Anyone else a 4x4response member?

[jimblowscash]

Just wondered if there were any other 4x4 response members on here...

Www.4x4response.co.uk a national charity who provide 4x4 vehicles and drivers to assist the community in times of adverse weather, help police, ambulance and search and rescue etc..

I run the Kent group..

[Twistedsanity]

I enquired about joining a group a few years ago and the list of stuff they insisted I had was horrendous ( not the Kent group I might add) , I am more than happy to use my time, fuel and vehicle to help others at my expense so I contacted the local hospices and hospitals directly and gave them my details , not much call for search and rescue in Watford though , its an excellent idea that seemed ruined by the organisers of the group I approached by a " it's my way or the high way " attitude

[ChAoS]

list of stuff they insisted I had

What sort of thing was on the list?

 

Regards,

 

Mark.

[jamiedenny]

I would certainly help and live on the east sussex / kent boarder. I work in kent / central london and as long as the only requirements were a legal and taxed 4x4 and not a list of winches and rescue gear (unless supplied) I am more than happy to provide my time.

 

I live on a hiltop farm and already provide lifts to staff members in the snow (aren't they lucky!!!).

[kyska]

On a sort of same topic I looked at first responder for my rural area, ambulance times are not good here.

 

I have a 4x4, a nurse of 18 years and my mrs a dr, they never replied to my application.

[Dirty Harry]

On a sort of same topic I looked at first responder for my rural area, ambulance times are not good here.

I have a 4x4, a nurse of 18 years and my mrs a dr, they never replied to my application.

Probably worried that you know more than them and would show them up.

[stokie]

I offered to join a local group asking for members a few years ago . They wanted a seperate public liability insurance and you to pay for yourself to become an advanced driver

I'll help anyone whose stuck but not if its going to bankrupt me

[jimblowscash]

If they were part of the 4x4response network they / you would have full liability insurance provided, no separate insurance other than your standard insurance is needed. And as for special kit .... Simple tow strop and shackle, food , water, shovel, blankets, maps of the area or sat nav, first aid kit, fire exstingusher and if you can run to a cb radio brilliant, paper and a pencil.... That's about it!

 

Various different regional groups will use different systems but essentially if you're working on behalf of the NHS or local council you should get a fuel allowance or mileage paid back to you, usually and kind of search and rescue work is not paid but then it's up to you if you want to get involved, various groups offer free training for off road driving and navigation etc ( we do ) and if you get involved in other areas such as search and rescue you may well get put on advanced courses for free, for example I've been through my amateur radio licence, advanced first aid, powerboat level 2 , rapid water / water safety course and several search technicians courses all for free!

[Medic1281]

That's more training than the ambulance service gets! We do a blue light advanced driving course when we start the job, then no further training at all! I've been in nearly 10yrs and have never done any retests or further training. I'd love to get on a 4x4 course, but we just don't have them!

[HDAV]

http://www.4x4responsewales.org/recruitment.html

 

The required kit list is basically what we have in the works vans.............

 

 

Equipment Requirements

Basic Equipment List

4x4 Response ID Card
Decals
Hi Viz Jacket/Vest
Torch & Spare Batteries
Mobile Phone
OS Explorer Maps
Recovery Rope & Shackles
Gloves
First Aid Kit
Notebook & Pencil
Spade/Shovel
Basic Toolkit

Recommended Equipment List

All above plus

CB or PMR Radio
Waterproofs
Waterproof Boots
Compass
Fire Extinguisher
Jump Leads
Sharp Penknife
Warm Blanket
Water
Instant Meals

Edited August 13, 2013 by HDAV

[ferguson_tom]

Owning a landrover i have most of that kit list in there already, tool set for fixing the thing and first aid kit for fixing myself, hi viz jackets for when waiting on side of the road for recovery

 

I looked into joining the local one near me but the thing that put me off was they seem to spend most of their time delivering meals on wheels when it rains a bit, i know important but i would like to get some enjoyment out of doing it if using my own fuel risking my insurance when out in the snow etc.

