Rossland Search and Rescue: learning the ropes
By Contributor
South Columbia SAR and Rossland SAR spent some time this weekend honing their technical rope rescue skills in a variety of locations. Technical rescue skills, such as rope, require constant practice to refine and stay current and efficient. This weekend SAR teams from Rossland and South Columbia did just that.
They lowered each other off of 60m cliffs, rescued each other from gulleys, and spanned the river at Beaver Falls with a high line traverse. This is all in the name of keeping the members on top of their game ensuring that in case of a callout they can respond in a timely and safe manner.
Members from Rossland and Nelson also got to use their skills in two real life calls this weekend, one to assist in searching for a subject who had gotten swept downstream into the canyon at Cascade Falls. On Monday evening they also teamed up to rescue Finley, a golden retriever who had fallen from the top of Pulpit Rock, a popular hiking destination on the North Shore of Nelson.
In 2008/2009 Search and Rescue volunteers in BC responded to 999 incidents involving 1375 missing (lost) or injured persons. 2500 unpaid volunteers donated over 100,000 hours of their time on callouts, and an astounding 95% subjects were found or rescued within the first 24 hours of a volunteer SAR group being activated.
