Norfolk Lowland Search and Rescue (NORLSAR) was the brain child of John Dutton in 1999. NORLSAR was born from its origins in other emergency response volunteer groups. John was a member of 4x4 Response and Breckland Civil Protection Volunteers, when he identified the need for a dedicated search and rescue organisation in Norfolk. His research brought him to the Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR). As the century drew to an end, Roger Waghorn, president of ALSAR was invited to give a presentation at the Breckland emergency planning offices. Aside from John Dutton, present at the meeting were the Emergency planning officer for Breckland and West Norfolk, Mr Bruce Harper, Kevin Waterson from Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue, along with a number of other representatives from a variety of Norfolk based volunter groups. At the end of the presentation, John Dutton agreed to form a search and rescue team conforming to the standards of best practice laid down by ALSAR.

In the autumn of 1999, an open meeting was held to which interested parties were invited and a presentation was given on the formation of Norfolk Lowland Search and Rescue (NORLSAR). A steering committee was formed to take the idea forward. This committee consisted principally of outdoor enthusiasts with experience ranging from caving, climbing and canoeing, to expedition planning and organisation. The committee agreed to two important items:

1. Prior to recruitment, the committee members needed to undertake training and obtain experience to be credible.

2. That the standards laid down in ALSAR's Accepted Code of Practice would be met prior to going operational.

Based in Norfolk, NORLSAR works across all of lowland Britain, in both urban and rural environments.

NORLSAR only responds to search requests from the police, providing specialised search and rescue capabilities to help find lost or missing people.

NORLSAR does not go into mountainous areas - different search skills are needed for highland terrain.

NORLSAR uses trained people and dogs to search farmland, heaths and commons, woodland, marshes, buildings, industrial estates - in fact anywhere that doesn't call for mountain skills.

Since its conception, NORLSAR members have assisted police in searches across the country, from Norfolk to Kent, single unit and multi-unit searches, our members are always on call, ready to travel and possibly spend two or three days on location.

If you'd like to be part of NORLSAR, helping the police, missing people and their families, come and join us.