4x4 Response North East Container Fire Appeal

My name is Gavin,

I'm the Treasurer for 4x4 Response North East. We are a not-for-profit volunteer organisation formed in 2005 that provides equipment, vehicles, personnel and other resources to offer support to user services like the NHS, the Emergency Services, Local Government and other voluntary response organisations during adverse weather events, major incidents and other emergencies.

What has happened

On the evening of the 25/26th of April 2023, we were subject to a senseless and wanton arson attack at our operational base in North Shields. This caused damage to our storage container where we keep some of the vital equipment we use in providing our services to the hard-working communities across the North East of England. A significant proportion of our equipment has been damaged and will need to be replaced including two-way radios, bergans, shelters, portable lights, first aid kits, cold weather clothing, etc.

At the moment we are still assessing the full impact of the fire but right now we know we have lost both of our lifesaving defibrillators that we carry with us when we are operational and at public events we attend to raise awareness of our organisation.

What we need help with

Thankfully we are insured and as you would expect from an organisation that works as part of the community resilience sector in the region we don't keep all our eggs in one basket as our immediate action equipment is distributed across the region in our volunteer's vehicles allowing us to be able to go fully operational at a moments notice.

However, as we are all aware, even with the best insurance company in the world they are not the quickest to respond, claims take time to process, that's just the way it is, the problem is we need to replace both of our defibrillators as a matter of urgency and this is where we need your help.

We are looking to raise £2500 so that we can replace these defibrillators immediately. Please donate as much as you can afford as every little helps.

A little more about our organisation

We are responsible for covering the North East Region of England from the Scottish Border in the North to the North Yorkshire Border in the South of the region across to the Border with Cumbria in the west (i.e. Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Durham & Cleveland).

We are members of 4x4 Response UK, the umbrella organisation for the United Kingdom that sets national guidelines and represents our interests at a national level. 4x4 Response Groups & Teams cover the bulk of the UK. We work in close, mutual cooperation with our neighbours in North West, Yorkshire and Lothians 4x4 Response groups.

4x4RNE is a member-led group with five appointed officers who are responsible for day-to-day administration and planning. We currently have a membership of around forty volunteers of which twenty-five are operational responders. Target membership is in the region of one hundred to one hundred and thirty volunteers with around seventy-five to ninety operational responders, fifteen to twenty operational co-responders with the remainder support members or administrative officers.

Our responders provide their own vehicles and the bulk of their own personal equipment – the group issues communications equipment if required although many responders choose to purchase their own which is then managed by the group. Each responder is responsible for arranging their own insurance and is required to inform their insurance companies that they are a 4x4 responder and the vehicle will be utilised in emergencies, As a group 4x4 Response North East have our own Public and Employers Liability Insurance arranged via our national umbrella organisation.

4x4 Response North East operates an All Weather, All Wheel Drive Logistical support service. As a group our main task is to provide emergency logistical and driver support services to registered user bodies normally this would be during a major incident or a severe weather event but we can be asked to and we are happy to provide specialist assistance at any time.

In a word our primary role is as ‘gophers’ - we fetch and carry cargo and personnel. Our main aim is to reduce the burden on Category 1 & 2 responders thereby allowing them to target and concentrate their resources more effectively during an emergency, event or incident.