Our Charity Shop is open again Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm
If you can't make it into the shop, we still need your help to continue running the team, if you could donate even a small amount it would be a great help:
|
|
The operational rescue team members are always available on call to assist the emergency services should they be needed.
|
Our Charity Shop in LancasterWe fund our training and rescue equipment through our charity shop.
If you have anything you could donate to the shop, or are looking for a bargain, why not call in and have a look. We have a furniture, books, clothes, shoes, electricals, DVDs and toys, so something for everyone. Shop enquiries please email sue@lasar.org.uk |
LASAR Kids Lifesaving ClubOur 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 that are based on common rescue skills used by pro lifeguards. |
Flood Water Safety CourseThis 4 hour course will provide you with the skills and knowledge to stay safe around inland and flood water.
This award is via 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. |
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. |
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 SLSGB Flood Rescue Teams come in...
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. |
SLSGB 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 two rescue boats, a Landrover Discovery 4x4 and a 4x4 Transit van, plus 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. SLSGB currently declare 11 flood search and rescue teams to both the Fire and Rescue coordination centre (FRSNCC) and local resilience forums. Two SLSGB Type B (Boat) teams were deployed to the floods in Cumbria and York in 2015 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. The SLSGB aim is to have 20 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 . |
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?
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?