Connecting the Front Lines: How UK Connect’s RBK Powered SARNET for Surrey Search and Rescue

Challenge

Surrey Search and Rescue (SurSAR) is a volunteer emergency response organisation that supports police, fire, and ambulance services in locating vulnerable missing persons across Surrey and surrounding areas. Their missions often take place in remote, wooded, or flood-prone regions where conventional communications infrastructure is either unreliable or completely unavailable. To enhance coordination and situational awareness during these operations, SurSAR developed SARNET – a bespoke digital communications platform that enables real-time tracking, messaging, and data sharing across multiple devices. However, SARNET’s effectiveness depends on stable, high-bandwidth internet connectivity, which is rarely accessible in the field.

Solution

To address this challenge, SurSAR partnered with UK Connect to deploy the Rapid Broadband Kit (RBK) as a mobile connectivity solution. The RBK is a battery-powered, ultra-rugged communications unit that integrates 5G, LEO satellite, and Ethernet-based routing into a single portable enclosure. Its design allows it to be rapidly deployed in harsh environments, delivering secure broadband connectivity within minutes. This capability proved essential for powering SARNET in areas where mobile signal was weak or non-existent and where fixed-line broadband was not an option.

With the RBK in place, SurSAR teams were able to fully utilise SARNET’s features during live missions. Real-time GPS tracking, team coordination, and data uploads from mobile devices and drones became possible even in the most challenging terrain. The RBK’s multi-network redundancy and long battery life ensured that connectivity was maintained throughout extended operations, allowing teams to respond faster and more effectively. It also provided a secure communications channel, safeguarding sensitive information and enhancing operational integrity.

The integration of UK Connect’s Rapid Broadband Kit into Surrey Search and Rescue’s toolkit significantly elevated their technological capabilities. It transformed SARNET from a promising platform into a fully operational field asset, enabling seamless digital coordination in environments where traditional connectivity would have failed. By bridging the gap between innovation and field reality, the RBK helped SurSAR deliver faster, safer, and more efficient search and rescue missions across the region.