News and events around the network this Friday (25/04/09)

[Bob Hatcher]

Thanks to their resident professional opportunist Jamie, 4x4 Response North East have recently recieved a small windfall from a local branch of national company. ARCO have kindly provided them with £50.00 (10x£5.00) vouchers valid until the end of the year with which we can purchase essentual equipment and or consumables.

They have also reached agreement agreement on the first draft of..............



"Protocols for support to Durham Constabulary and Tessdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team by Volunteers from 4x4 Response North East."



(Operational and Contingensy Planning Unit-April 2008)



Members of Yorkshire & Lincolshire 4x4 Response are away for a backwoods camping weekend on Friday, both team-building and bonding. Let us hope that the weather stays relatively dry for them



Wales 4x4 response had a meeting on Tuesday with South Wales Fire and Rescue service to discuss an Mou with them and how they would be used for Staff depkoyment in severe weather conditions transporting crews to heath fires and also deployment of water bowsers to various locations on heathland. They are also holding a training and assesment excersise this weekend at Radnor which should see another 29 members reach responder status.



Tony Ferarri of Hertfordshire 4x4 Response has attended a workshop at the Government Office for the East of England with the Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) part of the Cabinet Office, regarding the Mobile Telecommunications Privileged Access Scheme (MTPAS).



This is the system where by emergency responders get preferential access to the mobile telephone networks in the event of an emergency and replaces the old ACCOLC system.



Of interest to 4x4 Response was the fact that the entitlement criteria for the scheme now included:



Partners of Category 1 responders, including the voluntary sector, who have a requirement to be in communication with Category 1 responders when performing a front line role in the response phase of an emergency;



We intend to follow this up nationally.



John Tidmarsh attended a meeting of SEVAG (Somerset Emergency Voluntary Agencies Group) chaired by Somerset CCU this week and reported on the activities of Wessex 4x4 Response during the winter snow falls. Not only in Somerset but the also the Wessex region as a whole.