Calder Valley Search and Rescue TeamCalder Valley Search and Rescue Team
Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team
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Are you planning an outdoor activity, sporting event or extreme challenge that would benefit from our specialist emergency services? If so, please contact our Public Events Officer to check the team’s availability and to discuss your requirements. Please help us to help you by checking our selection criteria first to avoid disappointment.

Send event enquiries to: [email protected]