Campbell River Search and Rescue

Campbell River Search and Rescue Society is a group of dedicated volunteers who provide a vital lifeline to those who are lost or injured in the beautiful wilderness of northern Vancouver Island.

The nature of search and rescue work in British Columbia seems to be changing. Because of technology, we are doing less actual searching and more responding to calls of help from people who can tell us where they are. But the challenge for us is that we must still stay trained and ready for the next big search.

Campbell River Search and Rescue would not be a fraction of what it is today, without ongoing support from our community. Local government, service clubs, businesses and individuals have contributed enormous resources toward training, equipment and facilities, and for that we are very grateful. Tax deductible donations can be made directly through our website.

BC SAR Groups do not solicit funds by phone

Neither the BCSARA nor the Search and Rescue groups recognized by the Province as part of the Public Safety Lifeline solicit funding by telephone. You can learn more about this policy, and what to do if someone has contacted you by phone claiming to be a SAR group requesting funds here: BCSARA : Telephone Solicitation

It was another busy year for Campbell River Search & Rescue.

As always, the range of our call outs are wide and varied over Vancouver island and it’s inlets and surrounding...

SRD Recognizes Volunteers Judy Hagen and Marg Carr for Ten Years of Regional Emergency Support Services

Picture attached: Rick Wall (Chair, NIEP Society) acknowledged Marg Carr & Judy Hagen with flowers and...

We are #CRSAR – Meet Eric Teramura

WE ARE #CRSAR Search and Rescue works because of a dedicated group of volunteers. This dedicated group of volunteers...

Search and Rescue Groups Urge People to Stop Climbing Cabinetry During Pandemic Please resist the temptation...
"I haven't slept in days," said one SAR responder. "It's kitchen, after kitchen, after kitchen."

‘Now is not the time to bag that peak’: BCSAR manager discourages risky outdoor adventures... “Now is not the time to bag that peak you’ve been looking at for the last two years,”.
#stayhome
Call volumes are not going down, even as the COVID-19 pandemic persists

‘Now is not the time to bag that peak’: BCSAR manager discourages risky outdoor adventures... Call volumes are not going down, even as the COVID-19 pandemic persists

Comox Valley Record Newsroom When a SAR unit gets a call-out, 20 or 30 people on a team who have been self-isolating must come together. Please be mindful of this when you are out hiking.
~Terry

Avalanche Rescue Dog Makes World's First Helicopter Line Recovery What an amazing story of a SAR dog and his handler Adam Sheriff!
#SAR #CARDA #BCSARA

Avalanche Canada ending avalanche forecasting this week due to pandemic | CBC News Time for backcountry adventures to end...
#stayhome
Avalanche Canada is issuing its final avalanche hazard forecast of the season this week, ending its forecasting a month earlier than usual after the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to backcountry operations across ...

Photos from Campbell River Volunteer Search and Rescue Society's post On International Women’s Day we would like to recognize the dedication all the women of our group have made in making us who we are! Keep kicking ass in the mountains, rivers, trails, teaching AdventureSmart, doing the accounting and so ...

Local SAR-Techs Make Royal Canadian Air Force History Way to go Ladies! http://ow.ly/1X4450yFcWs
A bit of aviation history was marked this week in Gander as two female SAR-Techs crewed a Cormorant for the fi...

6 CRSAR members were certified to do Adventure Smart presentations....and in expert demonstrations of personal shelter wrapping! Thanks for being such a great sport Chris!
BC AdventureSmart #hugatreeandsurvive
#surviveoutside
https://www.adventuresmart.ca/kids/hugatree.htm
https://www.adventuresmart.ca/land/surviveoutside.htm

Thank you to Gavin and his crew at Sea Com Marine Electric for donating their time in upgrading the marine navigation on our Marine 1 unit! We love the support we get from the community of Campbell River!
#crsar #bcsara ...

‪Our Saturday along with Comox Valley Ground Search & Rescue was spent looking for a missing subject on N. Vancouver Island. Thank you to all the members for taking time away from their families to assist those in need on ...

