The 4x4AG Forum so far

[Mad Manny]

Is 4x4AG Cosa Nostra in your analogy?

[Mad Manny]

You mean other than FWDC

4WDCSA is a fine club, but it has semi independent regional chapters &, in Gauteng at least, a degree of commercial ownership.
Also, it is not currently growing.

But we attended the Jamboree on Saturday & they did a very good job...

[XJ Junkie]

The 4WDC WC is still big & has been going for 40 years. It still organizes the biggest annual 4x4 club event in SA.

An important wing that was started by the club is ORRU.

I don’t think AG is at their level quite yet.

[Mad Manny]

The 4WDC WC is still big & has been going for 40 years. It still organizes the biggest annual 4x4 club event in SA.

An important wing that was started by the club is ORRU.

I don’t think AG is at their level quite yet.

I found the ORRU thing interesting & did some digging. You are correctr the 4WDCSA did start ORRU - I did not know that...

Read the history, very interesting...

The Off Road Rescue Unit can trace its origins to the late 1980's as the Four Wheel Drive Club (4WDC) of South Africa.

In the late 1980's when a prospective member joined the 4WDC he/she filled in a form; on the form one of the questions that was asked was "Will you be willing to assist in times of national or civil emergency?". As a result of this question the Club had an indication of who amongst the membership was prepared to assist in an emergency situation.

During mid 1990 an aircraft went missing in the Black Umfolozi River valley of Northern Kwazulu Natal (KZN). After an extended search for the aircraft turned up nothing, the official search was called off. However, the family of the missing people decided to continue the search and put out the word for private assistance. The local parachute club, the local hiking club and the local police force made themselves available. One of the family members was also a member of the KZN chapter of the 4WDC and asked the club if they could assist. This request ended up at the 4WDC in Johannesburg and members willing to assist were called up, based on what they had filled in on their application forms.

From this, a group of 6 vehicles under the leadership of the then 4WDC Chairman Neville Marsh, left Johannesburg on a Thursday morning and drove down to assist in the search activities in KZN. Using only 29 mHz CB radios as communications (there were only 3 hams in the convoy so VHF was not an option) the party’s search was unsuccessful and they returned to Johannesburg on the Monday evening. Unfortunately the aircraft was not found (in fact the wreckage was discovered in the Southern Drakensberg area hundreds of kilometers away a number of years later by some backpackers).

The organisation of that search, the logistics behind it, and the processes and procedures were all rather haphazard and very disorganised. It became apparent to Neville and some other members of the team that this could be done much more efficiently and professionally if people were correctly trained, correct search management techniques were practised and a structured command process was in place. A decision was made to call a meeting in Johannesburg to see who would be interest in forming a volunteer rescue organisation.

The first meeting was held at Sturrock Park close to Wits and the organisation was formed with an interim committee to get it off the ground. A number of those founding members are still active in ORRU today and one of them still serves on the committee. In the weeks and months that followed a constitution was drafted and the Off Road Rescue Unit was formed as a division of the 4WDC of SA. In later years the unit would also start accepting members from other 4x4 clubs, in some regions ORRU functions independently from the 4WDC.

[Paul#25]

What are the criteria for getting involved in ORRU? Is this something that we can get involved in through the 4X4AG or should I look at it doing it solo?

[XJ Junkie]

I don’t think there’s a Gauteng WSAR (Wilderness Search & Rescue).

ORRU (Offroad Rescue Unit) is just one of the expert organizations that fall under WSAR.

ORRU is extremely active all the same in the Cape. You don’t have to be a member of 4WDC to join ORRU. A few of our WFADFAC members are ORRU volunteers.

[XJ Junkie]

What are the criteria for getting involved in ORRU? Is this something that we can get involved in through the 4X4AG or should I look at it doing it solo?

Edited:
It appears that it is active in Gauteng but I can’t see the WSAR equivalent is.

http://www.offroadrescue.co.za/

[Mad Manny]

Paul ORRU was started by Gautengers.
I see many ORRU vehicles.
One of my neighbours is an ORRU member.
They do many rescues because we have more people.
I'll ask Bennie for info, but your first step is to go to their website.

[Paul#25]

Thanks Manny. I've found the website and will look into it. As part of my job I have attended aircraft crash investigation courses which could be useful to ORRU.