Avon & Somerset Search & Rescue

07 ASC Call-out.  Our technical rope rescue team deployed to Cheddar Gorge to assist three persons stuck “cragfast”. Working jointly with our colleagues in the Fire Service @dsfireupdates, they were rescued and recovered safely to the roadside.

06 ASC Call-out.  The team were put on standby to assist with evacuation of casualty from an isolated location on the Quantock Hills by Ambulance Service. Advice and support were given remotely and the team stood down.

05 ASC Call-out. Our specialist water team deployed to assist @wiltshiresearchandrescue. Sadly the missing person was found deceased and was recovered from the water in a multi-agency operation involving both Mountain Rescue and @lowlandrescue personnel along with Police colleagues.

04 ASC Call-out. The team were put on standby to assist with a casualty evacuation. The team were then stood down.

03 ASC Call-out. The team was contacted in the early evening following a 999 call from two lost walkers above Cheddar Gorge, in the @mendiphillsnl . The pair had become disorientated with the bad weather, low cloud and onset of darkness. Using the SARLOC system, which sends a message to the recipients mobile phone and when clicked on sends the location back, an Incident Controller from ASSAR was able to identify their location. Sensibly the pair had taken a torch meaning team members were able to locate them quickly and take them back to their vehicle in Cheddar. The walkers were cold/wet and grateful for our assistance. The team was operational for approx 45 minutes.

02 ASC Call-out. East Somerset

With a severe weather warning in place and flooding expected, our water team was deployed to a staging post set up at Shepton Mallet Fire Station to respond across east Somerset.

The team remained on standby until the early hours of the morning before our members returned home for a few hours sleep.

We joined resources from:
@exmoorsrt
@wessexfloodrescue
@dsfireupdates

01 ASC Call-out. @aspolice asked for us to go on standby first thing this morning, New Years Day, as they had concerns for a vulnerable missing female in North Bristol. The team stayed on standby for a couple of hours as various other checks were carried out resulting in her being found safe and well.

The team finished 2023 after carrying out 36 callouts. We’re an emergency service staffed by volunteers that rely on fundraising and donations to keep us going.

32 ASC Call-out. 6 – 8/9/23 Late in the afternoon on 6/9/23 the team was asked by the @aspolice to help search for a high risk missing male who had left his flat in Bristol and then been seen near Wick. The team searched the surrounding area over the next few days in very hot conditions with superb support from @wiltshiresearchandrescue and @severn_area_rescue_association . Nothing was found and the team has been stood down pending further police investigations. The team was operational for 30 hours across 3 days. We would all like to pass on our thanks to Tracy Park Golf And Country Hotel for their kind generosity.

31 ASC Call-out. 5/9/23 The team’s technical rope rescue element went on standby to assist with a climber in Avon Gorge. Avon Fire & Rescue Service rapidly dealt with the incident and the team were stood down after a few minutes.

30. ASC Call-out. 2/9/23 The team was asked to go on standby to assist the police in the search for a vulnerable, elderly female with dementia in South Bristol. The woman was located safe and well in a care setting. Team stood down after 1 hour on standby.

29 ASC Call-out. 22/8/23 Asked by Avon and Somerset Police to assist in the search for a missing, vulnerable elderly female in South Bristol. Rapidly stood down 15 minutes later as she had been located nearby by the police.

28 ASC Call-out. On Monday 14th August @aspolice requested our support in the ongoing search for a missing lady adjacent to the original Severn Bridge. @severn_area_rescue_association and the coastguard had been conducting searches along the estuary and the coastline and we were asked to search inland areas, joined by team members from Severn Area Rescue Association as well.

During the evening Severn Area Rescue Association reported, via HM Coastguard Chepstow and Gloucestershire Constabulary, that a body was on the shoreline near Newnham. This was later sadly confirmed as the missing lady.

This was a tragic outcome and the whole team send their condolences to the family and friends.

The team was operational for 8 hours.

26 ASC Call-out. The team were asked to help Avon and Somerset Police in the search for a high risk missing male in the Frome area on 4/8/23. The team searched steep wooded areas and river banks along with Wiltshire Search and Rescue for 7 hours until the police found him safe and well in Frome.

Incident 25. On 2/8/23 the team were called out to the Yeovil for a high risk missing person but rapidly stood down as they were located.

21 ASC Call-out. Saturday 10th until Monday 12th June. The team were initially asked by @aspolice on Saturday morning to assist in the search for a vulnerable missing male to the west of Frome. Search teams then worked for a total of 28 hours across the weekend and into Monday searching rivers, woods and countryside. We are pleased to report the missing male was located today (Monday), treated at the scene and moved from the difficult location by search and rescue team members to the waiting ambulance.

We were supported throughout the weekend by our highly skilled and professional colleagues from Search and Rescue Dog Association South Wales @wiltshiresearchandrescue and @exmoorsrt Huge thanks to all of them.

We would also like to say a big thank you to @rapidreliefteam_uk for feeding and watering all the volunteers and police staff that took part in this large search and rescue.

20 ASC Call-out. During the evening of Friday 9th June the team were requested by @aspolice and @swas_ft to help move a lady with a broken ankle from difficult ground in the Charterhouse area of the Mendip Hills. The team were able to assist the paramedics on scene, while loading and carrying her with the use of our specially adapted stretcher with a wheel underneath to the ambulance. The team were operational for 1hr and 40 minutes. We wish the lady a speedy recovery and hope she’s back out walking again soon. 

17 ASC Call-out. During the evening of 30/5 @aspolice requested support in searching for vulnerable missing person in the Banwell area of North Somerset. Three search teams were deployed including Search Dog Griff from Search and Rescue Dog Association South Wales to cover local woodlands surrounding the town. Nothing was found, as the team were being stood down and returning to control police reported the missing person had been located safely at a nearby property. The team was operational for 3 hours.

16 ASC Call-out. The team was requested to help with the major flooding incident in the Wincanton area of Somerset overnight along with Exmoor Search & Rescue Team and other emergency services.

Team members were operational for nearly 8 hours during the night undertaking a range of search and rescue roles; welfare checks were made on a number of locals in their properties, medical support was delivered to one member of the community, people were moved to safety using floating sleds and a taxi driver and their passenger were also helped.

15 ASC Log 138. The team was put on standby at 12.40 and called out at 13.08 to help @aspolice search for a high risk missing person in the Glastonbury area. As team members were arriving the police reported they had located him. Team members were deployed to the scene to administer first aid, a team medic arrived shortly afterwards and was able to deliver more advanced casualty care before he was taken to hospital. Team stood down at 16.26. Our thanks to @exmoorsrt for deploying as well.

14 ASC Log 849. 16/4 ASSARs technical rope rescue team was called out at 19.40 to support @aspolice with a high risk vulnerable young male in a quarry. Team members were able to assist officers and negotiators with making the area safe for all involved. The situation was resolved and the male was moved to a safe area in a team vehicle. The team was stood down at 22.11.

13 ASC Log 712. The team’s technical rescue element were called out to support Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and Avon Fire & Rescue Service at 17.32 on 7/4. A young male was injured and stuck on a steep slope in Cheddar Gorge. He was successfully brought down and handed to South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust for treatment and taken to hospital. Team stood down at 19.11.