Jan 2 2016
Incident 12/2016 – Team Water Search Dog deployment to Coventry to search for a missing man from January 31st 2015
Following on from our report dated Friday 1st January 2016, this morning our specialist Water Search Dog / DVSD, deployed to Coventry.
There follows an account by our Team DVSD / Water Search Dog Dave Marsh;
Team Water Search Dog Handler Dave Marsh with Search Dog Sasha and fellow handler Mike Dermody [British Transport Police] with his Search Dog Quincy journeyed down to Coventry on Saturday 2nd January 2016.
Both Dave and Mike are also members of SARDA Ireland North.
Meeting up at Dave’s house at circa 08-00 hrs, they met up with Dave Cook,[Bolton MRT Equipment Officer – Water] and Phil Davies [member of Oldham MRT].
Arriving at Coventry at 10-30hrs, they met up with a West Midlands Police Search Manager and also West Mercia Search and Rescue Team.
Following discussions, the assembled searchers undertook a search of the Coventry Canal from the city centre basin along a 5.5 mile stretch up to the Hawksbury junction.
The search centred around a 24 year old male who has been missing for eleven months
Supplied and crewed by members of WMSAR, the two boats present provided a ‘working platform’ which enabled the two handlers and dogs to concentrate on the important aspect of the search – mainly watching the dogs for any indication of them making a find whilst operating and searching on the waters surface.
Unfortunately, on this occasion, the search proved to be negative, so after a debrief and with gear packed away, the foursome travelled back to Bolton and onwards, to finish around 19-00 hrs.
Further details on this search can be found within the news pages of the Coventry Telegraph, and the website and Facebook site of WMSART (West Mercia Search and Rescue Team)
This search today represents the first deployment of 2016 for our DVSD Dog team.
Jan 3 2016
Incident 13/2016 – A missing male teenager at Rivington, thankfully quickly resolved
At 10.31hrs this very wet and damp morning, our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE received a mobile phone call from a concerned member of the public, who whilst walking with her daughter and son in the Rivington area, had become separated from her fifteen year old son, and now on Rivington Pike, had failed to locate her son for a time period long enough to cause her worry, given the wet and cold weather, her sons medical condition and the fact she could not contact her son on his mobile phone.
A kindly member of the public, out walking with her boyfriend had noticed the concern of the mother, found out her worries, and suggested calling out the Bolton MRT, establishing contact via a ‘Google search.’ (we are ordinarily and usually contacted via the Police or Ambulance Control Rooms)
Our Team Leader gathered appropriate information and suggested the mother (from the Penwortham area of Preston) retrace her route back to their family car parked at the Great House Barn Information Centre.
To reassure the concerned mother, who could still not raise her son on his mobilephone, it was decided to send team member Mike Marsh to meet up with her, whilst as a necessary precaution, our Team Leader liaised with Lancashire Constabulary as to the actions taken.
They in turn also tried to contact the ‘missing youth’ on his mobile phone.
At 11.15hrs, with team members Mike Marsh and Heath Doran en route to meet the mother and her daughter at Rivington, and just as team member Steve Fletcher was attempting to try and SARLOC the youths location, the mother re contacted our Team Leader to say she had located her son and all was well.
Lancashire Constabulary were informed, and by 11.20hrs the four team members who had been involved were stood down.
The mother concerned had nothing but praise for the help offered and that she had received from the Bolton MRT, and via our Team Leader asked that thanks be passed on to our three other team members involved and the Police.
She also expressed thanks to the young woman and her boyfriend who seeing her concern, had offered to help her on a rainy windswept Rivington Pike.
By Paul Brain • 2016, Incident