The latest exercise to test the multi-agency response to finding missing people in Dorset was held on Brownsea Island on Friday 8 December 2017.

Specially trained officers from Dorset Police were joined by colleagues from the Coastguard, RNLI, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue, Dorset Search and Rescue, Hampshire Search and Rescue Dogs, Dorset Search Dogs and the Royal Life Saving Society as well as the NPAS helicopter.

The first live scenario they encountered involved three missing people, including a 10-year-old boy, and a second scenario involved a vulnerable man who had been reported missing.

The services worked together to plan and co-ordinate the search and locate the missing people.

Earlier this year an exercise was held in Holt Heath Nature Reserve after officers took part in a week-long specialist training course to become Lost Person Search Managers to further improve the Force’s capability for finding missing people.

The Brownsea Island exercise also marked the completion of Dorset Police’s second training course for a further 11 Lost Person Search Managers.

Superintendent Mike Rogers, of Dorset Police, said: “Exercises such as this are a valuable way of testing the response of the various agencies involved to major incidents, the roles they each play and how they work together in such scenarios.

“They help us test our plans and resilience and ensure that our staff are up-to-date with the latest practice.

“I would like to thank all the personnel from the various agencies and organisations who contributed to the exercise as well as the National Trust for its permission and support to run the event on Brownsea Island.”

Dorset Search Dogs has received a boost to its funds after kind-hearted colleagues at the nearby Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) depot held a bake sale to raise money for the volunteer organisation.

Workers from the SSEN Poole depot had heard that Dorset Search Dogs was hoping to purchase an infra-red camera, which enables search crews to pick up heat signatures when they’re called into action in the hunt for missing persons.

As the SSEN team had already tackled Dry January and Veganuary, they decided that the rewards of baking were just what was needed to help them raise funds for the local organisation, which provides search and rescue support 24 hours a day – all year round – and relies on donations from members of the public and local companies to operate.

Through the sale of scones, sponges and strawberry tarts, the team raised a total of £200 to contribute to the purchase of the much-needed camera equipment.

Matt Yates, Community Relationship Manager for the region acted as both baker and banker for the fund-raiser and said: “Dorset Search Dogs is a well-known local organisation that functions purely through donations and when we heard that they were looking to buy such an important piece of kit, we didn’t hesitate to help. We’d all tackled the alcohol- and meat-free months at the start of the year, so we knew we needed something a bit more indulgent to get our colleagues to part with their cash and a bake sale was the perfect option.

“We know the service that Dorset Search Dogs provides to the local community is vital and we hope the money we have raised helps them to enhance the incredible work they do.”

Laurence Jeffries of Dorset Search Dogs commented: “We would like to offer our thanks, once again, to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, and especially the Poole depot staff, for their continued support of our charity.

“Dorset Search Dogs relies on donations to maintain its operational effectiveness when called out on behalf of the Police to search for vulnerable missing people; at all times and in all weather conditions. This donation will make a large difference towards maintaining and increasing our operational capability.”

Find out more about SSEN HERE