Mark
Overheads are not necessarily the same, as they may be subject to local conditions. Some groups provide more than others to members and this is down to their individual financial situation.
Some groups have been lucky enough to gain sponsorship or have been awarded grants from lottery funding, others have not.
Whilst we try hard to present the 4x4 Response Network as a unified brand across the British Isles we must remember that it is a network of independently run teams, all with our own ideas but with a common aim i.e. to deliver reliable transport and logistical solutions to emergency responders in any type of emergency or major incident but as a result we will always have local differences.
As to why local Police Officers have never heard of us, this doesn't surprise me in the least. Although as an organisation and as groups we engage regularly with the Police forces, it is often at a relitively high level and it has always been the case that this rarely filters down to the "front line".
Here in Hertfordshire, I am aware that at least three of the Assistant Chief Constable Constables hass heard of us but would doubt if many more Constables know who we are. It is usually only after direct contact with any member of the Emergency Services that they are truly aware of us.
It is likely to be a long time before we are engrained in the public conciousness to such a degree that "everyone" knows what 4x4 Response is and what it does.
Mountain Rescue Teams are often cited as a similar service that is popularly known and we would like to achieve equal levels of recognition amongst the public. However I was surprised recently when talking to some senior colleagues in the NHS, who had never heard of Mountain Rescue. The fact is they don't go into mountainous areas, holidays are spent on a beach and to them, walking is what you do from your front door to the car. Therefore MRTs had never entered their conciousness.
Mind you I once worked with someone who went on holiday to the Lake District for the first time. On his return he was amazed to find it had mountains too, previously he had no idea there were hills in between the lakes
