The first week of May is traditionally Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada and this year Sunshine Coast (ground) Search and Rescue got an early start to the week by providing First Aid support for the ever-popular Coaster mountain bike race on Saturday, May 3.
Sunday, May 4th saw SAR volunteers back again providing First Aid support at the Coaster downhill race.
There were a few bike accidents on both days that needed wounds to be cleaned and one rider was sent to St. Mary’s Hospital for stitches.
Monday, May 5 saw some of the members preparing the area for a practice to be held on Tuesday, May 6 in West Sechelt. This was a joint practice on closed grid searching and involved not only regular team members, but also all 10 members-in-training and some members honing their rope rescue skills.
On May 9, Sunshine Coast Emergency Program coordinator Bill Elsner tested the automated telephone notification system, which delivered more than 400 calls to all Coast emergency personnel in less than five minutes. Also on Friday, three of rope team members were off to the Lower Mainland for a weekend rope rescue course.
“While we didn’t have any call-outs this past week, we were busy and happy to be of service to all residents and visitors of the Sunshine Coast,” said publicity director Robert Allen. “Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue is a committed community service organization built by success with the right people with the right training and equipment at the right time.”
