 | Home > Off Topic > 4x4 response.. are you a member? |
 
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| Iain Member Since: 09 Nov 2014 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 79   
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Yes, COTAG 4x4 Response covers the North east of Scotland (Aberdenshire, City & Moray)
Joined a few years ago but flooding in January was my first real call out. We also provide first aid, safety and comms cover for a couple cross country charity bike runs & walks. I guess some of the issues mentioned above were not a factor in COTAG. Its a fairly long and well structured route to get from trainee to operational team member that includes: Application, Police Scotland vetting, Log at least 20 hrs supervised offroad driving instruction with specific training objectives, Hold a first aid qualification, pass the RSGB Foundation license and pass the IAM road test. We benefit from strong committee members who are all on the same channel so not much arguing, we get to just crack on with training and being fit to deploy. The above measures are all part of our safety case and memorandum of understanding with Police Scotland, local authorities and NHS Grampian. Credit to the orginal members who have this all in place and from my experience it attracts very good & dedicated members and no in-fighting in my experience so far. That is with >20 members just now too. Cotag on twitter has some of our more recent adventures. Only such a long post as I am really positive about our group, its a shame some folks haven't had the same positive experience with their local 4x4 response groups. COTAG 4x4 Response 2015 XS USW Corris Grey on DF MTR's |
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26th Apr 2016 6:39pm |
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| Sphere Member Since: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Midlands Posts: 725 
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I have enquired twice for the local one but not response so gave up
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26th Apr 2016 7:49pm |
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| sako243 Member Since: 08 Jul 2014 Location: Wales Posts: 1229  
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SY213 (Surrey).
As with all groups there are people that don't get along but on the whole a decent bunch. Only been there a few years so can't comment as to what happened before. We are looking for some new members I think, gone to do a few intakes a year rather than rolling "recruitment". Drop me a PM if interested. Bit boring with nice weather but there are some interesting options imminent in the pipeline. Ed 82 Hotspur Sandringham 6x6 95 Defender 110 300Tdi |
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26th Apr 2016 8:22pm |
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| Devon-Rover Member Since: 22 Jan 2015 Location: South Devon Posts: 918 
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DC14 of the Devon and Cornwall 4x4 Response.
Been an Active member since circa 2008 ish and yes the temperate british weather means exceptional 'events' happen infrequently I feel it is more towards the helping put something back to the community. I have a universal and adaptable vehicle so it is a feel good towards being useful and of course there is the perks to go places that you usually cannot go. It is also good that I have my own personal driving skill set and it comes into it's own when on deployment. A majority of time is spent now on Event support rather than cited deployment, I still see this as a chance to be useful and in part a positive PR for the wider 4x4 community. We as a group assist St lukes hospice with various events like their midnight walk and their cycling events, and our annual centrepiece is assisting the army in the running of the annual ten tors event. This year in a fortnights time 35+ members will be helping in the logistics and smooth running of the event, in roles from fire tender to providing additional transport for the Dartmoor rescue group. |
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26th Apr 2016 8:59pm |
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| steventheplumber Member Since: 29 Apr 2014 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 767  
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Sounds like a lot of people are will to help.
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26th Apr 2016 9:07pm |
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| JJ Member Since: 18 May 2009 Location: Winchester Posts: 932 
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I have been a member since 2009 and have been out on a few calls but the reality is our services are rarely needed in this part of the country. The last time we had serious snowfall was probably 5 years ago. I did get involved in the floods a couple of years back delivering sandbags to vulnerable properties and ferried a gentleman to hospital from a flooded cul de sac .
Our chairman and management team are very good and know what they are doing. It is only worth getting involved if you want to put something in for no reward or thanks. Don't join if you want to be the caped crusader. HR064 Hampshire and Berkshire 4x4 Response |
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27th Apr 2016 7:33am |
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| dave18 Member Since: 11 Jul 2015 Location: Gorleston, Great Yarmouth Posts: 497 
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I didnt get to a meet but was active on the forum but because of work commitments couldnt every say yes I could make a meet. Then when I started looking more and more into it noticed that the only thing they were interested in was people getting their Comms tickets and offroad / winching days experiance nothing about what I would of thought would be bread and butter eg advanced road driving ( possibly skid pan) higher than the 1 day first aid course and co-operation with other agencies. Kind of really gave up when I went back to being on the lifeboat and someone asked which would I go on if I had to chose and I said Lifeboat and the reply wasnt very nice!! Does seem a shame as spoken on forums to members of other teams and seeing what the Scots do they make it sound like a full proper set out organisation, And I dont want to cover my Land Rover in a million different flashing LEDs which seems to be a mandatory requirement  |
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27th Apr 2016 7:58am |
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| jimblowscash Member Since: 25 Sep 2015 Location: kent Posts: 50 
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With Southeast I attend on average 2 callouts a month, these mainly being search and rescue, we tend to do a dozen or so charity events / fundraisers a year, two big training exercises / weekends, a multi agency training exercise run by the county councils emergency planning team and then theres any specialist training such as first aid, winching, driving, radio / coms, search and rescue, evidence handling etc etc if you want to do them..
Ive been a member for nearly 6 years and have gone to just over 150 callouts dealing with just about everything from downed planes to delivering meals on wheels in the snow and anything in between! |
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28th Apr 2016 9:58am |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971 
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That too!
If I really need a flashy light, I've got a magmount one I can put at the back (with a steel plate to stick it to) but I'm not going around all the time with them on. IMO you just look like a bit of a tit. Like the tractors round here, ours have one on the roof and one on the trailer and if you can't see a sodding great tractor with a red trailer pootling along then you should be driving. You still see some with two beacons and a lightbar on the roof, I don't think it really adds anything. |
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28th Apr 2016 12:35pm |
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| Devon-Rover Member Since: 22 Jan 2015 Location: South Devon Posts: 918
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Using myself and the others here who are members of a 4X4R group i think you'll find LED flashing lights are few and far between. Have a look through my pictures on my defender posts.
IMHO if you are a member to justify having a vehicle like a nightclub then you are there for the wrong reason. Yes i Do posses a LED beacon but it is far too valuable to be sat on the roof and i prefere not to have it there, so it is on a quick removal roof bar and only only fixed when needed. |
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28th Apr 2016 1:16pm |
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