Desperately Seeking Someone...

The charity Exmoor Search and Rescue, which covers North Devon and Somerset, have teamed up with FASTSMS, from Worcester as they start to use a text-based system which enables the rescue teams to be co-ordinated via text message which is fast, reliable and cost effective.

Mike Long, Exmoor Search and Rescues Chairman, said;

"We have used the FASTSMS text service 6 times in the last 9 days; twice in one day, to assist the police search for lost and missing persons and help get those that are injured to safety. We used to use pagers which were time consuming and unreliable now we can text 30 mobile phones in an instant which saves valuable minutes at a rescue enabling us to save more lives."

Exmoor Search and Rescue is a voluntary organisation which helps the Devon & Cornwall and Avon & Somerset Constabularies search for missing people and transport the injured to safety. They are responsible for a huge area from Bude to Taunton and Glastonbury and includes the 267 sq miles of Exmoor National Park - 70 % of which is in Somerset with the remainder in Devon.

FASTSMS is being used by a variety of businesses and organisations that are attracted to its speed, reliability and cost-effectiveness.

David Pride, FASTSMS Business Manager, said;

"We are delighted to be working with the Exmoor Search and Rescue team. Almost everyone has a mobile phone and text messaging is a cheap, quick way of getting the team together. Even if a mobile is turned off or doesn't have a signal it still stores the message, with a pager you need to keep trying until you get through."

Mike Long continued;

"The FASTSMS text service means that we can inform our volunteers much quicker and we can co-ordinate the rescue easily. We are involved in various rescues from helping young people that are lost, people with mental illnesses, or those that have been caught in adverse weather conditions to climbers that have broken bones. We are pleased that this system will make our job even more successful"