Rescue Team celebrates 50 years with new exhibition

A new exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Tavistock section has opened at the National Park Visitor Centre, Princetown.

In November 1967, two army officer cadets (aged 22 and 28) lost their lives after getting caught out by heavy rain and cold wind during an exercise on Dartmoor.  In response to this tragedy a volunteer group was set up to help injured walks on Dartmoor. 50 years on, the Tavistock section of Dartmoor Search and Rescue are celebrating their achievements. For the next month at the National Park Visitor Centre in Princetown you can see an exhibition of their history, notable callouts and information on the professional and highly motivated team they have now become.

Dartmoor Search and Rescue exists to help the police and other related rescue organisations to locate, render appropriate assistance and evacuate missing persons to a place of safety.

The Team’s services are entirely voluntary and in particular demand in situations where weather conditions are poor and the location of the missing person is unknown. All team members are highly trained in a variety of skills ranging from First Aid through to Navigation, searching techniques and radio operation.

Individual search teams are coordinated through a hill party leader who is in constant radio contact with the team leader coordinating the search effort. They work closely with the police who initiate calls in situations where their services may be required.

The National Park Visitor Centre, Princetown, is open daily and the exhibition is running until 2 October 2018.

For more information visit www.dsrt-tavistock.org.uk