[al4x]

Isn't this mostly a load of Walts who want to play in their 4x4 at the first sign of bad weather?

 

p.s is it that major an achievement having a landrover getting from London to Brighton as per the first photo

[Twistedsanity]

I can't remember exactly what they required as it was a few years back now but at the time it seemed daft to expect people who were offering their time and money for free to spend out on unnesacery items , I think one was a very expensive hi vis vest with the groups logo on the back and a cb radio ,the plain one I have was apparently just not good enough ! I know you cannot be sued by someone if you are giving first aid as you are classed as a rescuer which exempts you from prosecution but not sure how hat would translate across to pulling drivers of German cars out of ditches with a tow rope :-)

[ferguson_tom]

When i have helped pull people off muddy fields with the tractors at country shows we are more than happy to help but the only rule is they attach the rope or chain to their car that way if you rip the front bumper off or damage the motor its their fault.

[neil3728]

I am the Chairman of the Yorkshire 4x4 Response Group.

 

Twistedsanity things must have changed since then especially in our group, yes a hi-vis is required but the group provides that for a small deposit. CB is only an option as most of the communication is mobile phone based.

 

We have a list of equiptment that we recommened you caryy in your vehicle, but nothing is manditory.

[Sprinter]

Been a member of my local group for going on 6/7 months now, did my first call out in February ferrying a nurse between palliative care calls in deep snow. A great feeling of satisfaction was derived from knowing seriously ill patients were getting the care that they needed due to me getting their carer to them!

 

Most of the stuff in the requirements list live in the vehicle, anything else sits in a grab bag in the understairs and gets put in the vehicle if we go to standby. Our group provides Jackets/ID and Stickers foc and I have to say the organisation and support around a call-out is absolutely superb!

[four-wheel-drive]

 

Nice landy but it could do with a clean.

Edited August 14, 2013 by four-wheel-drive

[neil3728]

Is anyone else going to the LRO show at Peterbrough in September, I will be on our stand all weekend.

[WelshLamb]

No. It's all a big load of ********!!

[houlsby]

I was going to join yorks lincs response but its not really what I thought it was.

 

Having a seriously modified 4x4 I expected to be driving up a massive hill and helping someone who was inaccessable by air ambulance or dragging a car out of a ditch. Or something like that.. But.. It seems they just feed old people when it snows.. Don't get me wrong, if someone can show me that I'm going to do some serious offroading ill join.. But.. Driving down a snow covered road to feed Dorothy isn't my thing. (I do enough for my own ne mind anyone else! )

Edited August 15, 2013 by houlsby

[Salop Matt]

I would love to voluteer locally for this sort of thing but when i enquired i got no respose. What i offered was :

* Myself and my time (Saint John Ambulance ETA - blue light quallified drived with certificates and my Institute of Advanced Motorists certificate).

* 13 years of experience as ambulance crew and first aid dealing with all sorts as you can imagine.

* I have all the kit needed: In car hands free: shackles, tow strop, hi-vis, tools, tow rope, jump leads, fire extingwisher, gloves, shovel, water, food, note book and CB Radio etc)

Only thing is mt 4x4 is a Suzuki Jimny...... No i cant see this being a problem as its always got me everywhere previously without issue including off road in the snow. I have enough room to take a police officer or two out and still carry this kit and i also could carry a single Para or Dr or Tech etc with all the kit such as Defib, trauma bags and med gasses. So i could get the right people to the right places safely.

How ever i suspect I was dismissed as soon as they read Suzuki Jimny and Poopoo`d me and my vehicle as a few of the local teams vehicles are done up to the eye balls landrovers.

 

Its there loss but very short sighted of them !

[HDAV]

I would love to voluteer locally for this sort of thing but when i enquired i got no respose. What i offered was :

* Myself and my time (Saint John Ambulance ETA - blue light quallified drived with certificates and my Institute of Advanced Motorists certificate).

