Special Features - Wave April 2016

PEOPLE

COMMUNITY

C U LT U R E

APRIL 2016

Get to know Campbell River’s

FIRST RESPONDERS Constable holds the line against protesters

442 Squadron stand ready to respond

Publisher Editor Editorial Team

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CORILAIR

Advertising Team

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Dave Hamilton Alistair Taylor Kristen Douglas Mike Davies Lindsay Chung Dean Taylor Debbie Baker Maria Kirley Jacquie Duns Darcey Wood Michelle Hueller Rachael Beckley Kristi Pellegrin Marnie Neaves Tammy Robinson

Wave is Campbell River’s leading lifestyle magazine.

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Dave Hamilton

Alistair Taylor

Kristen Douglas

Mike Davies

 Editor

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 Writer

 Writer

Michelle Hueller

Lindsay Chung

 Graphic Designer

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PEOPLE

On the Cover:

COMMUNITY

C U LT U R E

APRIL 2016

Fumes from a fuel spill blaze create an impressionistic image of Campbell River firefighters during a simulated aircraft disaster scenario.

Photo by Kristen Douglas Get to know Campbell

River’s

FIRST RESPOND ERS Constable holds the line against protesters

442 Squadron stand ready to respond

Wave is produced by: Wave magazine is published quarterly by Black Press. The points of view or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of Wave. The contents of Wave magazine are protected by copyright, including the designed advertising. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent of the publisher.

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APRIL 2016 ISSUE #10

10

Contents

Shining a spotlight on Sybil Andrews ........................ 5 Make every day Earth Day ......................................... 8 Campbell River Fire Rescue ..................................... 10 Not just hoses and hydrants .................................... 12 A shiny new fire truck .............................................. 14 Canadian Coast Guard ............................................. 15 Joining the Coast Guard ........................................... 16 Working on the sea .................................................. 17 Royal Canadian Air Force’s 442 Squadron ........................................................... 19 Royal Canadian Mounted Police .............................. 22 Campbell River Constable holds the line against protesters ............................. 23 BC Ambulance Service ............................................. 26 Campbell River’s paramedic corp make a difference in their community .................... 27

Special feature: A look at Campbell River’s First Responders

Campbell River Search and Rescue......................... 28

15

23

Shining a spotlight on

Sybil Andrews

By Lindsay Chung “At that time, Sybil never dictated; she suggested. And I always thought that was the beauty of her teaching. In later years when I went to arts school in London, England and did my B.A. in Fine Arts, it was a different method of teaching… we were very, very lucky to have a teacher who basically allowed us to express ourselves, at the same time, being aware of the laws of technique or subject matter. Sybil had a wonderful way of making us aware of composition, colour pattern, light - the necessary ingredients that we needed to produce a successful piece of art.” - Gary Ratushniak

who let her students discover their passion for art and the artist inside of them.

“It was hanging out with her that you got a sense about art becoming so much more a part of your life, an integral part of your life. No matter what you do, you think of it more in terms of art. See, I had never met anybody before in my life like a real artist, a professional artist, and to hear someone talk about art like she did, it was like a mirror to me – this is what I’ve been looking for all my life.” - Richard Calver

Dr. Hana Leaper, who is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art in London, is the author of “Sybil Andrews Linocuts: A Complete Catalogue”. She was first introduced to Andrews’ work while visiting family on Quadra Island. There, she met Richard Calver, a former student of Andrews’, and she spent an afternoon seeing his work and listening to him tell her about his training with her.

These are just a couple of the memories shared by former students of the late painter and printmaker Sybil Andrews in the film “Remembering Sybil Andrews”.

Andrews may be known internationally as one of the leading figures of English Futurism and linocuts, but, especially in Campbell River, she is also well-known as a teacher and mentor, one

Andrews was born in England but spent the last 45 years of her life in Campbell River, teaching art and recorder lessons while continuing to make the linocuts she has become known for.

The recent publication of a complete catalogue of Andrews’ linocuts is shining a spotlight on her work once more and drawing attention to her Campbell River years.

“I was immediately drawn to both her aesthetic and her personality,” she said in an email from London. “Her grit and determination instantly gained my respect, and her talent, my admiration.”

Leaper says that in England, although Andrews’ prints are now “tremendously popular” and

command high prices, her work is only recently becoming acknowledged by art historians.

