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| Exeter Mountain Rescue Team | |
|---|---|
| Name | Exeter Mountain Rescue Team |
| Formation | 1964 |
| Region served | Devon |
| Headquarters | Exeter |
| Volunteers | 40+ |
Exeter Mountain Rescue Team is a volunteer search and rescue organisation based in Exeter, Devon, providing specialist casualty care, search, and technical rope rescue across the Devon countryside, coastline and moorland. The team operates as part of the wider United Kingdom voluntary mountain rescue community, coordinating with statutory services such as Devon and Cornwall Police, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, and local fire and rescue services. Its remit covers operations on and off the Dartmoor Plateau, along the Exmoor fringe, and in coastal areas adjacent to the English Channel.
Founded in 1964 amid rising outdoor recreation on Dartmoor and expanding motor traffic on A-roads such as the A30 (England) and A38 (England), the team emerged alongside contemporaries like Gloucestershire Search and Rescue and Yorkshire Dales Mountain Rescue Team. Early years saw collaboration with organisations including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the Met Office for weather briefings during large searches. The team’s development mirrors broader UK shifts following incidents such as the Winter Hill air disaster and legislative changes impacting emergency services coordination, leading to formalised links with county-level partners like Devon County Council.
The team is constituted of volunteers drawn from Exeter and surrounding towns such as Tiverton, Exmouth, and Newton Abbot. Membership comprises operational search technicians, incident controllers, medical officers, and support crew trained to work with agencies including HM Coastguard, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, and Police and Crime Commissioners offices. Governance is maintained by a committee and trustees who liaise with funders including local authorities and charities like The National Trust when operating on protected landscapes. Team members often hold certifications from bodies such as St John Ambulance and attend joint exercises with units like Bristol Search and Rescue Team.
Routine activities include day and night searches for missing persons on moorland such as Haytor and along coastal cliffs near Sidmouth. The team responds to incidents involving fellwalkers, climbers on crags like Houndtor, and casualties from road incidents on corridors including M5 motorway approaches. Operations frequently require coordination with helicopter assets from units like HM Coastguard Search and Rescue and aeromedical services such as Great Western Air Ambulance Charity. The team also engages in casualty evacuation, rope rescue from quarries e.g. Lustleigh Cleave, and welfare support during large public events such as Exeter Festival and county agricultural shows.
Training programmes address navigation on terrain such as the Dartmoor National Park, technical ropework for locations including Tors and coastal cliffs, and advanced first aid consistent with Association of Ambulance Chief Executives guidelines. Equipment inventories include all-terrain vehicles, rescue stretchers, rope systems, GPS and mapping devices from manufacturers common to teams across the UK, and personal protective equipment suitable for cold, wet exposures prevalent in South West England. Regular joint exercises are held with partners like HM Coastguard stations, Royal Mail logistics for access routes, and ambulance services to maintain interoperability during multi-agency incidents.
The team has been deployed to high-profile searches on Dartmoor and coastal cliffs, including multi-day searches that drew assistance from regional teams such as Cornwall Search and Rescue Team and Plymouth Search and Rescue. It has participated in operations following road traffic collisions on routes like the A30 (England) and in complex rescues involving technical ropework on features such as Buckland Beacon. The team’s responses have intersected with wider incidents necessitating coordination with organisations like Devon and Cornwall Police, HM Coroner inquiries, and media outlets such as the BBC.
Engagement activities include public first aid courses in partnership with St John Ambulance, safety briefings for walking groups affiliated with the Ramblers (UK), and youth outreach through Scouts groups such as The Scout Association. Fundraising is delivered via community events, collaborations with local businesses on the Exeter High Street, and appeals supported by regional media including the Western Morning News. The team secures funding through donations, grant applications to trusts like the Garfield Weston Foundation, and proceeds from charity events run with organisations such as Exeter Cathedral and local sports clubs.
Members have received commendations from constabulary leaders in Devon and Cornwall Police and recognition from civic bodies including Exeter City Council for voluntary service. The team’s operational standards align with national guidance from bodies like Mountain Rescue England and Wales and have been cited in regional safety campaigns promoted by Visit Devon and county emergency planning units.
Category:Mountain rescue in the United Kingdom Category:Organisations based in Exeter