Cornwall Search & Rescue Team
Encyclopedia
Cornwall Search and Rescue Team (formerly Cornwall Rescue Group) was set up in 2003 to provide inland search and rescue
cover for the county of Cornwall
, United Kingdom. As Cornwall has large areas of moorland this is an important part of the work.
.
In 1965, Climbers’ Club custodian Jim Smith established the first mountain rescue post in the South West at the Carn Galver Count House at Bosigran in West Cornwall. Rescues at Bosigran, famed for its 200 metre climb “Commando Ridge” nicknamed after the World War II commandos who trained there in preparation for wartime cliff assaults, would be performed by other climbers who would go to the Count House to collect the rescue equipment.
Later, a subsidiary post was established in the Lands End climbing area and also the Liskeard
area, however the coastal posts (including Lands End) closed around 20 years later as the HM Coastguard developed their cliff rescue capabilities. Similarly, the two voluntary mine rescue
teams operating in the county disbanded in 1999 and 2008, after the fire brigade developed their mine rescue capabilities.
Until 2002, incidents in inland Cornwall and on the moors were dealt with by the rescue teams from Dartmoor
and Exmoor
. However, due to an increase in call outs, it was decided that Cornwall needed its own team and Cornwall SRT was formed, originally with the name of Cornwall Rescue Group.
, with HM Coastguard covering the coastal areas. Although most of the county is farmland and semi-rural, over 300 square miles (777 km²) of this is open moorland
including tors and lowland heath.
Although the team borders four other teams at the eastern end of the county, its promontory position means it has to be completely self-sufficient, being unable to rely on immediate help from neighbouring teams for incidents in the western parts of the team's area.
, including casualty evacuations and rescue call outs directly from the ambulance service and the police (the size of the moor and vulnerability of inexperienced explorers making emergencies more probable).
Cornwall SRT is also occasionally called to assist during times of severe weather and during major incidents, having played a key role in the Boscastle flood and during heavy snowfall across the higher parts of Cornwall, e.g. in the winter of 2009/10. This is in addition to the more specialist roles which the team also has including the provision of casualty carers and technical specialists for fire service rope rescues.
ambulance, and the other a control vehicle which also carries much of the technical equipment for CSRT’s rope rescue and water search teams. The team operates from its base at St Dennis
in Mid Cornwall.
The team continues to play a key role in the regional and national mountain rescue bodies, as well as working closely with neighbouring teams, and is an essential part of the emergency services across Cornwall. The Team is affiliated to Mountain Rescue (England and Wales) and also the regional representative body - the South West England Rescue Association.
Team members train every Thursday evening at locations across Cornwall, and also one Sunday per month.
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
cover for the county of Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom. As Cornwall has large areas of moorland this is an important part of the work.
History
The most southerly team in the British Isles is Cornwall Search and Rescue Team, however it has always had strong links with mountain rescueMountain rescue
Mountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometimes also used to apply to search and rescue in other wilderness environments. The difficult and remote nature of the terrain in which mountain rescue often occurs has resulted...
.
In 1965, Climbers’ Club custodian Jim Smith established the first mountain rescue post in the South West at the Carn Galver Count House at Bosigran in West Cornwall. Rescues at Bosigran, famed for its 200 metre climb “Commando Ridge” nicknamed after the World War II commandos who trained there in preparation for wartime cliff assaults, would be performed by other climbers who would go to the Count House to collect the rescue equipment.
Later, a subsidiary post was established in the Lands End climbing area and also the Liskeard
Liskeard
Liskeard is an ancient stannary and market town and civil parish in south east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Liskeard is situated approximately 20 miles west of Plymouth, west of the River Tamar and the border with Devon, and 12 miles east of Bodmin...
area, however the coastal posts (including Lands End) closed around 20 years later as the HM Coastguard developed their cliff rescue capabilities. Similarly, the two voluntary mine rescue
Mine rescue
Mine rescue is the very specialized job of rescuing miners and others who have become trapped or injured underground in mines because of mining accidents and disasters such as explosions caused by firedamp, roof falls or floods.- Expert volunteers :...
teams operating in the county disbanded in 1999 and 2008, after the fire brigade developed their mine rescue capabilities.
Until 2002, incidents in inland Cornwall and on the moors were dealt with by the rescue teams from Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
and Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
. However, due to an increase in call outs, it was decided that Cornwall needed its own team and Cornwall SRT was formed, originally with the name of Cornwall Rescue Group.
Area covered
Cornwall has an area of about 3500 square kilometres (1,351.4 sq mi) and the team covers all inland parts up to the border with DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, with HM Coastguard covering the coastal areas. Although most of the county is farmland and semi-rural, over 300 square miles (777 km²) of this is open moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
including tors and lowland heath.
Although the team borders four other teams at the eastern end of the county, its promontory position means it has to be completely self-sufficient, being unable to rely on immediate help from neighbouring teams for incidents in the western parts of the team's area.
Workload
Since its formation, the team has continued to be one of the busier teams in the South West, dealing with between 40 and 60 callouts a year. Like a lot of teams around the country, many of these callouts are “non mountain rescue”--searching for vulnerable people in rural locations. However the team deals with its fair share of moorland jobs, mainly on and around Bodmin MoorBodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in northeastern Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is in size, and originally dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history....
, including casualty evacuations and rescue call outs directly from the ambulance service and the police (the size of the moor and vulnerability of inexperienced explorers making emergencies more probable).
Cornwall SRT is also occasionally called to assist during times of severe weather and during major incidents, having played a key role in the Boscastle flood and during heavy snowfall across the higher parts of Cornwall, e.g. in the winter of 2009/10. This is in addition to the more specialist roles which the team also has including the provision of casualty carers and technical specialists for fire service rope rescues.
Organisation
Led by a Team Leader and four deputies, the team currently has around 35 team members, based throughout Cornwall and one Search and Rescue Dog Association dog handler. Equipment is carried in two team vehicles which are based at separate locations, towards our busier areas, one of the vehicles being a Land RoverLand Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
ambulance, and the other a control vehicle which also carries much of the technical equipment for CSRT’s rope rescue and water search teams. The team operates from its base at St Dennis
St Dennis, Cornwall
St Dennis is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated on the B3279 between Newquay and St Austell.St Dennis had a population of 2,696 in the 2001 census. A quarter of the male population is employed in the extraction of china clay.The village is famous for...
in Mid Cornwall.
The team continues to play a key role in the regional and national mountain rescue bodies, as well as working closely with neighbouring teams, and is an essential part of the emergency services across Cornwall. The Team is affiliated to Mountain Rescue (England and Wales) and also the regional representative body - the South West England Rescue Association.
Team members train every Thursday evening at locations across Cornwall, and also one Sunday per month.