Who is COTAG 4x4 Response?

The team is comprised of ‘can do’, community-minded men and women from across Aberdeenshire, City and Moray and draws strength from the diversity of experience and skills. Each fully operational member has completed training and assessment in the following areas and is required to train at least four times per year to remain current:

• Police Scotland NPP vetted 
• Emergency First Aid at Work (min.)
• IAM or ROSPA advanced on road driving 
• Advanced Off-road driving
• Licensed VHF radio operator
• Basic vehicle recovery and obstacle clearing
• Vehicle mounted winch operation
• Deep water vehicle wading and water safety
• Severe weather driving and personal survival

Volunteers can operate individually, in small teams or larger, multi-task group dependent on the tasking and associated risks. COTAG maintains a self-contained operations control cell to co-ordinate resources and maintain communications with all team members.

What resources can COTAG 4x4 Response offer?

COTAG volunteers operate a variety of capable 4x4 vehicles with up to 7 seats, payload up to 1000kg and towing capacity from 2000-3500kg, together with an enclosed trailer offering a payload of 2000kg which also serves as a mobile control room. Team members each carry equipment to cater for all foreseeable scenarios, including:

• Full body high visibility, harsh weather PPE 
• First aid kit   
• Fire extinguisher
• Recovery equipment 
• VHF and CB radios
• Navigation equipment
• Shovel, traction aids

What support can COTAG 4x4 Response provide?

COTAG volunteers are united by a common interest to serve their local communities. Potential tasking's include:

• Transportation of people and/or materials in severe weather, or by off-road routes, e.g. movement of people or patients to/from remote locations, or delivery of key materials such as medicine, food and fuel.
• Transportation and distribution of flood defence materials e.g. sand bags
• Support traffic control at incidents on the public highway
• Route reconnaissance and reporting
• Vehicle recovery or relocation to safety
• Establish and maintain a radio communication rebroadcast network
• Provide logistical and safety support by manning check points and providing radio communications for charitable events held in remote areas.