4×4 Response is a charitable organisation made up of volunteers who commit their own time and 4×4 vehicles to provide assistance to the emergency services in times of need, as well as other charitable efforts all year round.

Our volunteers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and bring with them a large range of skills and experience. Not to mention they all share a common interest in 4×4 vehicles, along with the shared desire to put their skills and experience to good use in times of need.

A bit of everything! It’s hard to pin 4×4 Response down to just a few duties, so in summary our mandate is:

To preserve and protect human life and property, in particular but not exclusively, by providing equipment, vehicles and other resources to offer support in adverse conditions.

Some days we can be transporting critical NHS staff or critical supplies in the snow, or maybe helping transport fire fighters to coastal flooding areas. Other days you might find us in the thick of the forest keeping an eye on charity fund raisers to make sure they are safe, or patrolling an event with a paramedic in the passenger seat, ready to respond to any emergency.

More commonly you will see us providing assistance to Lowland Search and Rescue by transporting search teams or dog teams.

When things go wrong you may also find us in the middle of a muddy field helping to recover vehicles after a heavy downpour during a summer fete.

There are a number of ways you can get signed up to support Norfolk and Suffolk 4×4 Response.

• Email membership@norfolkandsuffolk4x4response.co.uk to express your interest, and we will send you an application form
• Visit our Group Membership page
• Contact us on Facebook to express your interest. Search for “Norfolk and Suffolk 4×4 Response” or click this link
• Fill in the contact form below

Training is given to all our drivers to prepare them for the situations they may face. Many of our drivers already have experience in working and driving in arduous conditions making them ideally suited to a role in 4×4 Response.

It doesn’t matter if you have never used your vehicle for anything other than the daily commute or if you have years of experience driving all manner of vehicles. We provide training for all skill levels and capabilities to ensure our drivers are prepared for any situation.

Many of our members hold a First Aid certification and a number of drivers have gone on to receive LANTRA qualifications in Off-Road Driving and Winch Operation.  We also teach navigation skills, safe recovery techniques and basic vehicle maintenance skills. Much of our training takes place ‘on the job’ through a buddy system whereby experienced members will ride along with newer members to show them to ropes and upskill them.