Grants to increase the lifesaving capacity of charities

A £28,000 grant will “significantly increase” a search and rescue service’s ability to save lives, the charity said.

Search and Rescue Dogs Association Isle of Man (Sarda IOM) received the money from the Manx Lottery Trust to pay for “much needed equipment” and improve safety systems.

The charity trains dogs to help locate people who are missing or lost, often in difficult terrain.

Marc Marshall of Sarda IOM said the funds would improve efficiency and safety for handlers and their animals.

The grant-funded kit included first aid kits, survival bags, defibrillators, dog coats, helmets for winching helicopters and “navigating treacherous locations” and survival shelters to treat victims in remote areas.

The funds would also be used to purchase a search management system, which would provide live tracking capabilities for teams deployed in different areas, and which would help manage equipment logs, training, calls and events.

Mr Marshall said: “This grant will significantly enhance our ability to respond to emergencies and save lives in the Isle of Man.

“Our canine teams often face challenging and unpredictable search and rescue situations, so the new equipment and search management system will not only improve our efficiency, but also the safety of our handlers, their dogs and the individuals we seek to rescue. ”

Chairman of the Manx Lottery Trust said the charity’s dog teams played a “vital role in the safety of our island”.

“The equipment and search management system funded by this grant will undoubtedly save lives and strengthen the resilience of our community,” he added.

Follow BBC Isle of Man on FacebookAnd X? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]

Related Internet Links