Wessex Rescue

Wessex Rescue Water Rescue team based in Dorset, affiliated to SLSGB. The team is a Non-Profit Charity made up of volunteers.

Wessex Rescue is a voluntary water rescue unit based in the Wessex area and affiliated to SLSGB

After multiple major flooding throughout the country, a need for more independent flood rescue teams has been identified. When major flood events occur our team may be asked to respond alongside other emergency services to anywhere across the UK and Europe. Second to this the team are also used locally

to assist in any other water based search and rescue efforts

We are a Non-Profit Organisation and will be continually fundraising for the training of team members and for the necessary equipment needed for water rescue. Wessex area is defined as Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Isle of Wight and Hampshire but can extend further and we are deployable to anywhere within the country.

Thank you for the kind donations we are receiving from our Amazon List. During these busy times we get through a lot of...
18/08/2026

Thank you for the kind donations we are receiving from our Amazon List. During these busy times we get through a lot of kit.

If anyone is interested in our list please see below.

Callout 33- Drone team called to assist DWFireRescue with the 2nd day of the barn fire.
16/08/2026

Callout 33- Drone team called to assist DWFireRescue with the 2nd day of the barn fire.

15/08/2026

Callout 32 Drone team are currently on Canford Heath Poole supporting DWFireRescue with a Fire.

Polite request to keep drones away. We have permission to fly during this emergency from Bournemouth air traffic control in this airspace. Thanks all.

15/08/2026

Team callout 31 to assist DWFireRescue with a barn fire in Lulworth. Team deployed multiple drone teams early this morning and are still in scene.

Please if you like to fly drones to capture footage stay away from the area so we can ensure our drones can stay in the air unrestricted. Thank you.

13/08/2026

As we go into another heatwave the team has been put on standby due to increased risks of wildfire and water incidents.

Although we known mainly as a National DEFRA flood asset, with our training and equipment we have an ability to deploy teams to anything water related and also support the emergency services with drone assets. Both of our vehicles carry a mixture of Drones for different incidents including 4 thermal drones. Our most recent addition was purchased by the Civil contingency Unit in Dorset.

10/08/2026

Team out supporting Golden arrow and using our training and skills to demonstrate the capability of a new SAR RWC for the Icelandic Rescue service.

Callout 29 - tasked to search for report of a missing person in the Weymouth bay area. Drone team carried out multiple...
09/08/2026

Callout 29 - tasked to search for report of a missing person in the Weymouth bay area. Drone team carried out multiple flights of different areas.

Callout 28 to support Dorset Police with thermal drones in the Poole area for a missing person. Large areas searched wi...
04/08/2026

Callout 28 to support Dorset Police with thermal drones in the Poole area for a missing person. Large areas searched with no trace, team stood down.

25/07/2026

Exciting news. With sadly an increase in callouts this Year for water incidents, floods, missing people and drone requests the team have reviewed the current assets.

We are committed to helping the community of Dorset, the surrounding counties and when needed being deployed by the national asset register for flood incidents.

With this in mind we are busy raising funds and developing a game changing project for the team and with the help of The National Lottery Community Fund we are already making big progress with some way to go.

The team are creating a multi use van which functions will be getting members to incidents with rescue kit, acting as a welfare unit for team or casualties and being able to be used as a command unit when required for any of our multi agency partners. It will also carry some of our thermal drones with a live link ability including a drone provided to use by the Civil contigency Unit for deployment to major incidents.

Thanks to Talbot Village Trust and Christchurch trust the team now carry large battery power stations and this money has already purchased the battery units for the new vehicle.

Look out for the team fundraising at 999 days, Ellingham Show and Wareham Wednesdays Events where we have been selected as one of their charities for 2026.

Bournemouth Daily Echo BBC News Surf Life Saving GB

24/07/2026

Standby to support DWFireRescue.

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Bournemouth
BH65AA

Website

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