London Search and Rescue (LONSAR) is a voluntary organisation who assist the Metropolitan Police in searches for vulnerable missing persons. We operate day and night, 365 days a year, whatever the weather. Our services are always free of charge. Publicised cases of vulnerable missing people have highlighted an ever-growing need for professionally trained, properly equipped teams that can be mobilised at a moment's notice. We are also qualified to assist the emergency services in the event of a major incident. Every donation received plays a vital role in allowing us to deliver a lifesaving service to the community. We thank you for any contribution you make.
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Keeping London safe and found
London Search & Rescue (LONSAR) is a Lowland Rescue team, assisting the Metropolitan Police in searches for vulnerable missing persons. The importance of search and rescue in saving life is to respond quickly to a lost person in an emergency. The sooner a vulnerable missing person is found and receives prompt and appropriate medical care, the better their chances are for survival.
LONSAR is a registered charity and staffed 100% by volunteers. We receive no funding from the government, local authorities, or other emergency services.
We are on-call 24/7 365 days a year, and work in all weathers, providing life-saving services for the 10 million people who live, work and travel in London. In addition to SAR duties, our crews can be deployed to assist agencies such as the London Resilience Forum to provide safety services to the community.
Our mission
To deliver the highest standard of Search & Rescue capability that assists the emergency services in ending preventable loss of life in London. In doing so, we are selfless, dependable, and professional in all but pay.
Who we help
In 19/20 there were more than 55,000 missing person reports filed with the Metropolitan Police in London, of which 22,000 were young people under the age of 18. The vulnerable members of our community that are most likely to go missing include children, elderly adults with dementia, or someone who may be considering taking their own life. Now, more than ever, focus must be given to support people suffering with pressures on their mental health – especially when that puts them in danger of physical harm.
LONSAR Expertise
LONSAR volunteer crew provide cover across all 32 London boroughs. We are actively recruiting and run continuous training and development for our team. This includes not just skill-based activities, but also supportive learning that helps our team gain a deeper understanding of the vulnerable populations that we help.
Our crews cover over 700 square miles within the M25. Greater London has over 3,000 parks and commons, totalling 35,000 acres. There are hundreds of rivers, canals, reservoirs, and lakes.
To provide comprehensive coverage, the LONSAR team has specifically skilled divisions, all qualified to national standards. These include – Search Operations and Logistics; Foot Search Technician Team; Search Dogs and Handlers Team; First Responders and Medics; Waterways and Water-banks Team; Mountain Bike Team; and Air Search Drones Team.
LONSAR is a member unit of Lowland Rescue, comprising a network of 36 regional units and over 1800 members across the UK. We work cooperatively with the teams that surround London, and beyond, as well as having the facility to call on them if required. Lowland Rescue’s national role is to coordinate adequate arrangements for Search and Rescue services in the Lowland areas of the UK. It is part of the UK Search and Operators Group appointed by the Government’s Department for Transport.
The donations that we receive, enable us to help save the lives of vulnerable missing people in London. Could anything be more important?
