The Charity Shop is now open again

Thanks for your patience when we had to close temporarily due to a burst pipe water leak that occurred over the weekend on 3rd February, covering 70% of the building in water and causing a lot of damage.

We still have a few jobs to do but we are now open again and would be delighted to see you. We lost some stock, so would be grateful for any donations, specifically furniture and we can collect big items if you call 01524 846848.

Our Charity Shop in Lancaster

We fund our training and  rescue equipment through our charity shop donations. The new LASAR Charity Shop with FREE parking is on Caton Road (off Lansil Way) in Lancaster.
Come and have a look and grab a bargain! We're open 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday. 

We sell (and are always looking for donations of) furniture, clothes, bags, shoes, books, CDs, DVDs, working electrical goods, games, jigsaws etc. We would be happy to collect large items from you. 

Find out more

LASAR Kids Lifesaving Club

Our Kids Lifesaving Club comes under the Lancaster Area Nippers Lifesaver Pathway, and is for children aged 5-12. We teach them valuable water safety skills and train them as young lifesavers to Surf Life Saving GB  standards, giving them important water safety tips to keep themselves and their peers safe.

​In addition to lifesaving they can take part in fun water safety activities and sports that are based on common rescue skills used by pro lifeguards.

Find Out More

Flood Water Safety Course

This 4 hour course will provide you with the skills and knowledge to stay safe around inland and flood water. This award is authorised by Surf Life Saving GB, and meets the DEFRA Level 1 standard. Trained by our own Surf Life Saving Flood Rescue Instructor, and supported by our operational team members.

Find out more & book

News and social media

Follow Lancaster Area Search & Rescue on our News Page or on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Why does Lancaster need a rescue team?

In recent years much of the UK has suffered from the impact of flooding at an enormous emotional and social cost. Year after year multiple flood warning to the UK, specifically the North West are administered. Between 2006-2014 Cockermouth and Keswick were affected by widespread flooding, and during the winter months of 2015 and 2016 the devastation caused by Storm Desmond affected huge parts of Lancashire, Cumbria and York.

More recently in November 2017, Lancaster and specifically Galgate, were the worst affected by Storm Brian. Emergency crews received over 500 calls and attended more than 100 incidents in one night. When this level of disaster happens, the local emergency services need all the help they can get. 

Photo - www.virtual-lancaster.net

The Cabinet Office National Risk Register of Civil Emergencies 2013 identifies the greatest threat to public safety, after pandemic disease, as major coastal or inland flooding, and states: “Coastal flooding has the potential to have the most widespread impact in a single event.”​

Reduced funding from Government means that there are unlikely to be any increases in resources provided by the Fire Service. The Armed Forces are neither trained nor equipped for the flood environment.

That's where LASAR Flood Response comes in...

Our Emergency Flood Response teams have high standard, specialised training in compliance with the DEFRA Concept of Operations. This is the standard training that all our team members receive and any future volunteers. With our recently accepted grant applications and kind donations we now have a rescue boat and vital rescue equipment to enable us to provide search and rescue response during these floods.

The flood environment is one of the most dynamic, dangerous theatres of operations for the emergency services. Our SAR flood training has “Gold Standard” accreditation, working closely with World leading emergency response experts. When deployed, our teams integrate with the Emergency Service Command and Control system.

We currently declare 12 flood search and rescue teams to both the Fire and Rescue coordination centre (FRSNCC) and local resilience forums. Two of our Type B (Boat) teams were deployed to the recent floods in Cumbria and York and were directly responsible for over 250 rescue responses. We are also providing training for Level 1 community welfare flood responders and Terrestrial Search and Rescue as part of plans to strengthen community resilience.

​Our aim is to have 20 further Type B/C Teams and with the repeated floods in the Lancaster and South Cumbria Area there is enough evidence to support the formation of a team locally.

​Find out more about SLSGB Flood Response and Rescue .

Local river levels and flood warnings

Surf Life Saving GB is a Search and Rescue charity of 7,000 volunteers. SLSGB volunteers have been providing beach lifeguard training and patrolling the coast for more than 61 years. SLSGB teams are nationwide, training members in search and rescue, lifesaving, and fitness skills, helping create fitter and safer communities by the sea.

The formation of LASAR...

A charity was formed and a board of trustees voted in to provide direction and governance. A number of volunteers came forward to form an operational rescue team and went through intensive training by SLSGB. We secured premises to use as a training base and a Charity Shop to fund the team on Caton Road (off Lansil Way) in Lancaster.

We now need more people to join as rescue team members,  trustees,  support and fundraising roles, charity shop assistants and more importantly we are desperate for van drivers for a couple of hours every week or two (evenings, weekends, whenever?). We are also always looking for help with any donations small or large, offers of help, support, equipment and even vehicles!
How could YOU help?
​

Become a rescue team member?

Become a trustee?

Join our support, shop or fundraising team?

Invite us to come and talk to you?

​Pass on a link to this website?

Hold a Fundraising event?