Funding from Scottish and Southern Electricity Network's (SSEN) Resilient Communities Fund has given the Oxfordshire Lowland Search and Rescue (OxSAR) the green light to purchase a new Incident Control Vehicle.

OxSAR applied for the funding, which provides up to £20,000 to applicants seeking to boost resilience projects in their communities in the north of Scotland and central southern England, to enhance their response to calls for assistance in missing person searches.

When a vulnerable person goes missing, the OxSAR team are called by Thames Valley Police and can mobilise a team of volunteers within an hour. The vehicle is then the centre of the search activity; where the search is planned, where the operational details are organised and as an area to hold all the necessary equipment for specialised searches including water rescue in river or floodwaters.

The new vehicle - funded by SSEN, has cutting edge search management technology and puts OxSAR at the forefront of Search and Rescue operations in the UK. With increased space for vital medical and rescue equipment and two workstations for a search manager and an operations manager, the members of the team can work independently, but in close enough proximity in order to share vital information.

Lucy Anderson, SSEN Customer Relationship Manager added: "It's great to see the SSEN Resilient Communities Fund being used to purchase a vehicle that will bring so much benefit to the local community."

 "Helping our customers to build their own resilience through these funding awards is just another way of showing that our customers really are at the heart of all we do."

Jonathan Stevenson-Paul, OxSAR Chairman, said: "We are delighted with the generous grant from SSEN which allowed us to purchase this new, state-of-the-art van. This will allow us to be more efficient, improve the workflow within the team, saving more lives. It will further support the work and dedication of our outstanding volunteer team."

For further information on how can apply to Scottish ad Southern Electricity Network's Resilient Communities Fund, please click here.