“Andrews is an incredibly important figure in twentieth century art,” she added. “Her work is dynamic and exciting and not nearly well known enough. Conversely, although her prints now sell very well, she created them for a domestic audience – for everyday people to decorate their houses. The book is a way to return them to the kind of audience she was originally creating them for.”

During the course of working on this book, Leaper learned that living in Campbell River had a big influence on Andrews as an artist and as a teacher.

“In Campbell River, Andrews found new expressions for her creativity, observing the local landscape and culture – whilst remaining fiercely loyal to her Suffolk origins,” she said. “One of my favourite works is ‘Coffee Bar’ (1952), based on working men dressed in caps and plaid shirts in Campbell River. She began to teach and wrote her fiercely impassioned manual “Artists Kitchen” based on these experiences and observations.

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Ken Blackburn, executive director of the Campbell River Arts Council, is very excited that this new book has been published.

“Now with something like this book coming out, all of her linocuts are in one place,” he said.

“Campbell River was a huge part of her story.

Europe doesn’t know that story and it’s great to see us featured in her story somewhat. …

I think it’s significant for Sybil’s story and to see everything in one book, to see the scope of her work, just the breadth of what she did.

This is really as good as it gets. It’s top-quality professional art. It’s significant in and of itself, certainly for researchers - this makes it a hell of a lot easier. It represents probably what will become the central Sybil book now - the essential Sybil book.”

Who was Sybil Andrews?

Sybil Andrews was born April 19, 1898, in Suffolk, England. During World War I, Andrews worked as a torch welder for airplanes. While working, she found time to study art with John Hassall’s home correspondence course.

After World War I, Andrews continued to pursue her passion for art, moving to London to attend Heatherley’s School of Fine Art. During this time, she met artist Cyril Power, who became a mentor.

In 1925, Andrews joined the Grosvenor School of Modern Arts, which was known for its advancement of English Futurism. There, she learned the art of linocut printing from Claude Flight.

“Futurism was in the air, and Futurism had come out of Italy at the turn of the century or 1910 or so as a kind of an artist movement that loved everything modern,” said Blackburn. “It loved speed and it loved mechanical things and motion, and the future was going to be based on this new kind of machine age and the embracing of it.”

During World War II, Andrews worked as a welder again. She met and married Walter Morgan, a co-worker in the London shipyards, who had lost his left arm during World War I.

After the war, the couple immigrated to Canada in 1947 and settled in Campbell River, purchasing the one-room oceanside home in Willow Point that is now a heritage property known as The Sybil Andrews Cottage.

After some of Andrews’ work was lost in a fire in an art gallery in Ottawa, Morgan used the insurance money they received to build his wife a studio, and she continued to work here in Campbell River and also started teaching.

“That’s really the main thrust of her story, that she taught in this house for 40 years and had a very strong group of dedicated artists,” said Blackburn.

While living here, Andrews also published the book “Artists Kitchen” in 1982.

Andrews died Dec. 21, 1992, and her home sat empty for a couple of years, the property deteriorating as time went on. The City of Campbell River purchased the cottage in 1994, and it soon became the home of the Campbell River Arts Council.

In 2004, the cottage was slated for demolition, but thanks to the efforts of the Sybil Andrews Heritage Society, the Campbell River Arts Council and the City of Campbell River, the property was saved. The cottage became the first property listed on the Campbell River Heritage Registry in 2009, and the house was restored in 2011.

The cottage was quite a hub of cultural activity when Andrews and Morgan were alive – Morgan used to bring in National Film Board films and they would show them at the cottage. Blackburn says once they moved in, the Campbell River Arts Council wanted to maintain that focus on education, as well as the community feel.

“For a lot of people, this was kind of the first arts centre in Campbell River,” he said. “We wanted to keep that spirit alive as a community gathering place.”

These days, the Campbell River Arts Council has its office in the Sybil Andrews Cottage, and it manages rentals and events in the cottage. The

cottage is rented out more than 300 times a year by all kinds of community groups, according to Blackburn.

“As the story becomes more well-known and the quality more understood, it raises the dialogue of community; it can’t help but benefit the community when someone of that stature called Campbell River home,” said Blackburn.

