Welcome to Eastern Community Assistance Team
We can help during weather events and times of flooding with sandbagging, passenger and/or load carrying duties, and our trained members will, when tasked by County Council Emergency Planning Units, attempt to get to you either in conjunction with, or when the emergency services are not able to, transporting you to a safe location.
We can provide a service when a well-organised group is needed during adverse conditions.
Any time, any day, EA-CAT can help.
Who are we?
EA-CAT was created in order to carry on the good work started in the late 1990's by Suffolk Rover Rescue (then only the third such group in the country) and is joining other 'community assistance' teams currently helping their local communities around the UK. During the last 17 years, all our responders have made a commitment to turn out at short notice to provide assistance to the community when requested. All are equipped to a minimum standard considered adequate for operation in severe weather conditions or rough terrain. In addition, some have specialist equipment and skill sets relevant to the profession or leisure interests of the owner.
However it's not just about 'Civil Emergency' specialists...
The team like to help out in the community all year round and the various local shows and events give us a chance to keep busy and help those communities with skill sets to which they may not otherwise have access. On-site traffic management, event parking, pitching campers, Motorsport events, charity motorcycle ride-outs; these are all things that our members can be seen attending around the region during the warmer (and not so warm) months.
Motorsport or Charity Event
EA-CAT can provide Marshal's and support for your events with an offroad capability or highly visible presence.
Sporting event or Country Show
If you need all wheel drive capability to set out areas in hard to reach spots, move Marshal's around or even pick up competitors having difficulty in finishing, EA-CAT has that capability.
On-site traffic management
EA-CAT members even have experience as Camping and Car Park Marshal's at larger shows and events.
Search & Rescue
EA-CAT responders have experience assisting Search & Rescue, including NSARDA by moving search teams and dogs, over difficult or otherwise impassable terrain in order to capitalise on their available searching time. This also allows far more efficient tasking of search teams.
How can we help you?
If you think there is a task Eastern Community Assistance Team might be able to help with then please contact us. EA-CAT does not charge for these services although donations to cover members fuel costs or to general group funds are always welcomed.
Eastern Community Assistance Team is not an all-weather, free Taxi or Courier service and is unable to respond directly to public calls.
However, should conditions dictate that essential service such as Carer's, Meals on Wheels, moving NHS staff etc, can no longer operate then EA-CAT may be able to help.
Supporting the Eastern Region, when and where it matters