11:02am Sunday 10th January 2010
By James Nadal
A GROUP of 4 x 4 enthusiasts have been hailed as "heroes" for their endeavours in transporting sick and elderly residents during the big freeze.
The Bucks Oxon Rescue Group - a team of about 50 - and Bucks Search and Rescue volunteers have helped “save lives” according to Bill Chapple, deputy leader of Buckinghamshire County Council.
The teams have worked alongside Buckinghamshire County Council, Thames Valley Police and health service staff to reach elderly and vulnerable people.
The organisations have travelled across the region, taking patients from Stoke Mandeville and High Wycombe Accident and Emergency units following treatment, nurses to homes of terminally ill patients and transporting medical staff to emergencies for people unable to get insulin supplies, chemotherapy and other vital treatments.
They have also ferried carers to homes of bedbound patients and helped them deliver three days' food supplies to vulnerable people ahead of bad weather.
Roger Taylor, chairman of Bucks Oxon Rescue Group been on duty the week before Christmas.
He said: “This week’s been by far the worse. The snow before Christmas wasn’t quite as bad.
“This week we have something like 40 vehicles plus and they’ve pretty much all been out at one point or another, doing things like taking carers around, district nurses, meals on wheels, taking registrars to weddings.”
BORG 4x4 have been part of the council’s emergency plan for the last 12 years in a similar way to short wave radio volunteers and St John Ambulance.
Mr Taylor added: “These are the worse conditions we’ve seen 1963 which went from Christmas to March.”
Cllr Chapple said: "These are real heroes - they are literally helping us and other services save lives.
“We know we can depend on them to be there when we need them most.
"Their selfless attitude and community spirit serves as an example to us all.
“Many of them have a day job, but are always willing to give up their time to serving their local community. I take my hat off to them."
Have you got any nominations for snow heroes? See related articles below.
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