Fire and rescue
Trained firefighters with a fully crewed fire appliance and rescue 4x4s.
Independent volunteer fire and rescue · West and East Sussex
Your local volunteer fire and rescue service
Fire and rescue, search and rescue, water and flood rescue, salvage, medical and animal rescue for the communities of West and East Sussex. Emergency or event cover, 24 hours a day, we're here for you.
Working alongside the emergency servicesOperational 24 hours, 365 days a yearA community interest company
In an emergency, always dial 999.
What we do
The specialist help people don't know they can call on
When the emergency services have done their part, there's often more that needs specialist crews, kit and time. That's where we come in.
Search and rescue
Specialist search and rescue across the South East, including drones and swift water rescue.
Water rescue
Purpose-built rescue boats with a crew of four, on rivers and inshore at sea.
Flood rescue and response
Dealing with water entering properties and helping other organisations with flooded roads.
Salvage operations
Salvage from fire, flood or unsafe structures, from single items to whole collections.
Medical and animal rescue
Medical cover and animal rescue, alongside our fire and rescue work.
Not sure if we can help? Tell us what you need or call 01273 020312.
Who we are
Working alongside the emergency services
We're an independent, volunteer-run fire and rescue service and a community interest company, working from our base in Ford, West Sussex.
Our volunteers are trained professionals, many of whom also work in the emergency services, giving their own time on top. We support the NHS and other organisations around the clock, with work that takes us from Brighton to Edinburgh, and we bring our own fire appliance, rescue 4x4s, rescue boats and drones.
Join the team
We're recruiting volunteers again in Autumn 2026
Want to help your community when it needs it most? Let us know and we'll be in touch when recruitment opens.
Or call us on 01273 020312
Event cover
Fire, rescue and medical cover for your event
If your risk assessment shows a need beyond portable fire extinguishers, we scale our cover to your event, from motorsport to summer fayres to bonfires.
1Two-firefighter fire marshal team
Checks your site arrangements, then responds early to any concerns or small fires.
Good for: summer fayres, smaller concerts and community days
2Fully crewed fire appliance
Good for: bonfires, festivals and larger crowds
Ask about an appliance crew
4Safety boat crew of four
On purpose-built rescue boats, ready for a medical episode or a damaged vessel.
Good for: river and inshore events
How to get our help
Three steps to the right crew
1
Tell us what you need
Call 01273 020312 or send us the details with the form below.
2
We talk it through
We work out the crew and kit that fit the job, or your event's risk assessment.
3
Our crew and kit arrive
Trained volunteer firefighters with the right kit, operational 24 hours.
Why people call us
Real crews, real kit, any hour
Trained professionalsVolunteers who give their own time to help the community.
Our own kitA fire appliance, rescue 4x4s, purpose-built rescue boats and drones.
24 hours, 365 daysOffice 08:00–17:00, operational 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Community firstA community interest company, run for the people we serve.
Where we work
Based in Ford, reaching further
Fire and rescue, flood response, salvage and event coverWest Sussex and East Sussex, from our base in Ford
Water rescue and search and rescueAcross the South East
Support for the NHS and other servicesNationwide, from Brighton to Edinburgh
For the NHS and other organisations
We support the NHS and other organisations around the clock, operational 24 hours, 365 days a year.
Questions people ask
Before you call
Should I call you or 999?
In an emergency, always dial 999. We work alongside the emergency services, and we're here for the specialist help that's needed around and after an incident, and for planned cover.
What kind of jobs do you take on?
Fire and rescue, search and rescue (including drones and swift water rescue), water rescue, flood rescue and response, salvage from fire, flood or unsafe structures, medical and animal rescue, and event cover.
Can you help with flooding?
Yes. We deal with water entering properties and help other organisations with flooded roads.
Do you cover events?
Yes. From a two-firefighter fire marshal team to a fully crewed fire appliance, rescue 4x4s or a safety boat crew, scaled to your event's risk assessment.
Do you provide medical cover?
Yes. Our event cover is fire, rescue and medical cover. Tell us what you need and we'll talk it through.
How far do you travel?
West and East Sussex from our base in Ford, water rescue and search and rescue across the South East, and support for the NHS and other services nationwide.
When can I reach you?
Our office is open 08:00 to 17:00, and we're operational 24 hours. In an emergency, always dial 999.
Not sure if we can help? Tell us what you need or call 01273 020312.
Request our help
Tell us what you need
Rather talk it through?
Call us and we'll work out how we can help.
Email info@svfrs.org
Office 08:00–17:00
Operational 24 hours
In an emergency, always dial 999.
Emergency or event cover, 24 hours a day, we're here for you
In an emergency, always dial 999.