About Us
Horowhenua Land Search and Rescue is an organisation made up primarily of civilian volunteers, around 60 in number. The group started in the mid-1950s and since then has been providing search and rescue assistance to the lost, missing and injured.
We are affiliated to NZ Land Search and Rescue, a national organization which has a Service Level Agreement with the NZ Police, to provide the personnel and expertise to assist people who require help in both the back country and urban environment. There is a network of 64 Land Search and Rescue groups throughout the country, for which NZ Land Search and Rescue provide an umbrella of support, with partial funding, governance, training and equipment.
Our “patch” is the Western side of the Tararua Range from Otaki to Shannon, and the area between this part of the ranges and the coast. We also assist Palmerston North, Wellington and Wairarapa Search and Rescue groups with operations in their areas including the Ruahine, Eastern Tararua and Orongaronga ranges.
Wandersearch
A little-known fact is that we are also responsible for “Wandersearch” operations in urban areas within our “patch”.
Under the “Wandersearch” programme, people (typically elderly folks with dementia) are issued with pendants which they wear at all times. If they wander off, we can find them using a locator that hones in on the pendant and returns them safely to their carers and loved ones.
This aspect of searching has grown significantly in recent years and is likely to get even more with our aged population increasing.