“She did end up calling Campbell River home. I think she was very close and passionate about her students. It’s infectious, just the energy that creates. It’s in this house. It’s such a great place to work in and to create with the spirit created

by Sybil and her life and her work and teaching and probably more than anything, her passion for art.”

“Sybil’s legacy continues and it’s actually growing,” he added. “Her auction prices for her work continue to rise. I think the stature of the Grosvenor School and Futurists and linocuts is just growing among art historians and collectors.”

Keeping Andrews’ legacy alive The Sybil Andrews Heritage Society played a major role in preserving the Sybil Andrews Cottage and adjacent Walter Morgan Studio.

Fern Seaboyer has been president of the society since it was incorporated in December 2004. The society began Oct. 17, 2004, when nine people met at the cottage to discuss ways to save the building.

Seaboyer remembers that she got involved in the starting the society because she had enjoyed using the building. She had just retired from teaching and had become involved in the Driftwood Club, which made driftwood sculptures and used to meet at the Sybil Andrews Cottage.

“We heard the City might take the cottage down, so we formed a society, wrote letters, cleaned up the outside, painted the inside ourselves and talked to neighbours and asked for support,” she recalled. “The City went ahead and decided it should be a heritage property and it became

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Campbell River’s very first heritage property – we’re very pleased with that.” Seaboyer says the society is very appreciative of the City’s involvement in the Sybil Andrews/Walter Morgan property, helping to restore it and make it more usable for the community.

“I’m really happy the City has come on board as much as they have,” she said. “In all the meetings they had, they included us. They didn’t do much without asking us if we agreed or if there was something different. They were all very pleasant to work with.”

This year, the Sybil Andrews Heritage Society has received funding from the City of Campbell River to rehabilitate the Walter Morgan Studio.

“Walter Morgan himself was very talented and

he used that shop out there for building boats and rebuilding engines,” said Seaboyer.

“In the war, he had lost his arm up to below his elbow and he made his own prosthesis. He also played trumpet in the first Campbell River Community Band. I thought once we got the cottage restored, we can’t let his studio just sit there and deteriorate. It can be put to much better use than just sitting there.”

The year 2015 was a good year for drawing attention to Sybil Andrews. The Bank of England put out a new currency and decided it wanted to feature a visual artist on the 20-pound note.

Jane Basham, vice-chair of South Suffolk Labour Party in England, wanted to see more women on England’s money, and she nominated Sybil

Andrews. Her name went in as one of 600 recommendations to be on the 20-pound note.

Seaboyer says the Bank of England apparently made its decision in December and will be letting people know this spring.

As well, Seaboyer says they are building a big new school for 1,400 students in Andrews’ hometown of Bury St. Edmunds and it will be named the Sybil Andrews Academy. Seaboyer has been to Bury St. Edmunds, and she was surprised that few people knew about Andrews.

The Sybil Andrews Heritage Society paid for a plaque to go on the building that Andrews grew up in so that people would know that this was where she was born.

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For more than 40 years, Earth Day has inspired millions of people to increase their awareness and appreciation for the environment.

The continued embrace of environmentally friendly practices and principles are contributing to an eco-conscious lifestyle.

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Nowadays, children grow up learning about the environment in school and at home. Many households participate in their community’s recycling programs and such households are raising eco-conscious children.

While a transition to a more eco-conscious lifestyle might not be seamless, it’s far easier than many might suspect and even easier for kids who have yet to develop a lifetime of habits that might not be so eco-friendly.

Use Earth Day to jump start involvement in activities or lifestyles that benefit the environment.

Over the last several years, the opportunities to eat in an eco-friendly manner have increased dramatically.

Organic foods have grown more popular and parents can use this growing trend to teach their kids about the environment.

When shopping for groceries, choose organic products that weren’t grown with pesticides or harmful chemicals.

Shopping locally provides another opportunity for parents to involve food when teaching about the environment.

Shopping locally reduces reliance on fuel

because products don’t need to be shipped to your community, minimizing fuel consumption.

When grocery shopping, always make a list before leaving the house and explain to kids that you do this so you don’t have to make two trips to the store and waste the gas that the second trip would require.

Conservation provides another easy opportunity for parents to instill ecofriendly ideals in their children. Conservation is about reducing waste, so conservation techniques don’t involve sacrifice. Instead, they involve being more responsible when it comes to using our resources.

