Be part of the Dorset Search & Rescue team
Dorset Search and Rescue is a dedicated team of trained volunteers who work alongside the emergency services to help find vulnerable missing people across Dorset. If you’re looking for a rewarding challenge and want to make a real difference in your community, joining DorSAR could be for you. Whether as an operational search technician or a support member helping behind the scenes, every volunteer plays a vital role in helping us respond when it matters most.
Our team
Dorset Search and Rescue’s 2022 Management Committee
Behind every successful search and rescue operation is a remarkable group of dedicated individuals who give their time, energy, and expertise entirely on a voluntary basis. Our team at Dorset Search and Rescue is made up of people from all walks of life — from healthcare professionals and outdoor enthusiasts to former military personnel and everyday community members — all united by a shared commitment to helping others in their time of need. Each volunteer undergoes rigorous training and assessment to ensure they are ready to respond effectively and safely when called upon. We are proud of the incredible people who make up our team, and it is their passion, resilience, and selfless dedication that makes Dorset Search and Rescue the life-saving organisation it is today.
Stephen Slough
Unit Leader
Tom Bryant
Deputy Unit Leader
Paul Shelton
Secretary
Rebbekka Welch
Deputy Secretary
Dave Hixson-Ward
Membership Secretary
Join us as an Operational Member.
We have concluded our recruiting campaign of operational search technicians for our September training cohort, with assessment on the 25th November.
However we will be recruiting for search technicians later this year/ early next for our spring intake. Could you help search for vulnerable missing persons in Dorset? Do you have spare time to commit to training? Would you be able to attend call outs, some are unsocial hours?
If so why not take the first steps to join our team of dedicated people focused on the search for vulnerable missing persons in Dorset. Get in touch through this contact link Membership Secretary expressing your interest.
A presentation evening and interviews will take place on a date to be announced later in the year (with an alternative date to be arranged for those not able to make the main date).
Join us as a Support Member
We are now recruiting support members.
If operational membership does not sound your thing but you still feel drawn to do your bit please consider Support membership. We have roles from PR events, fundraising, maintainence and many many other tasks that are essential in maintaining the organisation.
If you would like to join in this capacity please get in touch therough this contact Link. Membership Secretary
The strength of our operations lies in the power of teamwork. No single person can conduct a successful search and rescue mission alone — it takes a cohesive, well-coordinated team working in harmony to achieve the best possible outcome for those we are searching for. Our volunteers support and trust one another, combining their individual skills, experience, and knowledge to tackle even the most complex and demanding situations. Clear communication, mutual respect, and a shared sense of purpose bind our team together, ensuring that everyone works towards the same goal. Whether it is navigating difficult terrain, managing a casualty, or coordinating with other emergency services, we face every challenge side by side.
Stephen Slough
Unit Leader