Shropshire Star

West Mercia Search & Rescue reduces training due to coronavirus

Shropshire's volunteer search and rescue team has reduced its training due to the coronavirus.

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West Mercia Search and Rescue

West Mercia Search & Rescue, which works alongside other emergency services to help save the lives of those in vulnerable situations, has cancelled upcoming training and team events as part of the government's Covid-19 delay phase.

The service's operational management team said it would be "unjustifiable" to continue with "non-essential" events, but will still remain on call for missing-person and civil contingency call-outs, using online resources where possible.

A statement released by the charity said: "Our operational management team has taken the unprecedented step of cancelling forthcoming training and larger team events in light of the delay advice from the government.

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"As a charity which aims to promote safety, we felt it was unjustifiable to continue with non-essential events which brought together members from across the three counties, and potentially allowed cross contamination of the team."

About 40 fully trained volunteers operate in the West Mercia Search & Rescue team and their task is to save the lives of those who get into difficulty, are in vulnerable situations and are at high risk.

The charity added: "In an effort to help flatten the curve of Covid-19's spread and ease the burden on the NHS, local and national infrastructure, we will instead be developing online training and teleconference meetings wherever possible. We already deliver some of our training online, but this is a chance to spend time on improving that amount.

"The team comprises of many frontline emergency services and NHS workers, parents, carers and business-people who could well pass on any infection unwittingly, and the key to combatting Covid for now is to minimise unnecessary social interaction. Unfortunately, the nature of SAR work is physical and often involves close contact.

"We will, of course, remain on call for missing-person and civil contingency call-outs. Thank you for your support."