Kent and Medway is home to a mix of urban and rural landscapes, including cliffs, tall buildings, rocky coastlines and quarries. This means however that accidents at dangerous heights or depth can easily happen – which is when Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s (KFRS) Technical Rope Rescue Team is here to help.  

Trained in ropes and lines, the specialist team of firefighters is ready to attend emergencies all over the county, 24/7. They use specialist equipment to safely access hard-to-reach areas and rescue people from potentially dangerous situations.

The crew has access to an off-road vehicle for rural areas, as well as winches and ropes to securely move people or animals to safety.

KFRS Crew Manager Daniel Yates: “The rope rescue team is based in Deal but we respond to emergencies all over the county, rescuing people from locations including cliffs, silos, and caves. We also have confined space capability, and can access people in extremely tight spaces, like wells.

“While we will always be here in times of need, it’s really important that we educate people to try and prevent emergencies happening in the first place. We urge everyone out exploring our beautiful county, to follow this advice:

• If you’re heading out on your own for a walk, run or bike ride, let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back, so they can raise the alarm if you don’t return.
• Look out for trips or slip hazards, stick to proper pathways and take any warning or safety signs seriously – they are there for a reason.
• River banks and cliff edges may also be unstable and could give way, so always stay a safe distance from the edge. Make sure to keep dogs on leads when near cliff edges too.

Daniel added: “When we’re at the scene of an incident our team has the skills and equipment to operate safety in any environment. If you find yourself or your pet in a difficult situation that feels unsafe, call 999 and let us carry out the rescue – it’s not worth getting yourself into more difficulty and risking your own safety.

“By working together with other blue light services, we work as one team to help save lives and are committed to protecting everyone we serve across Kent and Medway.”