Horowhenua Search and Rescue hone skills in annual exercise at Makahika Outdoor Centre

Search and Rescue volunteers had a training exercise last month.

Horowhenua Search and Rescue held their annual training exercise last month and Levin police’s Youth Aid Constable Fiona Read said it means personnel will have the best chance of success in a real search operation.

During the training, search and rescue personnel were able to practise search skills such as search management, bushcraft, navigation, radio communication, first aid and tracking skills.

“This year’s scenario was a father, daughter and a friend who had not returned from an overnight trip into the Mill Block area of the Te Araroa Trail off Poulton Drive, Levin. They were well equipped for a night out and always punctual, therefore, being late was unusual. However, they did not carry a personal locator beacon and there is no cellphone signal in that location.”

The Search and Rescue volunteers had to practice carrying someone on a stretcher.

Makahika Outdoor Centre was used as a base for the exercise and a total of 46 volunteers from Horowhenua, Palmerston North and Tararua Land Search and Rescue groups, along with a search dog and handler, assembled at the base, where teams were sent into the field to locate the missing persons.

“By lunchtime Saturday the girls were located, one with a broken leg that required first aid and then a stretcher carry out. The father was located a short time later.”

Read said the exercise was invaluable in providing the teams with the opportunity to test their skills and to work with others from around the district.

She said Search and Rescue not only deal with lost persons in the bush, but more commonly they are now being called on to look for elderly folk that suffer from dementia and those who may wander with neurodiversity issues, in urban environments.

The Horowhenua Search and Rescue group are currently fundraising for a purpose built base at the Levin showgrounds. The building will be used by the group to run training and search operations from, as helicopters are able to land at the showgrounds.

The group are a not-for-profit registered charity and an incorporated society.