Photos from Campbell River Volunteer Search and Rescue Society's post After a busy weekend it was time to clean the hall, restock supplies, repair gear and get ready for the next call out.
#crsar #sar #discovercampbellriver #searchandrescue

Timeline Photos Campbell River Search and Rescue would like to thank the local businesses and volunteers who helped in our search efforts this weekend. Your contributions are greatly appreciated!
@BCSARAssoc @BCAdvSmart BC AdventureSmart British Columbia Search and Rescue Association

Timeline Photos Campbell River SAR has been busy this weekend. With two simultaneous searches, we have requested help from other SAR groups (known as "mutual aid"). Saturday alone, around 100 SAR members put in almost 1000 hours of work. Both searches are ...

Comox Valley Ground Search & Rescue The team has been busy the past few days, and continuing on into tomorrow, providing mutual aid to our friends to the north, Campbell River Volunteer Search and Rescue Society. They are currently managing 2 multi-operational period tasks - one ...

Timeline Photos Being a Search and Rescue volunteer can be hard work, both emotionally and physically. Did you know that our volunteers have extra support for their mental wellbeing?
#cismsaturday
BC AdventureSmart BC AdventureSmart
@BCSARAssoc @BCAdvSmart

British Columbia Search and Rescue Association More than 270 #BCSAR volunteers responded to 23 requests for service last week. Do you know how to signal for help if you need it? There are several different ways to get searchers attention 👉 https://adventuresmart.ca/tripplanning/signaling.htm
Full weekly incident summary ...

Timeline Photos Winter time can be fun! Alpine resorts are bordered by uncontrolled wilderness areas. Respect the boundary lines and
don’t ski out of bounds. Make sure you know the Alpine Responsibility Code and learn about the
danger of tree wells. AdventureSmart ...

BC AdventureSmart Trip Plan Tuesday continues with support from 997 2day FM Campbell River. 👍📻🎙
Lower risk activities are key to this equation right now.
Conservative decision making, sound judgement, physical distancing, not pushing outdoor rec limits & knowing when not to go. Extra caution is necessary.
This also helps our 2500 friends British Columbia Search and Rescue Association.
http://cdn.vistaradio.ca/video-maker/out/4-6-20_Sandra_Riches_from_BC_Adventure_Smart-1586276567-2dayfm.mp4
#bcadventuresmart

Shelter Point Distillery Thanks to Shelter Point Distillery for retooling their distillery to make sanitizer! Great to see local businesses adapting to the changing world and looking after people in the community. We just received our first shipment today!
Update: We have temporarily suspended our distilling operations in order to switch production to manufacturing medical grade sanitizer to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We have retooled and gone from single malt to sanitizer in a matter of days. Please email info@shelterpoint.ca if you would like to contact us regarding sanitizer. We are currently supplying it in 750ml bottles and 20 litre containers.
Our distillers will be working double shifts over the weeks and months ahead to produce enough sanitizer to supply as many health authorities, hospitals, medical centres, municipal and provincial services as possible. Our number one priority is to ensure that first responders have ample supplies in order to do their jobs and save lives. We are starting locally, supplying our towns, communities and First Nations Health Authorities on the island. We will subsequently expand production and distribution to supply crucial services across the province as needed. Thank you again for your continued support of our distillery during this unprecedented time.
Our online shop continues to be open for business for whisky, gin, vodka and liqueur purchases. As an added bonus and thanks to our customers, we are offering 15% off all purchases of two bottles or more online. In addition, our spirits continue to be available at private liquor stores in BC and Alberta.
We will update you as the situation progresses and look forward to welcoming you to the distillery again soon.Thank you very much for your continued support and business!

