Tracking volunteer members of the Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) when they are responding to emergencies, has just got a little easier.

The rescue charity’s station in Beachley has been awarded community hub status by fibre network provider Gigaclear.

Gigaclear is the UK’s largest rural full fibre broadband alternative network provider and community hub status means SARA has been given free access to the telecom company’s ultrafast broadband.

With their two inshore lifeboats, a land search team, a cliff rescue team and a flood rescue team, SARA Beachley responds to emergency callouts by the coastguard, police and other agencies more than 50 times a year.

SARA operations room co-ordinator, Ian Pilling, said the success of operations often depends on having quick and reliable access to the internet.

Rescue teams can be tracked either via their GPS-enabled radios or, if on the river, using the automatic identification system for shipping.

Ian said: “Having access to a fast and reliable full fibre broadband service is part of our overall safety mix. It gives those in the operations room an extra pair of eyes, offering us an overview of incidents as they occur.”

Before Gigaclear stepped in, SARA Beachley relied on slow and expensive broadband access via mobile phone hotspots.

Ian added: “Thanks to Gigaclear’s fast and reliable full fibre broadband not only can we access our online systems quicker, but it has also helped enhance our ability to keep our teams safe and working effectively when taking part in rescue missions.”

Gigaclear’s community hub scheme helps rural communities to unlock their potential through a fast and reliable broadband service.

To date, more than 280 hubs have been established across 16 of the 23 counties that comprise Gigaclear’s build network valuing the scheme at more than £350,000 per year. To find out more, visit www.gigaclear.com/community-hub