NEWSAR: Phone Find technology helps locate person in need of help in Deeside countryside

A person experiencing a medical emergency in the Deeside countryside was successfully located and assisted on Saturday, thanks to the swift actions of the North East Wales Search and Rescue Team (NEWSAR) and North Wales Police.

The individual in distress was unable to communicate their location verbally but managed to respond to a Phone Find request sent by the search and rescue team.

Had this not been successful, NEWSAR team members were on standby to conduct a thorough search of the area.

Police officers and other emergency services were then directed to the individual’s location, and NEWSAR was subsequently stood down.

PhoneFind is a tool used by mountain rescue teams to locate individuals in need of assistance.

When activated, the person receives a text message with simple instructions to follow.

Their phone’s GPS data is then utilised to pinpoint their location.

24/7

NEWSAR is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the team primarily operates in North East Wales, covering the counties of Flintshire, Denbighshire, Wrexham, and parts of Conwy and Powys.

In addition to their local work, NEWSAR regularly assists other Mountain Rescue teams in North Wales, as well as Lowland Search and Rescue teams in Cheshire and Shropshire.

The team is comprised entirely of volunteers who dedicate their time to search for vulnerable people missing from home or those in need of rescue.

It costs approximately £30,000 per year to run the team, covering fuel and repairs for vehicles, protective equipment, training courses, and essential team equipment such as ropes and stretchers.

As a registered charity, NEWSAR relies primarily on grants, individual donations, legacies, street collections, and collection tins to fund its vital operations.

[Top Image: Library photo from 2021]