Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Tavistock)

Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Tavistock) (DSRT Tavistock) is a volunteer-based search and rescue charity operating in the Dartmoor region of South West England. Registered under charity number 1201527, the team specializes in locating and assisting people who are lost, injured, or distressed in the wilderness of Dartmoor and surrounding areas.

History

The origins of DSRT Tavistock trace back to April 1968 with the formation of the Dartmoor Rescue Group in Tavistock. A small group of local moorland enthusiasts initially collaborated with the police to provide search and rescue support on Dartmoor. Over time, this group formalized into an official rescue organization affiliated with the Mountain Rescue Council. Eventually, the initial single charity split into four self-governing teams, each named after their home base: Tavistock, Ashburton, Okehampton, and Plymouth. DSRT Tavistock thus became an independent charity, while remaining part of the wider Dartmoor Rescue Group which oversees coordination and liaison among the four teams[2][3][5].

Purpose and Activities

DSRT Tavistock exists to support the police and other emergency services in locating, aiding, and evacuating missing or distressed persons in remote and challenging environments. The team’s services are especially crucial under poor weather conditions or when the precise location of individuals is unknown.

All team members are highly trained volunteers skilled in advanced first aid, navigation, search techniques, and radio communication. Search operations are conducted in coordinated teams led by team leaders who maintain radio contact with a central controller orchestrating the overall search effort. The team is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is frequently summoned by police forces across Devon and Cornwall[1][2][3].

Organization and Funding

DSRT Tavistock is entirely run by volunteers and receives no government funding. Its operational costs are met solely through public donations and fundraising efforts. The team is part of the Peninsula Mountain and Cave Rescue Association (PenMaCRA), which encompasses similar search and rescue teams in the South West of England and forms part of Mountain Rescue (England and Wales)[1][2].

Relationship with Other Teams

While DSRT Tavistock operates autonomously, it collaborates closely with its sister teams in Ashburton, Okehampton, and Plymouth. These four teams collectively form the Dartmoor Rescue Group (DRG), which manages shared training, equipment, and communications. The DRG also serves as the primary contact point for external organizations interested in mountain and moorland rescue in the Dartmoor area[2][5].

Note: In cases of emergency on Dartmoor or similar terrain, the recommended procedure is to dial 999 or 112, ask for the police, and then request mountain rescue assistance[1][3].

[1] https://dsrt-tavistock.org.uk [2] https://dsrt-tavistock.org.uk/about/ [3] https://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk/teams/dartmoor-tavistock-mrt/ [4] https://www.instagram.com/dartmoorrescuetavistock/ [5] https://dartmoor-rescue.org/our-history/