West Mercia Search & Rescue
Everyday heroes, every day
We are the first
face they see when
all else is lost
Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Searching for
vulnerable missing people and saving lives across
Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
On call 24/7, unpaid, for the people who need us most.
What We Do
We are called out by the police and fire services to find and save people across three counties. Our volunteers are trained to the same standards as the emergency services.
Finding missing and vulnerable people
Coordinated ground searches across woodland, open land, water and urban terrain, guided by statistical models from thousands of cases.
Flood response and water rescue
Three powerboats, sonar, underwater drone and kayak fleet. DEFRA-registered flood rescue boat team, deployable nationally.
Drone and sonar search
Aerial thermal and visual imaging covering large search areas, plus underwater sonar for river and reservoir searches.
Community safety education
Water safety courses, school visits and community talks. The best rescue is the one that never needs to happen.
Help Us
Your donation helps fund specialist equipment, training, and operational costs for our volunteer teams responding to emergencies 24/7.
£50
Specialist Training
Provides one volunteer with specialist training in search techniques or water rescue skills.
£75
Water Rescue Kit
Funds the dry suits and safety gear that keep our water rescue volunteers safe.
£150
Boat Maintenance
Covers the servicing and upkeep that keep one of our rescue boats ready to launch.
Real Stories
One of the few incidents we can talk about is the Story of Tom Jones. Tom’s parents have become Ambassadors for the WMSAR team to champion the work we do for water safety, and the Home & Dry campaign.
150 +
Incidents attended annually
8000
Volunteer hours
3
Counties we cover
How we mobilise and find missing people
When someone goes missing, time matters. We work with police to search day and night across three counties, moving quickly through terrain others cannot navigate safely.
The call comes in
Police contact us with details of a missing person. We gather information about their habits, health, and likely movements. Our volunteers know the landscape, the woods, the hills, the water and where vulnerable people tend to go.
Teams deploy fast
We mobilise trained volunteers with specialist equipment. Drones scan from above, teams search on foot, handlers work with search dogs. We coordinate with fire and police to cover ground methodically.
We bring them home
When we find someone, we ensure they receive immediate care and support. Our work doesn’t end at the rescue, we help families through the aftermath with compassion and discretion.
Our boat teams and flood response capability
Rivers rise without warning. When they do, our DEFRA-registered boat teams are ready to rescue people from rising water, working alongside fire and police services.
Registered and equipped
We hold DEFRA registration for flood rescue operations. Our boats are maintained to the highest standard, and our crews train regularly in swift water rescue and emergency response.
We respond to floods
When communities flood, we deploy within hours. We rescue people trapped by rising water and support emergency services in conditions that demand specialist knowledge and nerve.
We work with others
Flood rescue is not a solo effort. We coordinate with fire and police, share intelligence, and ensure every rescue is executed safely and efficiently.
Free water safety course
Learn how to keep safe, rescue and revive.
Our free programme is helping communities across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire stay safe around open water.
The best rescue is the one that never needs to happen
We teach water safety in schools and run community programmes to help people understand risk and stay safe.
- Schools
- Community
- Workshops
Schools
Water safety education for young people
We visit schools across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire to teach children how to stay safe around water, whether that is rivers, canals, lakes or floodwater.
Our sessions are practical, engaging and tailored to different age groups, helping children understand real risks in a way that is clear and memorable. We focus on simple actions that can prevent accidents, what to do if they or someone else gets into difficulty, and how quickly situations can change around water.
All sessions are delivered by trained volunteers with real operational experience, so the guidance is grounded in reality, not theory. This means pupils hear directly from people who deal with these situations, helping the message land with greater impact and relevance.
Community
Water safety where people need it most
We bring water safety sessions to community groups across the three counties, from walking clubs and anglers to youth organisations and parish events. Our volunteers tailor each talk to the audience and to the waterways they live near, sharing practical knowledge that comes from responding to real emergencies.
We can also join your community event with a vehicle, a boat and the people who crew them, which is often the conversation starter that gets families talking about staying safe near water.
Workshops
Practical skills that save lives
Our workshops go a step further than a talk. We offer free CPR sessions for community groups and businesses, guidance on what to do if you are first on the scene of an emergency, and practical water safety demonstrations. The first few minutes of an emergency matter most, and we want as many local people as possible to know what to do with them.
