Team Member Wellbeing

Supporting our volunteers, their families and the people behind the search

Who this page is for

This page is for anyone thinking of joining WILSAR, for current team members, and for the families and friends who support them.

Joining Wiltshire Search and Rescue is a rewarding way to serve your community - but it is also a serious commitment. Our volunteers are called out to help find vulnerable and missing people, often at short notice, in all weather, at any time of day or night.

Lowland rescue may not involve mountains or cliffs, but it can still be physically demanding, emotionally challenging and disruptive to everyday life. Some incidents are resolved quickly; others can continue for many hours or longer.

Understanding the commitment

WILSAR is made up of trained volunteers. Without that commitment, the team simply could not provide its service to Wiltshire and neighbouring areas.

What volunteering may involve

As a team member, you may be expected to:

Operational commitment

  • Be available for call-outs, including evenings, weekends, nights and public holidays. You can schedule your availability to fit around your life, although you are expected to attend at least 25% of all incidents.
  • Conduct searches in the dark, in all weather, and on difficult terrain.
  • Leave home, work or social plans at short notice when there is a callout.
  • Take part in searches for missing and vulnerable people in rural, urban and waterside environments.
  • Work closely with police, ambulance, fire and other emergency services.

Team commitment

  • Attend regular training to develop and maintain operational skills.
  • Help with fundraising, community events, equipment checks and team administration.
  • Maintain personal kit, fitness, professional standards and readiness.
  • Support your teammates before, during and after incidents.

The kinds of incidents we attend

WILSAR is most often called to assist in searches for vulnerable or high-risk missing people. This can include children, older people, people living with dementia, people experiencing a mental health crisis, or anyone whose circumstances place them at risk.

Our work may involve:

  • Searching open land, woodland, farmland, riversides, urban areas and remote locations.
  • Supporting police-led missing person investigations.
  • Providing casualty care until further medical help is available.
  • Assisting with extraction from difficult or remote locations.
  • Working near water or in flood conditions.
  • Supporting major incidents or severe weather responses.
  • Working alongside other rescue teams and emergency services.

Not every search ends the way we hope. Team members may encounter distressing circumstances, anxious relatives, difficult decisions, injured casualties or a life lost. Even when an incident ends safely, the pressure, uncertainty and adrenaline can still take a toll.

Training, skills and teamwork

Training and experience will build over time. Members may also develop specialist skills such as casualty care, water search, drone operations, bike search, search dog handling, steep ground work or driving.

Perhaps most importantly, you will become part of a team. Trust, communication and looking out for each other are essential, especially when operating in darkness, poor weather, difficult terrain or emotionally charged situations.

The impact on home and family life

How call-outs can affect everyday life

Being part of a rescue team affects more than the person who goes out.

Call-outs can interrupt meals, sleep, birthdays, work, childcare, holidays and family plans. A volunteer may leave suddenly and return tired, quiet, upset or simply in need of rest. Families and friends may not always know where they have gone, how long they will be out, or what they have dealt with.

That uncertainty can be hard. The support of partners, children, relatives, friends and employers makes a huge difference to a volunteer’s ability to serve safely and sustainably.

When more than one family member volunteers

Some households have more than one person involved in rescue work. This can be rewarding, but it also needs careful thought.

Consider how you will manage care responsibilities, transport, work commitments and emotional pressure if more than one of you is called out or involved in the same incident. It is also worth discussing how you would feel about a partner, parent, adult child or close friend attending a difficult search alongside you.

Being open about these questions early can help prevent strain later.

For partners, families and friends

If someone close to you is a WILSAR volunteer, your support matters.

You may be the person who hears the alert go off in the middle of the night. You may be left to rearrange plans, settle children, cover responsibilities or wait for a message to say they are on their way home. You may also be the first person to notice when they are tired, stressed or not quite themselves after an incident.

Most reactions after a challenging call-out are normal and short-lived. Some people want to talk. Others need quiet. Some feel wired and restless, while others feel drained. What matters is noticing when something seems different, especially if it does not settle over time.

Recognising warning signs

Everyone responds differently, but changes in mood, behaviour or routine may be signs that someone needs support.

Signs of stress or anxiety

  • Being more worried, tense or irritable than usual.
  • Difficulty sleeping or switching off.
  • Restlessness, jumpiness or feeling constantly “on alert”.
  • Tiredness that does not improve with rest.
  • Avoiding conversations about call-outs or becoming unusually withdrawn.
  • Muscle tension, headaches or changes in appetite.

Signs of low mood

  • Loss of interest in things they normally enjoy.
  • Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
  • Feeling sad, angry, numb or frustrated.
  • Changes in sleep or eating habits, or routine.
  • Feeling guilty, helpless or overwhelmed.
  • Pulling away from family, friends or teammates.

These signs do not mean someone has failed or is not suited to rescue work. They are signals that support may be needed.

Trauma Risk management (TRiM)

TRiM is a peer-support system designed to help people who experienced a traumatic or potentially traumatic event. It is an evidence based system originating in the UK military that is now used widely across public and private organisations.

The team has several members trained in TRiM that actively engage with team-members that that may need support after an incident.

Looking after yourself and those around you

As a volunteer

Good wellbeing is part of operational readiness. Looking after yourself helps you look after casualties, teammates and the people who rely on us.

Practical steps can include:

  • Talking to a teammate, leader or trusted person after a difficult incident.
  • Taking time to eat, hydrate and rest properly after a call-out.
  • Being honest when you are too tired or emotionally overloaded to deploy safely.
  • Keeping family or close friends informed where appropriate.
  • Maintaining routines outside search & rescue, including work, hobbies and relationships.
  • Asking for help early rather than waiting until things feel unmanageable.

No one is expected to carry difficult experiences alone.

As a family member or friend

Families and friends can play an important role in supporting a volunteer’s wellbeing. You do not need to have all the answers, but noticing changes, listening without judgement and encouraging someone to seek support can make a real difference.

It can help to talk openly about how call-outs affect home life, what support is needed afterwards, and when it may be time to ask for extra help.

Supporting children

For children, a call-out can be confusing. One moment everything is normal; the next, a parent or family member is leaving quickly.

It may help to:

  • Explain in simple terms that the team helps find people who are lost or in danger.
  • Reassure children that the volunteer is trained and works as part of a team.
  • Create a simple goodbye routine when a call-out happens.
  • Keep the rest of the household routine as normal as possible.
  • Let children know the volunteer may be tired when they return.
  • Involve the family in safe team events, open days or fundraising where appropriate.

Helping families understand the role can reduce worry and build a sense of shared pride.

Getting support

Sometimes a chat with a teammate over a brew is enough. Sometimes it is not.

If you are a WILSAR member and you are finding things difficult, speak to a team leader, welfare contact or trusted colleague. You do not need to wait until you are in crisis. Concerns about stress, fatigue, low mood, trauma, family pressure or confidence are valid reasons to ask for support.

Families can also encourage a volunteer to seek help if they notice changes that persist or cause concern.

Support may come from within the team, your GP, mental health services, workplace support, emergency service wellbeing resources or specialist charities.

Useful support organisations

The following organisations may be useful for team members, families and supporters:

A final word

WILSAR volunteers give their time, energy and skills to help people at some of the most difficult moments of their lives. That service matters, but so does the wellbeing of every volunteer and every family supporting them.

Looking after each other is not separate from search and rescue. It is part of how we stay safe, effective and ready to help.