No reason you can't be involved, your local group Yorks-Lincs 4x4 Response have a member who uses a mobility scooter and he has been very useful. Dinky from here too, he isn't the most mobile of people but has been on a number of callouts.
The next local meeting is Wednesday 15th December 2010,
Sair Inn from 20.00hrs.
Is that NW4x4R?
To the best of my knowledge mobile phone is still the primary communication method for all 4x4 Response groups. Most supplement this with CB (very common in 4x4 community anyway), Amateur radio (good number of responders are amateurs and many groups arrange courses) and PMR for close range stuff as they are very cheap. There are a few other systems in use but ultimately none can provide the national coverage a mobile phone can. 4x4 needs to have resilient forms of communications but it is not our remit to provide emergency comms, Raynet already do that, bridges are being built at local an national level to enable closer working with them.
Briggie for YL4x4R you don't need any form of radio, nice to have but not compulsory.