* 13 years of experience as ambulance crew and first aid dealing with all sorts as you can imagine.

* I have all the kit needed: In car hands free: shackles, tow strop, hi-vis, tools, tow rope, jump leads, fire extingwisher, gloves, shovel, water, food, note book and CB Radio etc)

Only thing is mt 4x4 is a Suzuki Jimny......

 

Bit overkill for delivering a lamb hot pot isnt it?

[ack-ack]

I'd never heard of this organisation until a few weeks back when i saw a heavily stickered up landy on the seafront. It had 4x4 response all over it as well as a vehicle specific number like a yank fuzz wagon (also plastered all over it) .Now i'm sure these groups do alot of good and i myself certainly dont mind helping out a fellow in need but christ on a bike, this motor looked whack and i could only guess at what sort of fantasist drove it.

[jimblowscash]

Lots of comments here that made me chuckle, as I said each group runs slightly differently and works with different agencies BUT the common theme running through them is that they are all formed of like minded people that want to help there community in times of adverse weather. I can only comment on behalf of the Kent group but we have people in everything from tricked up defenders with all the gear through to standard 4x4 estate cars with mud and snows on and everything in between. We've also got a whole group of support members who help run control, do administration, work the radios and map read / navigate on call outs etc that don't even have a 4x4!

 

Yes we have run meals on wheels out in occasions where there has been local flooding and also two feet of snow on the ground, we've also taken critical care nurses and home careers out, transported emergency blood, taken key emergency services staff to and from work, rescued stranded train passengers from a broken down train in three foot show drifts miles away from roads, taken part in major maritime rescue exercises , ferried casualties to and from reception centres , recovered stranded motorists and there cars in snow, floods and last year two feet of mud at the Isle of Wight festival! We actively take part in search and rescue callouts looking for missing people and conduct searches over hundreds of square miles of otherwise inaccessible ground, we've assisted the highway's agency both moving stranded cars and lorries and taking engineers out in snow, worked with the police, ambulance service and emergency doctors providing transport in the snow and flooding, we've rescued pilots and light aircraft that crash landed in ploughed fields miles from the nearest road, delivered emergency medical supplies to care homes and also had a bit of fun offloading in areas that you just wouldn't ever get the chance to otherwise!

The last year the Kent group racked up over 35k miles and volunteered over 2100 hours doing the above and much much more.

There's nothing like the feeling you get when you can honestly say you've made a real difference and in the case of the Kent group over the last year the difference was several people's lives that would undoubtedly been lost had we not got to them in time.

 

We don't wear out underpants on the outside, we don't have capes or masks, there's no funny handshake or mystical selection process and for the majority of us were just normal people who want to help!

[jimblowscash]

I would love to voluteer locally for this sort of thing but when i enquired i got no respose. What i offered was :

* Myself and my time (Saint John Ambulance ETA - blue light quallified drived with certificates and my Institute of Advanced Motorists certificate).

* 13 years of experience as ambulance crew and first aid dealing with all sorts as you can imagine.

* I have all the kit needed: In car hands free: shackles, tow strop, hi-vis, tools, tow rope, jump leads, fire extingwisher, gloves, shovel, water, food, note book and CB Radio etc)

Only thing is mt 4x4 is a Suzuki Jimny...... No i cant see this being a problem as its always got me everywhere previously without issue including off road in the snow. I have enough room to take a police officer or two out and still carry this kit and i also could carry a single Para or Dr or Tech etc with all the kit such as Defib, trauma bags and med gasses. So i could get the right people to the right places safely.

How ever i suspect I was dismissed as soon as they read Suzuki Jimny and Poopoo`d me and my vehicle as a few of the local teams vehicles are done up to the eye balls landrovers.

 

Its there loss but very short sighted of them !

I'm sorry to hear your experience as above, all I can say is that if you were in Kent I'd snap you up! We've got several ambulance Tec's and a few paramedics on the team and from memory one of them drives a Subaru Justy, and moreover got everywhere we needed her too as well!