This Is What Happens When You Need a Rescue During a Pandemic "Only after they depart does the potential cost of their actions sink in. More than 50 people were involved with the rescue, from civilian first responders to professional air-medical crews, and many on scene worked close enough to breathe on each other. “It was a holy-shit moment when I realized the number of people, not only search-and-rescue but the bystanders and Ophirites, who were interacting closely, touching each other,” Schroepfer says. “That showed me the potential for danger in these situations more than just putting the stress on our emergency services. We’re all really healthy people in these mountain communities, and the strong and the mighty were the ones who showed up during the rescue. So they’re the ones who could have it and not know it.”
https://www.outsideonline.com/2411094/backcountry-accidents-coronavirus-colorado?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=onsiteshare&fbclid=IwAR0gxvqjhfgXhN4uFX3try0HBdlRWzF7-hMc_BNRixdX49ttGBvmy9MEtQw
A harrowing backcountry rescue at 11,000 feet exposes the precarious situation first responders are in thanks to the coronavirus pandemic

‘Now is not the time to bag that peak’: BCSAR manager discourages risky outdoor adventures... Call volumes are not going down, even as the COVID-19 pandemic persists

Comox Valley Record Newsroom When a SAR unit gets a call-out, 20 or 30 people on a team who have been self-isolating must come together. Please be mindful of this when you are out hiking.
~Terry

Avalanche Rescue Dog Makes World's First Helicopter Line Recovery What an amazing story of a SAR dog and his handler Adam Sheriff!
#SAR #CARDA #BCSARA

BC AdventureSmart Hey North Island, we are absolutely still here to help if you need us, but please be a little more conservative when adventuring outdoors. I think we can all agree our medical system has enough on their hands without your broken ankle!
Ultimately, sound judgment, conservative decision making and knowing when to turn around and save it for another day are your most important backcountry survival skills.
Insightful article by Mountain Life.
Treading lightly, conservatively & not pushing your limits are all supportive ways YOU can BE AdventureSmart.
#bcadventuresmart

Canadian Blood Services The Canadian Blood Supply is currently low. If you are able to donate please consider booking an appointment. CBS is providing ways to maintain social distancing while still being able to donate in your community.
https://www.blood.ca/en
From donors to recipients and all the people that bring them together, we can all be the reason – the connection – that keeps Canadians living. Watch our video Our story is changing

British Columbia Search and Rescue Association BCSARA – Search and Rescue During COVID-19 Pandemic
Sidney, March 17, 2020 – The British Columbia Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA) represents 79 ground search and rescue groups across the province making up some 2,500 unpaid professional volunteers who average 1,700 responses a year.
During these fast-changing times where everyone is looking to maintain social distance but keep themselves busy, many are turning to BC’s great outdoors. BCSARA encourages you to enjoy what BC has to offer but would like to ask the public of BC to do their part to come home safe and follow these recommendations:
- Go with someone else but keep your groups small (family members) to maintain social distancing and tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
- Stick to familiar and safe trails.
- Plan extra time to get back with plenty of daylight.
- Remember, it is still winter out here with lots of snow on the ground, wear appropriate footwear and clothes.
- Plan your trip using AdventureSmart’s 3Ts Trip Plan, Train and Take Essentials (https://www.adventuresmart.ca/tripplanning/planning.htm)
- Load the Trip Plan App on your phone to help you plan and remain safe: (https://www.adventuresmart.ca/tripplan.htm)
- If you do get lost, in trouble or hurt call 911 and let the operator know if you believe you may have been exposed to coronavirus so we can ensure rescuers are protected
If everyone takes these precautions, not only can you have an enjoyable, healthy and safe trip outdoors but BC’s search and rescue volunteers will be ready to assist others if needed.
https://www.bcsara.com/2020/03/search-and-rescue-during-covid-19-pandemic/

British Columbia Search and Rescue Association As British Columbians take care of each other during these unsettling times and with the support from our BC AdventureSmart co-horts, we're strongly encouraging those who are heading outdoors, to 'get informed before they go outdoors'.
With the combination of cancelled travel plans, ski hill closures, facilities suspending operations, we agree that a hike, backcountry adventure, snowshoe or mountain bike are enjoyable and helpful for your mental and physical health.
BC is an active, healthy province and we encourage everyone to enjoy these easily accessible opportunities, but remember, "it's still winter out there" with a lot of snow on the ground.
Heading outdoors?
Remember the " 3Ts”;
Trip Plan, Train and Take Essentials.
https://www.adventuresmart.ca/tripplanning/planning.htm
Supportive reminders from us to you;
➡️ If you're lost, in trouble or hurt, CALL 9-1-1.
https://www.bcsara.com/contact/
➡️ Plan your trip & file a trip plan.
https://www.adventuresmart.ca/tripplanning/tripplan.htm
➡️ Ensure you’re physically fit, have the skills/abilities.
➡️ Take survival gear / essentials & know how to use them.
https://www.adventuresmart.ca/land/survive-essentials.htm
#bcadventuresmart
Please share.

