New BBC series for Community Rescue Service

‘The Search’ is a new BBC series which features Northern Ireland’s Community Rescue Service.

The series follows teams who are called out to assist with high-risk missing persons, people with mental health issues or an elderly person.

The Community Rescue Service (CRS) provides a search and rescue response for missing persons throughout the entire region of Northern Ireland.

With over 130 volunteers, all Community Rescue volunteers are trained to high standards as set by ALSAR, the ACPO and the National Occupational Standards agreed by Skills for Justice and they are recognised by other rescue orgainisations such as the PSNI, Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Services and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

All photos: Community Rescue Service via Facebook

Community Rescue Service provides crisis intervention, suicide intervention, rural and urban search, water rescue, community support and education. Their mission is to deliver a ‘best in class’ service and work in partnership with others to ensure the safety and well-being of our community. The rescue units are also supported by regional assets such as search dogs, rescue swimmers and dive response.

The new series called ‘The Search’ starts on Tuesday 22nd on BBC One Northern Ireland at 10.40pm. It follows a search team who launch a major search operation when 33-year-old beatboxer Michael Cullen is reported missing in Belfast while across the city, volunteers are called to help a distressed man on a bridge.

The CRS are the PSNI’s first point of call when a person is reported missing.

The Community Rescue Service was formed in late 2007 and is modelled on similar organisations which have been operating in other countries throughout the world for many years.

There are several CRS units across Northern Ireland, and they are alerted by pager and are on 27/7 call out. Units were established in Antrim, Ballycastle, Belfast, Bush, Coleraine, Strabane, Portglenone and Warrenpoint.

As a voluntary orgainisation, they rely heavily on local support to carry out their work in the communities right across Northern Ireland.

The new series called ‘The Search’ starts on Tuesday 22nd on BBC One Northern Ireland at 10.40pm.