CHRISTMAS came early for the Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team.
Its Land Rover, which was wrecked in a motorway smash, has been replaced - and the team also has a brand new incident control vehicle and ambulance.
The new Vauxhall Movano has been converted with a 30ft extensible mast to aid communications for working in isolated areas.
It also has storage space for all the team's gear such as stretchers, paramedic equipment, oxygen sets and specialist rope access equipment.
To keep up to date with the latest technology there is also a computer mapping system on board.
Search and Rescue Team member Mick Smith, a detective sergeant in West Yorkshire Police Professional Standards Unit, was impressed with quality of work carried out by police technicians on the vehicle.
He said: "It has taken three months to kit the vehicle out.
"I would like to thank the force for their support and also the staff and technicians at the Unit 41 garage near Wakefield who have worked closely with us to ensure the vehicle meets all our demands and will last a long time."
The team suffered a setback earlier this year when its Land Rover was declared a write-off following a crash on the M62 slip-road at Ainley Top in September, 2002.
Since then a lot of fundraising efforts have taken place to buy a new Land Rover. Once the replacement vehicle had been bought, the team just carried on fundraising to buy the new incident control vehicle too.
They received a big donation from the Halifax Bank.
Det Sgt Smith added: "We have also raised funds by providing rescue cover for local mountain bike events and cleaning out the river at Hebden Bridge.
Since January 1 this year the Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team has put in more than 845 hours attending 24 incidents across a number of police divisions.
On average the team gets one call a week for assistance or advice on searches.
The team consists of about 40 members including paramedics, doctors, fire officers, teachers and engineers. They are trained to high standards and work alongside the emergency services carrying out all aspects of mountain and crag rescue, first aid and life support. They are also trained in police cordon work and crime scene preservation.
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