Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks' (SSEN) has given a further donation from its Resilient Communities Fund to help Isle of Wight Search and Rescue (WightSAR) to buy a new Incident Control Vehicle that will help boost the organisation's capabilities on and around the island

With additional donations from National Lottery and Isle of Wight based charities, the money has enabled the purchase of a new vehicle, fully fitted out to serve as a mobile office and communication hub and featuring a 12-meter radio mast to allow seamless and secure digital communication with search teams.

The vehicle is equipped with advanced mapping technology, facilitating the identification and recording of areas searched, enabling search planners to make informed decisions in real-time and enhancing the island's well-established search and rescue function.

WightSAR's new Incident Control Vehicle also serves as a casualty equipment store, carrying essential resources such as evacuation stretchers, first aid kits, and specialised search equipment. Its deployment significantly enhances the WightSAR's operations, with the fully-kitted out vehicle arriving at the end of a week where its volunteers were called out on three separate occasions.

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WightSAR's founder and chairman, Dean Terrett said: "We hugely appreciate the £20,000 award given through SSEN's Resilient Communities Fund to our local charity. The new vehicle provides a much-needed new base allowing our Search Planner to work with Police to coordinate the search, utilizing sophisticated mapping and research-based tools to find the missing person as quickly as possible.

"The vehicle is fitted with improved digital communication systems to allows vital search information to be relayed immediately to and from search teams on the ground. Then, when a missing person is located, live information can be relayed to the vehicle directly from the scene, ensuring the most appropriate response for the casualty."

SSEN's Head of Region for the South East and Isle of Wight, Andy O'Connor added: "Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks is delighted to have been able to assist in funding this vital vehicle for WightSAR; a voluntary organisation which operates round the clock, 365 days a year, and provides invaluable services across the island, as well as supporting Hampshire Constabulary in locating high-risk and vulnerable missing individuals.

"The £20,000 award given through SSEN's Resilient Communities Fund reflects the dedication of the volunteers, the quality of the service they provide and the role they play in enhancing the safety and resilience of their community."

SSEN's 2023 Resilient Communities Fund has now closed to applications, with the panel - made up of organisations with expertise in community resilience planning - reviewing applications and determining which projects should receive funding, with the successful applications announced in the autumn.  

Now in its ninth year, the fund has seen a wide variety of applications seeking to boost communities through improving resilience and responding to the needs of their residents in adverse and difficult circumstances. 

Set up in 2015, the Resilient Communities Fund has provided £4.7 million to 680 not-for-profit community groups and charities. Following the conclusion of this final year of the Resilient Communities Fund, SSEN Distribution will be developing and launching a new fund in late autumn of 2023. While continuing to support community resilience, this new fund will seek to include environmental resilience and the adoption of low carbon technologies. Full details and timescales will be announced later this year.