Whakatāne Land Search and Rescue to move into permanent premises with support from Trust Horizon

Whakatāne Land Search and Rescue Inc. has secured funding from Trust Horizon, which will go toward the electrical component of their new centralised Search and Rescue Operations Control Room.

Whakatāne Land Search and Rescue has worked with the New Zealand Police for over 40 years, locating people who become lost, missing, or injured within the wider Eastern Bay of Plenty. Last year alone, the group’s volunteers contributed 3000 hours, and returned 14 members of the local community back to their loved ones. 

Until now, the organisation’s 68 volunteers have operated out of a private residence and a mobile trailer. However, the ongoing demand for search and rescue services – combined with the group’s specialised training needs – has seen a growing need for permanent premises. St. John Whakatāne has offered to lease Whakatāne Land Search and Rescue part of their Arawa Road complex, which the group will be upgrading into a high-tech, modern, and centralised operations centre.

Whakatāne Land Search and Rescue’s geographical reach spans from Pukehina in the West to Cape Runaway in the East, and back into the central Te Urewera and Raukumara Ranges. This expansive coverage means a centralised base with modern equipment is critical to their efficiency. “The more accurate information we have, the sooner we can come up with a plan to locate the person that’s missing,” says Acting Chair of Whakatāne Land Search and Rescue, Mike Lawton. “In what we do, time is often critical to the outcome, so connectivity is key.” 

The grant from Trust Horizon will go towards creating that connectivity, contributing to the new control room’s electrical components and modern technological equipment. “Whakatāne Land Search and Rescue does a fantastic job helping keep our community safe,” says Trust Horizon trustee, David Bulley. “We’re proud to support the establishment of the group’s new premises, and look forward to seeing their great work continue well into the future.”

Whakatāne Land Search and Rescue’s specialist search and rescue skills are free to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “For us, it’s about being part of the community and providing a service,” says Lawton. “Our mission statement is ‘everywhere for everyone, no exceptions’. This new command centre will go a long way in helping us make that possible.”

Learn more about Trust Horizon’s community grants here.