Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue

Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue (BLSAR) is a registered charitable lowland search and rescue organisation based in Berkshire, England. Its principal operational role is to support Thames Valley Police during searches for missing people across urban, rural, and difficult-to-access environments. The team also provides water and flood rescue, aerial reconnaissance, emergency logistics, and welfare support to other public-sector emergency responders, including Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Thames Valley Local Resilience Forum, and local-authority emergency planning departments. BLSAR is staffed entirely by trained volunteers. Unlike a commercial emergency-services contractor, it operates as an independent charitable organisation and does not receive statutory funding. Its equipment, vehicles, uniforms, training, and operating costs are supported through donations, grants, fundraising, sponsorship, and community event work. The organisation also provides first-aid cover, marshalling, and stewarding at public events, activities that both support local communities and help sustain its operational capability. The organisation was established in 1980 by John Cowling as a Civil Defence volunteer team. Its early members were predominantly local-authority employees who trained in message handling, incident logging, plotting, and map reading. It acquired a dedicated headquarters in 1981 in a former street-cleansing depot, which was adapted for training and communications. In 1984 the team moved to the basement of Easthampstead Park in Wokingham, a former government bomb shelter that served as its base for many years. The team was originally known as South East Berkshire Emergency Volunteers, abbreviated as SEBEV. In 1994, the expanded name was dropped and the organisation became known as SEBEV Search and Rescue; media reports also sometimes referred to it as Berkshire Search and Rescue. In 2011, the organisation adopted its current name, Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue, to describe its geographical coverage and specialist role more clearly. Since 1995, its principal function has been the provision of a 24-hour lowland search and rescue capability for Berkshire, while it has also supported neighbouring teams through the Association of Lowland Search and Rescue network. BLSAR trains in search techniques, navigation, radio communications, first aid, automatic external defibrillator use, water rescue, drone operations, rescue skills, leadership, and incident coordination. It maintains an incident control vehicle, an incident support vehicle, a water rescue unit, rescue boats, side-scan sonar, underwater cameras, and high-resolution thermal-imaging drones. These resources enable the team to search waterways, assist in flood incidents, provide medical and scene-management support, and conduct aerial reconnaissance. Its drones are also increasingly used by Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service during major fires. The team supports a wider resilience framework beyond missing-person searches. During floods, snow, storms, and other civil emergencies, it can assist with evacuations, rest-centre logistics and welfare, transport links, communications, and coordination with councils and emergency planners. It moved from the Easthampstead Park facility in 2018 and subsequently operated from temporary premises. BLSAR remains an active component of Berkshire’s integrated emergency-response network, complementing police, fire, ambulance, local-authority, and voluntary-sector services.

Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue began in 1980 when John Cowling established a Civil Defence volunteer team to support local authorities and statutory emergency services during civil emergencies. The early organisation was formed largely from council employees. Its initial training focused on practical coordination tasks such as handling messages, maintaining incident logs, plotting information, and reading maps. In 1981, the team obtained its first dedicated headquarters in a former street-cleansing depot on a local housing estate. The building was adapted to provide training space and communications facilities. As the organisation developed, council employees were gradually replaced by independent volunteers. The team ultimately became entirely volunteer-based, apart from cooperation with the relevant local-authority emergency-planning function. In 1984, the organisation moved to the basement of Easthampstead Park in Wokingham. The premises had previously served as a government bomb shelter and became a long-term base for training, equipment, and operational coordination. The group was initially known as South East Berkshire Emergency Volunteers, or SEBEV. In 1994, it stopped using the full expanded name and adopted SEBEV Search and Rescue. News coverage sometimes used the informal description Berkshire Search and Rescue. The organisation’s operational focus became more clearly defined during the 1990s. Since 1995, its principal role has been to provide lowland search and rescue across Berkshire, especially in support of Thames Valley Police searches for missing people. This work covers both built-up areas and rural terrain. When requested, the team also supports lowland search and rescue organisations in neighbouring counties through the Association of Lowland Search and Rescue network. In 2011, SEBEV Search and Rescue changed its name to Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue. The new name reflected the organisation’s county-wide identity and distinguished its lowland search role from other forms of search and rescue. Over time, its capabilities expanded beyond ground searches to include water and flood rescue, incident support, medical assistance, communications, and aerial reconnaissance. The organisation developed specialist water-rescue resources, including boats, side-scan sonar, and underwater cameras, as well as drone teams equipped with high-resolution thermal-imaging systems. BLSAR also became part of the wider emergency-planning and resilience arrangements in Berkshire. It supports Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Thames Valley Local Resilience Forum, and local authorities during severe weather and civil emergencies. Its potential tasks include evacuation assistance, welfare and logistical support at rest centres, and maintaining transport or communications links when flooding, snow, storms, or other incidents disrupt normal services. The team left its long-standing Easthampstead Park location in 2018 and subsequently operated from temporary premises. It continues to train weekly, supplemented by weekend exercises and multi-agency training. As a registered charitable incorporated organisation, BLSAR relies on public donations, fundraising, grants, sponsorship, and community event services rather than statutory funding. Its continuing role is that of a specialist volunteer partner to police, fire, local government, and other emergency organisations across Berkshire.

