Our Lifeboats are tasked by HM Coastguard to incidents in and around the Severn Estuary, or by Police, Ambulance, Fire and Rescue Services to the rivers Severn, Avon, Wye, Monnow, Ebbw, Bristol Avon and Usk. SARA also operate inland rescue boats.

All our boat operators are qualified through the Royal Yachting Association to Powerboat Level 2 as a minimum standard. Further training is gained by undertaking courses in swift water and flood-boat rescue operations. There are many rules and regulations, national and local that govern how rescue boats operate to ensure the safety of all. ​

SARA 9

SARA 9 entered service in 2009, it is a Pioneer double-walled Polyethylene craft fitted with a 25HP Yamaha engine. The design gives SARA 9 capable handling in strong currents and a significant amount of buoyancy making it effective for rescue boat operations and casualty extraction.

SARA 10

SARA 10 was produced by Eurocraft and is an inflatable boat fitted with a 25HP Yamaha engine. It was purchased as a replacement to it's predecessor which was unfortunately damaged providing safety cover to a rowing event. This boat can be deflated, transported and quickly re-inflated using compressed air for a rapid response.

 SARA 26 'Stuart Frost'

The newest boat in our fleet, named 'Stuart Frost' after a lost colleague and friend who tragically lost his life in a traffic accident in 2016. The Whaly 435R is an incredibly robust, double-walled boat manufactured from high-grade plastic (Polyethylene). This R version is even stronger and has a foam layer on the interior, making it the preferred choice for professional rescue operations. It is fitted with a 40HP Yamaha engine to DEFRA specification; very handy when speed is of the essence. SARA 26 was purchased with the aid of a grant from DEFRA.

 SARA 8 'Pioner'
SARA 8 is a Pioner Multi which will be utilised by the team for water rescue and flood Response duties for local, regional and national deployments through DEFRA. This boats has been on long term loan since 2019 from Hereford and Worcester Fire & Rescue Service and will greatly increase the capacity of the team. SARA 8 lends itself to long term flood inundation events where people are in need of evacuation and community support. Due to the deck space available and it’s drop down bow door the Pioner Multi can be loaded and unloaded quickly allowing for larger items to be transported, where stretcher bound casualties or wheelchair users are in need of transportation and when humanitarian aid such as food and water supplies etc are required to be delivered to isolated communities. SARA 8 has a 60HP Mariner engine and is console driven, which is offset to allow for additional stretcher space on the deck.

 'Zodiac'
The Zodiac is a RIB which will also be utilised by the team for water rescue and flood Response duties for local, regional and national deployments through DEFRA. As with the SARA 8, this boat is on long term loan since 2019 from Hereford and Worcester Fire & Rescue Service and will greatly increase the capacity of the team. The Zodiac, due to its agility and responsiveness is well suited to higher flow conditions and rescue operations in flooded environments. Both SARA 8 and the Zodiac can be transported on a single trailer to a call out giving the team a range of options and capabilities on scene.