The rescue service is a very valuable service within any community. Members are trained in urban rescue, open country search for missing persons, rescuing people trapped in collapsed buildings or crashed vehicles in a safe and efficient manner. Training covers search, rescue, first aid, navigation & communications. Incidents involving Aircraft, Trains or other means of transportation could be of a scale that would lead to Civil Defence involvement. Skills and equipment related to these types of operation are in constant development and are currently under review with a view to broadening the scope of Civil Defence capabilities.

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A new dimension to rescue is the introduction of technical rescue which provides skills in rescuing people from heights. Abseiling, ascending, rope rescue etc. all play a part.

The rescue service offers a physically enduring and challenging outdoor activity for members to partake in. Members must have a physical fitness and stamina level that would enable them to undergo long periods of sustained activity in extreme weather conditions. Training is conducted mostly out of doors in quarries, caves, industrial premises or rock faces.