Parents know full well the constant reminders kids need when it comes to dental hygiene. But use these daily reminders about brushing and flossing as an opportunity to impart a lesson about the environment. Instead of keeping the faucet running while brushing your teeth, turn the faucet off and encourage kids to do the same. Explain that this helps conserve water.

This teaches kids that conservation is simple and often just requires minimal effort to make a big difference. Encourage kids to

turn the lights off when they leave a room to better conserve energy.

Recycling is a practice that many of today’s kids grow up with, and as a result, many of them might take it for granted, failing to fully realize the positive impact they’re making whenever they recycle. If recycling is as natural to kids as breathing, then it’s no surprise they might not recognize its impact.

Purchase products made from recycled materials. A host of products are made from recycled materials, from the paper you put in the printer to the toys under the tree on Christmas morning. Explain to kids why you’re choosing these products, and let them know such products wouldn’t be possible without their own recycling efforts.

Another way to help kids realize the value of recycling is to make crafts from recycled products. For instance, make a papier mache globe to celebrate Earth Day by using old newspapers as your primary material. Such lessons show kids their efforts make an impact and increase the likelihood they’ll continue this eco-friendly lifestyle well into adulthood.

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Get to Know:

CAMPBELL RIVER’S FIRST RESPONDERS

Campbell River Fire Rescue Since its wartime creation in 1942 as an all-volunteer department with a single, downtown hall, Campbell River Fire Rescue has grown to a staff of nearly 75 members and volunteers through two halls, seven fire/rescue vehicles and a dispatch centre that provides services across North Vancouver Island.

The Campbell River Fire Department was organized in 1942 and consisted of a volunteer firefighting force and one fire hall (Hall No. 1) located at 10th Avenue and the Island Highway. The department went professional in 1966 with

the hiring of its first full-time fire chief, and two years later, in 1968, a second fire hall (Hall No. 2) was built on Larwood Road in Willow Point. In 1975, the department expanded to full-time coverage, 24/7, at Hall No. 1. In 1978 Hall No. 1 was relocated to its current location at 13th Avenue and Dogwood Street.

Today, the department consists of two chief officers, 21 fire fighters, 50 auxiliary fire fighters, two fire halls, three pumper trucks, one 75foot aerial truck, one water tanker, one rescue truck, one reserve pumper truck and one new.

Campbell River Fire Rescue provides another critical service to residents of the city and surrounding region. A primary purpose for the establishment of fire services in a community is to reduce the fire insurance costs for that community.

As a result of the services provided by Campbell River Fire Department, the avoided insurance costs for the citizens of Campbell River are more than $5 million annually.

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Not just

hoses and hydrants CRFD provides a wide range of community services

By Mike Davies While the public mainly see and hear the lights and sirens – and assume something is on fire and needs to be put out – and reads about why they were in such a hurry in the local newspaper afterwards, there is a whole lot more to the Campbell River Fire Department than hoses and fire hydrants.

The Fire Department provides a wide range of services to the community of Campbell River, the Strathcona Regional District, and three First Nations, including, yes, fire suppression, but also auto extraction, high-angle rope rescue, tower crane rescue and confined space rescue – which are exactly what they sound like.

On top of that, they also provide hazardous materials response in the event of a product spill, shore-based swiftwater rescue and are the community’s first medical response team, meaning they are the first ones called in the event of a medical emergency.

Oh, and let’s not forget they are also who gets called in the event someone gets stuck in an elevator, and are the ones who go to schools and other community organizations to do public education presentations, perform fire inspections on buildings, investigate the cause of fires when they happen, and assist with emergency disaster plan management and provide wildland and urban interface fire protection.

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[12] WAVE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

Many people don’t know that our local department also provides fire dispatch services from the No 1 Fire Hall downtown to 50 Fire Departments across Central and North Vancouver Island. These fire halls provide protective services from Nanoose Bay to the northern tip of Vancouver Island, including the Powell River area and the northern gulf islands – over 56,000 square km of area. They provide this service on behalf of the North Island 911 Corporation, and last year they dispatched over 10,000 calls.

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In 2015 the department responded to 3,004 incidents themselves, and reported $31.7 million dollars in property value saved from fire loss where fires occurred.

The primary reason for the establishment of fire services in a community is to reduce the fire insurance costs for the community, according to Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Doherty.

