International Commitments

In 2023, the RLSS Commonwealth approached us about a special project to support water safety and lifeguard training in low-resource nations.

This project aims to address the burden of drowning in low-resource settings by educating lifesaving trainers in water rescue and resuscitation through realistic training mankins such as the Pool Rescue Training Manikin.

Working with the International Lifesaving Federation, who had previously received a donation of manikins to support such projects, we arranged for the delivery of Pool Rescue manikins to 6 countries including:

• India – Rashtriya Life Saving Society India
• Jamaica – Royal Life Saving Society Jamaica
• Kenya – Kenya Lifesaving Federation
• South Africa – Lifesaving South Africa
• Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka Life Saving
• Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad and Tobago Lifesaving Society

After much consideration, we decided to donate the full Volunteer Heroes Fund for 2021/2022 to the following three charities offering support to those most in need in Ukraine…

UNICEF – the UN’s children’s charity, which is helping to ensure families have clean water and food and that child health and protection services continue.

International Rescue Committee UK – The IRC is on the ground in Poland, working with local partners in Poland and Ukraine, to quickly mobilise resources that will provide life-saving support to civilians forced to flee their homes.

Association of Ukrainians In Great Britain – the largest representative body for Ukrainians in the UK, which has so far raised more than £1.1m, which will help fund medicine, food and other essentials for those in need.

Applicants of the fund were notified and responded with overwhelming support.

Bombeiros Penela is a volunteer Fire Brigade located in Penela, Portugal prepared and equipped to help the wounded and sick and to protect in any other way, the life and property of the inhabitants of the municipality of Penela.

FIND OUT MORE

Established in 2013, Saaremaa Volunteer Sea Rescue Society’s aim is to ensure and increase maritime safety in coastal waters, and to develop maritime rescue capabilities in Saare County, Estonia.

FIND OUT MORE

MTÜ Hiiumaa Volunteer Sea Rescue Society brings together volunteer lifeguards and also deals with prevention work, all in Hiiumaa, Estonia.

FIND OUT MORE

Bomberos Voluntarios Tegueste is a fire station in Tegueste located on the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife.

FIND OUT MORE

As a part of the disaster relief organizations, the German Red Cross, Team West provide medical service for lots of large scale events in Bonn. Lasy year, Team West were deployed at several mass casualty events like major railway accidents, the high floods of the river Rhine and Elbe, storms and two years in a row when severe thunderstorms and lightning strikes hit a music festival, causing high numbers of casualties.

The “Freiwilligen Feuerwehr Brandenberg” is a volunteer fire briage based in Brandenberg, Austria, founded on July 20th, 1906.

FIND OUT MORE

The Nucleo Fluviale F.V.G is an Italian river and aquatic rescue association born from a group of friends who share a passion for various water activities such as rafting, canoeing and canyoning.

FIND OUT MORE

Groupe Montagne des Sapeurs Pompiers de la Drôme are a team of rescue workers operating in a mountainous region to carry out mountain rescue, ski rescue, climbing rescues and some USAR.

FIND OUT MORE

Coober Pedy Mine Rescue are a specialist rescue team operating in a area famed for Opal mining. They assist with all manner of rescues, from underground caving, general above ground SAR and flood support to assisting the ambulance during highway accidents.

FIND OUT MORE

Marine Rescue Bermagui is tasked with providing 24 hour coverage 365 days a year and is a fully volunteer branch.  They called upon to assist vessels in trouble on the sea, which may be a fisherman who has engine problems and requires a tow back to harbour to participating in a full search and rescue of a missing vessel and persons.

FIND OUT MORE

The Hatley Volunteer Fire Department was established August 1st, 1978 to provide professional rate fire protection service from a group of well trained firemen.   We have since grown to maintain two stations, six pieces of apparatus, and over 30 active members thanks to the hard work and determination of our community.

The team form part of the Monroe County SAR.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS TEAM: CLICK HERE

Port Lincoln State Emergency Service volunteers respond to local Marine and Land emergency calls but also provide support Search and Rescue Services for the whole of the Lower Eyre Peninsula heading North to Cowell across west to Cleve, Lock, Elliston, Streaky Bay and 400km to the Far West to Ceduna. They also provide local instructions to support other SES Units.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS TEAM – CLICK HERE

A team of aquatic rescuers and instructors involved in pool and beach life guarding. They also provide drowning prevention, lifeguard training and CPR projects within high schools, prisons, to people with intellectual disabilities and young immigrants.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS ORGANISATION

The Sligo Unit of the Order of Malta spends most of the year attending festivals and sporting events. On certain occasions the unit partakes in light rescue operations during key events such as the annual Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage on Reek Sunday. This event sees the unit operating alongside Mountain rescue teams and other statutory services.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE TEAM

The SWRTT intervenes at the request of the civil protection authorities in emergency scenarios.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE TEAM

A volunteer unit inside the fire brigade, they assist with many kinds of rescue including road traffic accidents.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ORGANISATION 

The International Resilience Team of Search and Rescue Assistance in Disasters.

The IRT responds to the aftermath of natural disasters world-wide, including earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, mudslides and flooding. The IRT based and training the UK and will deploy in the UK and abroad. This team might be locating and extracting casualties from collapsed buildings and mudslides or rescuing people from floodwater and is on standby 365 days a year. The team also surveys and records buildings affected by these disasters and provides general structural engineering and medical advice to host countries.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE 

Awarded £1,000 towards the cost of purchasing a new rescue boat

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE TEAM: www.swrttoscana.it

Awarded £500 towards the cost of purchasing a ‘white-water’ style raft to use in flood situations.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE TEAM: www.facebook.com/nzrt4

Awarded £500 towards the cost of purchasing PFDs and Throw Bags for flood rescue.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE TEAM: www.facebook.com/NZRT18

The Geraldine Road Crash Rescue Team is a group of Fire Service and St Johns members with an interest in improving extrication techniques and patient care.

The Corps assists and provides cover at events such as in the Isle of MTV, Malta National Marathon, Drag Racing Duties, various activities organised by the office of the President, Clean ups and events organised by other NGOs.  The Corps also partakes in educational events about water rescue, high angle rescue as well as fire awareness and fire fighting together with  voluntary organisations and other groups.