Leicestershire Search and Rescue (LeicSAR) is a lowland search and rescue unit, which is fully operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Their primary role is to provide specialist resources to Leicestershire’s emergency services to assist in the search and rescue of vulnerable and missing people in the Leicestershire area. A non-profit organisation, made up entirely of emergency volunteers, LeicSAR provides vital support and assistance to the emergency services, local authorities and the general public.
The team has recently been awarded a grant from the Leicestershire & Rutland Community Foundation’s fund and the Hill Osborne Fund, to provide a mountain bike, training, protective equipment, lights and first aid kits, to allow their fledgling Bike Team to cover more area quickly when undertaking a search which could dramatically improve the chance of finding a missing person alive.
Established since October 2011, LeicSAR is affiliated to and regulated by The Association of Lowland Search & Rescue (ALSAR), which ensures that all of their volunteers are trained to nationally recognised standards, including in First Aid, with at least one trained Trauma Medic per search team.
LeicSAR also provides valuable support and assistance at major incidents such as fires, floods and transport disasters, and helps the emergency services during adverse weather by providing 4×4 vehicle support, delivering essential supplies, transporting members of staff or patients, and even offering help to stranded members of the public.
Unit Treasurer Simon Headley commented: “Through this funding we have a fully kitted bike team ready to respond to incidents anywhere in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. We will be able to transport and quickly deploy a Mountain Bike team in remote areas, or areas where vehicles cannot go to provide Search and Rescue activities.”
If you would like to set up your own fund that works to support charities and groups in the local community, contact Katy Green, Chief Executive at Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation: on 0116 2624916 or email katy.green@llrcommunityfoundation.org.uk.