• 2018

  Departure from Easthampstead Park

  [1]Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescueen.wikipedia.org

  BLSAR moved away from its long-standing Easthampstead Park facility and subsequently operated from temporary premises.

• 2011

  Renamed Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue

  [1]Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescueen.wikipedia.org

  SEBEV Search and Rescue adopted its current name to better reflect its geographical identity and lowland search and rescue role.

• 1995

  Lowland search and rescue becomes principal role

  [1]Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescueen.wikipedia.org

  The team’s main operational function became support for Thames Valley Police in missing-person searches across Berkshire.

• 1994

  Name shortened to SEBEV Search and Rescue

  [1]Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescueen.wikipedia.org

  The organisation dropped the expanded South East Berkshire Emergency Volunteers name and became known as SEBEV Search and Rescue.

• 1984

  Move to Easthampstead Park

  [1]Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescueen.wikipedia.org

  The organisation moved to the basement of Easthampstead Park in Wokingham, a former government bomb shelter that became its long-term base.

• 1981

  First dedicated headquarters acquired

  [1]Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescueen.wikipedia.org

  The team acquired a former street-cleansing depot and adapted it for training and communications.

• 1980

  Civil Defence volunteer team established

  [1]Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescueen.wikipedia.org

  John Cowling established the organisation as a Civil Defence volunteer team supporting local authorities and emergency services during civil emergencies.

A volunteer-led charitable emergency-response organisation providing specialist lowland search and rescue and complementary resilience services to police, fire, local authorities, and communities in Berkshire.

• Search and rescue service · 1995

  Lowland search and rescue

  BLSAR provides trained volunteer teams to support searches for missing people across urban, rural, and other lowland environments. Its work is primarily carried out in support of Thames Valley Police and may include navigation, systematic searching, communications, incident coordination, first aid, and scene support.

• Rescue service

  Water and flood rescue

  The organisation maintains specialist water-search and rescue capability for waterways, flooding, and related incidents. Equipment includes rescue boats, side-scan sonar, and underwater cameras, supported by volunteers trained for challenging aquatic environments.

• Aerial reconnaissance service

  Drone reconnaissance

  BLSAR operates drone teams using high-resolution thermal-imaging equipment. The capability supports missing-person searches, aerial reconnaissance, and emergency-service operations, including assistance to Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service at large fire incidents.

• Emergency resilience service

  Civil-emergency support

  During flooding, snow, storms, and other civil emergencies, BLSAR can assist local authorities and resilience partners with evacuations, rest-centre logistics and welfare, communications, transport links, and other operational support.

• Event safety service

  Community event support

  Volunteers provide first-aid cover, marshalling, and stewarding for community events such as carnivals, music festivals, charity runs, sporting events, and firework displays. These activities also contribute to public awareness and fundraising for the organisation.

1. 1Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescueen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue official websitesebev.co.uk