Frequently asked questions

No. We are an independent charity. We work alongside the police and fire services, but we are not part of either organisation. We are deployed by them when they need our specialist search and rescue capability, but we operate under our own governance, our own training standards and our own funding.

No. We can only be deployed by the police, fire or ambulance services. If someone you know is missing or in danger, call 999. The emergency services will assess the situation and contact us if they need our help. This is how the UK search and rescue system works, and it ensures that every search is properly coordinated and managed.

No, not a penny. Every single member of the team is an unpaid volunteer. We do not claim expenses. We do not receive a salary. We give our time, our skills and often our own money to keep this charity operating. When a volunteer drives for an hour to reach a search and spends eight hours in the rain looking for a missing person, they do it at their own cost.

Entirely through charitable donations and grants. We receive no government funding whatsoever. Every piece of equipment, every hour of training, every litre of fuel, every insurance premium and every vehicle on the road is paid for by the generosity of individuals, businesses and grant-making organisations. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of what we do. Most people assume that search and rescue is paid for by the taxpayer. It is not.

We cover the counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, which is the West Mercia Police area. We are the only Lowland Rescue team in the region. Our operational area covers roughly the size of Southern Cyprus. We have bases in Telford and Kidderminster, and our volunteers are spread across all three counties. As a DEFRA-registered flood rescue team, we can also be deployed nationally in the event of widespread flooding.

The people we search for are almost always vulnerable. They may be living with dementia, experiencing a mental health crisis, or at risk of harm. Their families have a right to privacy, and in many cases the police will ask that no details are made public. We respect that completely. It means we often cannot celebrate our successes or share the outcomes of our work, which makes fundraising harder but is absolutely the right thing to do.

We understand the instinct to help, and the police will sometimes organise opportunities for the public to assist with a search. If you do take part, always follow police guidance, stay well back from the water’s edge, and never search near water alone. Go in pairs or small groups, keep a note of who is searching where, wear sturdy boots, and please do not bring children along. Physical searching can be dangerous for untrained people, and the last thing anyone wants is a second casualty.

You can make a one-off or regular donation through our website. We accept online payments and can also arrange direct debits for those who would like to give monthly. Every penny goes towards supporting and maintaining the operational rescue team. You can also sponsor our river patrols specifically, leave a gift in your will, or fundraise for us by organising your own event.

Absolutely. We welcome corporate partnerships at every level. This might include direct financial sponsorship, employee volunteering days, service-in-kind donations (such as accountancy, vehicle maintenance or insurance), or simply choosing WMSAR as your company’s charity of the year. We can provide water safety training for your staff, deliver presentations about our work, and give your business meaningful CSR engagement with a cause that is right on your doorstep.

Directly to keeping the team operational. That means equipment (boats, drones, vehicles, radios, medical kits, personal protective equipment), training (courses, venues, materials, external instructors), vehicle costs (fuel, insurance, maintenance, MOTs), operational costs (communications, IT, mapping software) and overheads (insurance, storage, administration). We have no paid staff. Every penny that comes in goes towards the mission.