“As a result of the services provided by Campbell River Fire Department, the avoided insurance costs for the citizens of Campbell River are over $5 million annually, which is far greater than the overall operating costs of the department,” he says.

“This reflects a cost benefit for every dollar spent on fire protection, a return of $1.63 to the citizens in avoided insurance costs.”

The employees, contractors, and families of TimberWest are grateful to the heroes who make up Campbell River’s Emergency Services.

The tremendous work done by these people is what makes our community a safe place to live and work. Thank you.

In 2016, Doherty says, “the department is focusing on completing a long term plan for fire service levels to the community as well as continuing to build partnerships to ensure a cost effective efficient service is provided to the citizens of Campbell River.”

And on top of everything else, the department also contributes more than 20,000 hours of volunteer time back to the community through various community programs and events such as coaching and assisting with various sports teams, school programs, participating in fundraising events and community groups, and their membership has also raised thousands of dollars from fundraising activities which is directed back into the community.

For more information on the Campbell River Fire Department, including recruitment information, head over to campbellriver. ca and look under “City Services.”

APRIL 2016 | WAVE MAGAZINE [13]

Who can resist a shiny new fire truck?

Not many but Campbell Riverites got a look at their new, $994,000 fire truck on February, 11. It no sooner arrived in town and was put through its paces by undergoing a series of tests and drills.

“What you’re witnessing here right now is what’s called acceptance testing,” Chief Ian Baikie said at Ken Forde Park where the new truck was being tested mere hours after delivery. Acceptance testing is done to make sure the firefighting apparatus does what is expected before a cheque is handed over and the sale is completed.

Baikie said the truck is a new apparatus that displaces the 1993 aerial ladder truck which formed the department’s main piece of equipment. It is being retained. The new truck, which is being called Tower 1, will handle six storey buildings like the Berwick retirement home and the new hospital, under construction.

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ave Magazine

Street Date: April 15, 2016

Copy Deadline: March 10, 2016

Get to Know:

CAMPBELL RIVER’S FIRST RESPONDERS

CANADIAN COAST GUARD

The Canadian Coast Guard is probably best known for its role in marine search and rescue.

Coast Guard forces, including those stationed in Campbell River, are called upon as first responders in a variety of other areas, including environmental and security response.

In cases where the polluter is known and takes actions to mitigate the spill, the Coast Guard assumes the role of Federal Monitoring Officer.

When the polluter is unknown or unable to respond, the Coast Guard actually assumes overall on-scene command.

In addition to its well-known role in marine search and rescue, the Coast Guard is the lead federal agency for all ship-source oil spills and other pollution incidents in Canadian waters.

In this role, the CCG employs a National Support Team that directs human and material resources to a management site; offers international assistance in marine pollution incidents; and

provides humanitarian aid in response to either natural or man-made disasters.

Though not directly under the Ministry of Defence — the Canadian Coast Guard is a special operating agency of Fisheries and Oceans Canada — it can also be called on to support marine and coastal security priorities of the federal government.

The Canadian Coast Guard provides a variety of other services, including training, to commercial and personal marine craft, ranging from aids to navigation and waterways management to marine communications and traffic services.

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A simple, convenient and effective way to help people maintain their independence and remain safe.

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Joining the Coast Guard Those who are up for the challenge of working on the sea, are a team player, excel in math and physics and like helping others can apply for a four-year program in navigation or marine engineering at the Canadian Coast Guard College in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

The program provides tuition-free education, free room and board at the college and a monthly expense allowance.

The program includes two practical sea training sessions, four to seven months long, that come with a $1,078 to $1,594 allowance per month.

The college promises employment opportunities across Canada upon successful completion of the program.

Requirements to apply include: Advanced Math 11 and 12, English or French 12 and two years of high school physics.

For more information, visit www.cgc.gc.ca

We’re here for you.

Today Campbell River Hospital serves more than 54,000. Our Hospital is the first point of referral for emergencies and illnesses including heart attacks, strokes, respiratory problems and all other diseases. You can help to ensure that our hospital is in the position to properly respond to our community’s health care needs by providing the diagnostic treatment and support programs required.

When you give, you help to provide the funding necessary to acquire vital medical equipment and support continuing Staff Education. From Power Lifts and Resident Safety Mats for Yucalta Lodge to Portable Ultrasounds, Mammography Unit, Ventilators, ECG Machines and Fetal Monitors for our hospital, our donors have helped to make a positive impact in health care.

