Avon & Somerset Search and Rescue

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Avon & Somerset Search and Rescue

We are a Mountain Rescue team and charity funded by donation, and staffed and run by unpaid dedicated volunteers.
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We cover an area with a variety of environments: dense populations, forests, heathland, rivers, quarries and two of the UK’s largest inland cliffs.

02/06/2026

This National Volunteers' Week, we'd like to say a huge thank you to all of our amazing volunteers.

Whether they're responding to callouts in the middle of the night, giving up weekends for training, helping behind the scenes, or raising awareness in the community, every member of Avon & Somerset Search and Rescue plays a vital part in what we do.

We'd also like to thank the families, friends and loved ones who support our volunteers. Search and rescue doesn't just ask a lot of those who volunteer – it asks a lot of the people around them too. Thank you for your patience, understanding and encouragement when plans change, phones ring unexpectedly, or a search runs longer than expected.

Our team is made up entirely of volunteers, and we're incredibly proud of the time, dedication and commitment they give to helping vulnerable missing people and supporting our communities.

To every volunteer, and to everyone who supports them behind the scenes: thank you. We couldn't do it without you.

ASSAR is a completely voluntary organisation and relies entirely on public donations to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your support is really appreciated by us and the people we help.

assar.org.uk/donate

Mountain Rescue England and Wales
Avon and Somerset Police

31/05/2026

A rescue is never down to one person.

Long days on the hill, heavy kit, difficult ground — none of it happens without teamwork. From planning routes to supporting casualties and looking out for each other, every role matters.

Proud to train and respond together as Avon & Somerset Search and Rescue.

ASSAR is a completely voluntary organisation and relies entirely on public donations to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your support is really appreciated by us and the people we help.

assar.org.uk/donate

Mountain Rescue England and Wales

G4H Rescue. SAR, Police & Tactical store

29/05/2026

For over 50 years, our volunteers have been on call 24/7 — helping to locate, treat, and evacuate people from some of the most remote, rural, and challenging terrain across Avon & Somerset.

From lost walkers and injured mountain bikers to vulnerable missing people in hard-to-reach locations, our highly trained volunteer rescue team work alongside the other emergency services to bring people to safety when every minute counts.

As a specialist search and rescue resource, we respond day and night in all weather conditions — providing lifesaving support across Somerset, Avon, and the surrounding areas.

Our capabilities include:
- Cliff and steep ground rope rescue, recovery and access
- Land search and rescue
- Water margin search, swift water and flood rescue
- Land search management advice
- Assistance with scene management and logistics

ASSAR is a completely voluntary organisation and relies entirely on public donations to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your support is really appreciated by us and the people we help.

assar.org.uk/donate

Mountain Rescue England and Wales

G4H Rescue. SAR, Police & Tactical store

27/05/2026

What a weekend!

After receiving interest from over 1,000 people and more than 120 full applications submitted, we’ve just completed our 2026 Selection Weekend.

A huge well done to everyone who attended and threw themselves into the wide range of exercises and skill stations across the weekend. We hope you’ve all learnt something new, gained an insight into the types of incidents we respond to, and experienced first-hand the commitment, teamwork and resilience it takes to be part of the team.

A massive thank you as well to all of our team members who gave up yet another weekend to help deliver the selection process, share their knowledge and support the candidates throughout.

ASSAR is a completely voluntary organisation and relies entirely on public donations to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your support is really appreciated by us and the people we help.

assar.org.uk/donate

21/05/2026

Pop into Alpkit Bristol this weekend!

ASSAR is a completely voluntary organisation and relies entirely on public donations to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your support is really appreciated by us and the people we help.

Assar.org.uk/donate

Mountain Rescue England and Wales

20/05/2026

Read the Mountain Rescue England and Wales 2026 Annual Review online. In 2025 rescue teams across the country had:
• 3,968 call-outs
• 3,175 deployments
• 82% for an injured person
• 18% for a missing person
• 22% for a slip or trip
• 42% on a weekend
• 9% with helicopter assistance
Read the full story inside...

https://online.flippingbook.com/view/167587472/

ASSAR is a completely voluntary organisation and relies entirely on public donations to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your support is really appreciated by us and the people we help.

assar.org.uk/donate

18/05/2026

Sundays rope rescue session focussed on rescue anchor systems, with particular attention on bolt anchors — including how to inspect and assess existing bolts, and how to safely place removable bolts for rescue use.

The team will also revisited:
🌲 Tree anchors
🪨 Boulder / block anchors
🚑 Rigging a rescue scenario using newly placed removable bolts

A key part of the day was introducing the use of the Petzl COEUR PULSE 12 mm removable bolt — a new skill and capability for the team.

We also were pleased to be joined by members of our partner agencies for the session.

Training like this helps ensure our volunteers continue developing the technical rescue skills needed to operate safely and effectively in challenging environments.

ASSAR is a completely voluntary organisation and relies entirely on public donations to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your support is really appreciated by us and the people we help.

assar.org.uk/donate

Mountain Rescue England and Wales
Lyon Work & Rescue

17/05/2026

On Saturday, our Rope Rescue Lead and another of our Rope Rescue Supervisors braved the journey to the north for the Mountain Rescue England and Wales Exchange Learning and Improving (ELI) day at the JCB quarry near Stoke on Trent. Thanks to Paul from Kinder Mountain Rescue Team for organising the day and Western Beacons Mountain Rescue Team for the video!

ASSAR is a completely voluntary organisation and relies entirely on public donations to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your support is really appreciated by us and the people we help.

assar.org.uk/donate

14/05/2026

Did you know we have numerous team members trained to an advanced level as Remote Rescue Medical Technicians (RRMT’s) which was formerly known as Casualty Care within the team.

RRMTs from any team can work seamlessly together in any situation from an RTC or climbing accident through to a vast array of medical conditions.

Alongside this all team members are trained in basic life support, catastrophic bleeding, hypothermia and casualty handling. All team members should be able to provide this irrespective of background.

RRMTs are trained to a similar level to an Ambulance Technician but has some variations and added skills. RRMTs can provide resuscitation including bag valve masks and simple airways, complete an A-to-E assessment in medical and trauma scenarios, and provide some life-saving interventions (like chest seals and tourniquets).

Mountain Rescue teams, along with the RNLI, hold drugs to treat casualties. RRMTs can deliver analgesia as well as other treatments including for nausea, respiratory depression, cardiac pain, seizures, hypoglycaemia, and asthma.

Did you know our capabilities include:
- Cliff and steep ground technical (rope) rescue, recovery and access
- Land search and rescue
- Water margin search, swift water and flood rescue
- Land search management advice
- Assistance with scene management and logistics

ASSAR is a completely voluntary organisation and relies entirely on public donations to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your support is really appreciated by us and the people we help.

assar.org.uk/donate

Mountain Rescue England and Wales

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Avon And
And

Website

http://www.assar.org.uk/

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