The Central Okanagan Search and Rescue Teams, Essay Example

I would like to tell you the success story of The Central Okanagan (COSAR) Search and Rescue Teams. The SAR team is overseen by the Provincial Emergency Preparedness program. It coordinates their training programs. Its members have communications, accounting, mechanical, and a wide range of outdoor experience. Although only Level One first aid is required, many team members have more advanced skills. The team carries out rescues by land, air, and water.

If ever there is an area that requires skilled and dedicated search and rescue workers (who work for free 24/7, 365 days a year), it is the Central Okanagan with its large Okanagan Lake and lesser bodies of water, winding mountainous roads, interface areas, ski hills, avalanches—especially in what is known as the back country–, and mud and gravel slides.

A relatively recent successful rescue (December 2011) occurred of a girl who had been snowmobiling near Brenda Mines and crashed into a tree and broke her leg. The BC Ambulance Services were called, but when they got to the area, they realized their personnel were not trained to go of into the bush to manage a wilderness rescue and evacuation. As a result, they called the Search and Rescue team of the Central Okanagan who, although they had to go across some very icy terrain, were able to reach and to stabilize the victim until help could arrive. They even dug out the trapped snowmobile. The eight hour ordeal was over and the victim recovered fully.