BC AdventureSmart Keep up the amazing work BC AdventureSmart!
Rewarding, fruitful, prosperous & accomplished, all describe our winter as we wrap up the season!
Educated 17,000+ people, travelled 18,000+ kms, increased our Trip Plan App downloads in BC to 34% of 🇨🇦, robust alliances + excellent support from the British Columbia Search and Rescue Association.
Our BC AdventureSmart Teams and volunteer presenters reached 17,161 people face-to-face between November 7, 2019 – March 3, 2020.
✔️ 18,099 kms travelled.
✔️ 8/12 BC SAR regions travelled to.
✔️ 26/80 SAR groups connected with.
✔️ 363 volunteer presenters currently in BC.
✔️ 68 new AdventureSmart presenters trained.
✔️ 12,677 individuals reached solely by our crews.
✔️ 34% of national Trip Plan App downloads are in BC.
✔️ 54% of our volunteer presenters are SAR members.
✔️ 4,484 enthusiasts reached by volunteer presenters.
Final report showcases our seasons accomplishments, alliances, outreach & highlights. ⤵️
https://www.bcsara.com/2020/03/bc-adventuresmart-winter-2020-report/
Summer 2020 here we come!
(Would you like us to visit your community? Contact us and we'll book you in!)

AdventureSmart Use AdventureSmart resources for trip plans and preparation before heading out on any adventure!
Before setting out on any adventure, be AdventureSmart and leave a completed Trip Plan with your loved ones. With the AdventureSmart Trip Plan App, it’s never been easier to fill out a trip plan and send it to one or more contacts. Download the free app today for your Android and iOS devices.
http://ow.ly/38Ds30oC12D
http://ow.ly/BeCR30oC13x

Photos from Campbell River Volunteer Search and Rescue Society's post On Monday February 10th, 5 of our members traveled up to Mt Cain to take the AST + Theory to Practice Course with Island Alpine Guides.
This course focused on gaining experience in decision making while traveling through avalanche terrain, furthering the skills of our Avalanche Rescue Team.
We were grateful for the sunny weather and to Ryan Shelley for the excellent instruction!

INCREASED FLOW ON THE CAMPBELL RIVER - BC Hyrdro is releasing water from the John Hart dam at an increased flow till Wednesday. Be extra cautious around the Campbell River with the increased flow.
Winter started off dry and went to a record setting wet January where the Upper Campbell Lake / Buttle Lake reservoir went up close to 5 meters since the end of December.
#crsar #discovercampbellriver #bcsara #SAR BC AdventureSmart British Columbia Search and Rescue Association

Donate to CR SAR

Campbell River Search and Rescue, like other SAR groups in BC relies upon donations and grants in order to maintain our equipment, train our volunteers and keep the lights on.

Faire un don maintenant par CanadaHelps.org!

Our Sponsors

Is this an emergency?

For emergencies call 9-1-1

If you are concerned about a friend or family member who is missing, overdue, or possibly injured, please call 911. We are only dispatched via the Police, Fire or Ambulance service. They will make the decision to call us. We would rather be called sooner than later; we don’t mind being turned back when the person shows up without incident! Our (Non-Emergency) Phone: 250-923-2500

Campbell River Volunteer Search and Rescue Society

Welcome to Campbell River Search and Rescue

Join our fantastic volunteers

Campbell River Search and Rescue

BC SAR Groups do not solicit funds by phone

It was another busy year for Campbell River Search & Rescue.

SRD Recognizes Volunteers Judy Hagen and Marg Carr for Ten Years of Regional Emergency Support Services

We are #CRSAR – Meet Eric Teramura

Connect with us online!

Donate to CR SAR

Is this an emergency?

For emergencies call 9-1-1

AdventureSmart Message - Trip Plans

AdventureSmart Message - Be River Smart

AdventureSmart Message - Strathcona Provincial Park