MP plea for volunteer rescuers' support
BBCAn MP who helped set up a group to champion volunteer-run rescue services has said more support is needed to help with a growing numbers of callouts.
The Volunteer Rescue All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) will discuss potential policy changes that could help the likes of Mountain Rescue and RNLI.
At a launch event in Westminster on Tuesday, Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington Josh MacAlister vowed the group would give a voice to such organisations.
The government said it recognised the "vital work that volunteers do."
MacAlister, who is a volunteer with Patterdale Mountain Rescue in Cumbria, said the team of just over 40 members had received over 100 callouts last year.
"The challenge for Mountain Rescue is that those callouts are going up and up and up and we need to do more to support teams so that they're able to resource those callouts and make sure people are kept safe," he said.
He added volunteer rescue services were "one of the special things we've got in the UK" and should be celebrated.
The APPG discussed several policy areas at Tuesday's meeting including government support with public liability insurance and giving volunteer rescuers the same status as others such as magistrates who are entitled to time off work.
Several organisations attended the Westminster event where MacAlister said they met ministers including Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting.
Patterdale Mountain Rescue team leader Matthew Cox said it would be helpful if a single minister had responsibility for voluntary rescue organisations: "Someone that we can actually approach and liaise with would make an absolutely massive difference."
A government spokesperson said: "We recognise the vital work that voluntary rescue services do, saving lives in what are some of the most difficult circumstances."
They added ministers are exploring plans to allow more search and rescue vehicles to use blue lights and sirens.