Information for Service Users


Northants 4×4 Response is not able to respond to calls from the public. In an emergency please call 999/112.

N44R Call-Out AmbulanceWe provide all-terrain logistic support to Category One and Two responders (as defined in the Civil Contingencies Act) and other voluntary agencies across the county of Northamptonshire, normally via the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) of which we are a member through Community Resilience and Welfare (CRAW).

Our volunteers are trained to operate safely in adverse conditions, typically where others have been advised to not travel unless absolutely necessary.

Our objective is the preservation of life, and our role is to provide logistic support to those requiring transport to achieve that aim.

We provide  transport in times of severe weather (snow, gales, heavy rain or floods), or across rough terrain, to transport essential personnel, supplies or equipment to areas that would be otherwise inaccessible or hazardous to normal vehicles.

We are a member of the Northamptonshire Emergency Response Corps (NERC) and work in partnership with its other members to provide a coordinated response in the event of a emergency.

Resources

Northants 4×4 Response is a voluntary organisation with around 70 volunteers who donate their time and use of their own personal vehicles when required. Coverage is provided across the whole county, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Where a vehicle is required, our Dispatch & Control team will identify the most appropriate vehicle for the task based on location and operational requirement and dispatch it to where it is required. All our responders’ vehicles have four-wheel drive.

For transporting personnel we can provide 7 seat vehicles, or for transporting equipment or supplies vehicles with payloads of up to around 1500Kg. We are also able to tow trailers of up to 3500Kg with most types of coupling.

For the most difficult conditions we have modified vehicles available, e.g. for use in deeper water or rougher terrain.

Some of our volunteers are trained to DEFRA Module 1 Water Awareness or Module 2 Flood First Responder standard in order to assist with the transport, deployment and retrieval of boats and similar equipment so that they can operate safely within the warm zone, as well as participate within the hot zone if required.

In the event of a major incident we can call on additional resources from neighbouring teams within the 4×4 Response UK network.

Deployment

We can only deploy where we have an existing agreement in place, and you should follow the procedure agreed within your organisation, or with the emergency planning teams at North Northamptonshire or West Northamptonshire councils, who will make contact with our duty controller.

The deployment request must include details of the location and nature of the assistance required, and the likely duration of the incident.

New Service Users

We welcome enquiries from Category 1 & 2 responders who would like to put an agreement or Memorandum of Understanding in place to use our services. Please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your requirements and how we may be able to support you.

Examples

Some of the services we are able to provide include:

  • Transport of care workers or nurses to house-calls in rural areas in heavy snow
  • Delivery of urgent medication or hot meals
  • Transport of rescue personnel and equipment across rough terrain
  • Assisting with the evacuation of vulnerable people from areas which have flooded or are at risk from flooding
  • Contingency escorting of conventional vehicles in adverse conditions
  • Transport, launch and recovery of boats for water rescue from inland waterways or flooding