Preparation ~ Prevention ~ Peace of Mind

Kent Search and Rescue is proud to announce the new ‘Safe and Sound’ campaign aimed primarily at those that care for vulnerable people of all ages, in particular carers who care for friends and family at home, parents, foster parents, and those who work with vulnerable people in various residential settings.  The ‘Safe and Sound’ campaign is intended to bring together a number of initiatives that are designed to help carers develop workable solutions to prevent the person they care for from going missing but also get them home quickly if they do.  These proactive initiatives are each intended to alleviate as much of the stress associated with this type of event as possible.  Below is a list of new and ongoing initiatives as well as a few potential future initiatives we are attempting to develop.  We are always interested to work with other agencies and groups that share a concern for the safety and welfare of vulnerable persons.  If you have a related campaign or ideas for potential joint initiatives please get in contact with us to discuss potential partnerships.

New Initiatives:

Kent Search and Rescue has developed a new initiative that reminds you that, ‘When the Clocks Change, Check Your Smoke Alarm and Take a Photo of Your Loved Ones’.  This initiative was developed in partnership with the Kent Fire and Rescue Service.  The aim of this initiative is to remind Carers and parents to test their smoke detectors and take a head and shoulders photograph of the person(s) they care for and/or their family members every time they set the clocks back or forward.  Getting into this routine will help ensure that you are well prepared for an unanticipated emergency.  It is well known that ensuring that you have a properly installed and working smoke detector will help you escape in the event of a fire.  Fewer people realize the benefits of having a recent, clear, head and shoulders photograph of the people they love and care for in the event that they unexpectedly wander off and go missing.  These two easy actions will help you and the ones you care for stay safe and sound in the event of an emergency.  What is more, these photographs make wonderful family keepsakes.  

Need to renew your 'blue badge' disabled parking permit soon? When you have their photograph taken for the application print an extra copy, write their name and the date on the back, and store it in a safe place

Don’t have access to a camera? Don’t have film for your old 35mm camera? Not confident in your photography skills? We can help. We have an instant camera (similar to the old Polaroid Cameras) that we can take their photograph with. This camera will be generally available when we give presentations to carers groups and when we attend community events and fayres. If you are part of a carers support group, a day centre, residential facility, etc. please contact us about giving a short presentation about our work and our campaign and ask us to bring the camera

Life History Questionnaire

Kent Search and Rescue has developed a second new initiative called a ‘Life History Questionnaire’.  The aim of this questionnaire is to record a range of background information about the person you care for so in the event that they wander off and go missing the Police and volunteer search teams can quickly locate them and bring them home safe and sound.  This short form requests a range of information based on years of successful searches throughout the country.  You do not need to worry, however, about the privacy of this personal information as we ask you to keep the completed form yourself in a safe place at home and only supply it to the Police or volunteer search teams in the event of an emergency.  This is a great exercise for carers support groups to do together.  We also include a brief cover letter that explains more about the questionnaire and even gives some examples that may be helpful for support workers to assist carers as they fill out the questionnaire.  There are two versions of this form, the first for vulnerable adults, or and the second for vulnerable young persons or .  Please select the most appropriate form on the left.

Not sure if you should still fill out a Life History Questionnaire because your loved one is now in a care home or secure dementia facility?  We recommend that you still fill out a questionnaire so that in the unlikely event that they get confused by their new surroundings and wander away you can provide this vital information to the police and search teams to locate them quickly.  This little form can provide a much needed measure of peace of mind

Electronic Tagging: The Debate and Some Alternatives
The topic of electronically tagging vulnerable adults and those with advanced dementia remains incredibly contentious.  The decision is fraught with a number of moral, ethical, legal and political concerns that often makes the issue difficult for the person concerned, their family, carers, advocates, and doctors.  As an organisation Kent Search and Rescue does not advocate a specific position in these various debates.  We do, however, encourage families and carers to familiarize themselves with the merits of the various arguments early enough to include the person being cared for in the discussion as much as possible.  We have begun to collect and collate information on the various arguments as well as some potential alternatives that some families might find more suitable to assist families and carers to be more informed on the various positions, arguments, and criticisms.

Several companies sell discrete medical jewellery and ID tags with engraved information that can be used by emergency personnel to identify and appropriately treat your loved one in the event of an emergency. See, for instance, companies like Medical Tags or Medic-Alert UK. These items are not electronic devices and do not help search teams find missing people, rather they provide vital information once the person has been found but isn’t able to communicate or remember important medical or personal details

Several companies also make mobile phones designed for people with limited fine motor skills and those who may traditionally have difficulty with complex operations. For example, the Doro Handle Plus 334 Mobile can only call four pre-programmed numbers plus an emergency line and can receive incoming texts — reminding them, for example, that they are late for tea

Wandering at Care Homes
The topic of wandering, particularly among those in residential care homes, is also remains a contentious point.  The concern also touches on many of the ethical, moral, legal, and political concerns raised in relation to the electronic tagging debate.  Care homes are often statutorily required to have policies and practices in place to provide for the safety and security of the people in their care.  As an organisation Kent Search and Rescue is interested to work with the various agencies, advocacy groups, and care homes that have a stake and interest in ensuring the safety and welfare of those in care homes to come up with workable solutions.   

The Benrath Senior Centre in Düsseldorf, Germany was concerned after several residents wandered away from their secure facility initiating large-scale responses from the emergency services.  A member of the local 'Old Lions' group suggested that since most of the residents that wandered away first went to the closest bus shelter why not install a decommissioned bus shelter in front of their facility. After several weeks and a few confused neighbors, the bus stop proved effective as a confused resident wandered away and was quickly located before she had an opportunity to disappear. You can read more about this clever scheme in a recent Telegraph article or listen to an interview by Public Radio in New York City

Ongoing Initiatives

Kent Search and Rescue has adopted the well developed 'Hug-A-Tree and Survive' programme aimed at school-age children, particularly those involved with Scouts and Guides groups.  Originally developed in the wilds of western America to prepare children to avoid getting lost but also how to survive and 'get found' the programme still translates well to the lowlands of Kent.  If you are interested to organise a presentation or demonstration for a school, Scout, or Guides group that you are affiliated please contact us at info@ksar.co.uk

Future Initiatives and Advocacy

Amber and Silver Alerts
Kent Search and Rescue is interested to see the implementation of a British adaptation of the Amber Alert and Silver Alert programmes in use in the United States.  Amber Alerts are a way to notify the general public that a child is missing in the local area through various means.  Like Amber Alerts, Silver Alerts are a way to notify the general public that a vulnerable adult is missing in the local area.

Patron: Lord Warden and Admiral of the Cinque Ports, Constable of Dover Castle
Admiral the Lord Boyce, KG GCB OBE DL