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Campbell River’s Coast Guard station the busiest on the coast

T

he vessel was sinking.

The 38-foot Bayliner was taking on water near Discovery Harbour and listing to one side. By the time the four-person Coast Guard crew arrived on scene, the situation was looking dire.

But finally, success. The Coast Guard crew was able to get the two people onboard the sinking vessel – and their pets – to safety and salvage their craft.

“We saved their boat, prevented a lot of pollution, and saved a cat and a dog,” says Kyle Zacharuk, “They were sinking,” says Ron one of two leading seamen, also Boucher, commanding officer. known as a rescue specialist or “We were really close to losing medic, on board. that boat, it was really close.”

“That was a real feel-good story,” Applying two pumps to the boat agrees Boucher. It’s just one of wasn’t enough, even in tandem the reasons Boucher and his crew enjoy what they do so much. with a single pump from a barge towing the sinking boat. It took “I like helping people – it just four pumps total – including feels good,” he says. “Another part three of the Coast Guard’s gas- of it for me is the job is always powered devices – and the changing, the calls are always efforts of the crew to plug some different.” of the vents, just to catch up to While the Coast Guard’s main role the rising water. is to perform marine search and

Ron Boucher, commanding officer at the Campbell River Coast Guard station, is one of eight crew members locally that perform marine search and rescue services, as well as medivacs.

© Photo courtesy CCGC

rescue – to help mariners when they get into trouble – the Coast Guard is also the lead federal agency for oil spill response and other pollution incidents in Canadian waters.

The Coast Guard also helps out with medical evacuations.

In fact, the most common call outs last year for the Campbell River Coast Guard station were medivacs.

“We get a lot of medivacs here from the islands, mainly Quadra and Cortes, but the other outlying islands as well,” Boucher says.

The Coast Guard is called when BC Ferries is unable to assemble a crew to transport a patient to Campbell River for medical care.

The Coast Guard’s cutter, the Cape Palmerston, is often deployed in those instances and the Coast Guard is equipped with

a spine board and a specialized stretcher that fits the boat.

Campbell River’s Coast Guard station received 169 distress calls last year, making Campbell River the busiest station on the coast, and Boucher says that can be attributed to the amount of medivacs.

“They’re so populated, all of the islands around here and there are a lot of retirees,” he says.

When the crew isn’t performing medical evacuations or search and rescue, they’re working with other agencies. “We’ll work with the fire department if a boat’s on fire and we’ve worked with the local Search and Rescue doing medivacs, we’ve had crews out doing customs work,” Boucher says. “A foreign vessel had broken down once and we were the platform.”

Boucher says Coast Guard will

also do humanitarian work and come off the water. In one instance, Coast Guard crews provided medical assistance to local paramedics who were responding to a patient in the community. The Coast Guard also provides support aids to navigation.

“There are navigation lights up and down the coast and the lights do go out sometimes,” Boucher says. “We’ll be asked to go out and repair them.”

And when they’re not called away on a job, the crews are out doing training exercises.

Boucher says local crews are typically out on the water every second day, in order to ensure the boat is always ready to go and it’s second nature to deploy.

“We’ve got to be able to get the boat out without having to even think about it,” he says.

The Coast Guard has a 30-minute standby period that it must abide by. That means that crews, no matter if they’re in the office or at home, have 30 minutes to respond after the rescue operations centre in Victoria sends out the page.

Crews are always on standby 24/7 for the duration of their two week shift. In Campbell River, there are two four-crew teams that work a two-week-n, two-week-off rotation.

The local station has a wealth of experience. Boucher started with the Coast Guard in Prince Rupert in 1990 while one of his partners, Ian Wallace, has been with the Coast Guard since 1979 when he started out at the station in Bamfield, on the West Coast of the Island.

“I went to school by boat and it just hasn’t stopped,” Wallace says.

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CAMPBELL RIVER’S FIRST RESPONDERS

442 SQUADRON

It’s a big job The Royal Canadian Air Force’s 442 Squadron patrols the West Coast and mainland British Columbia Day and night, every day of the year, personnel at 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron stand ready to respond to calls for search and rescue (SAR).

It’s a diverse team of pilots, SAR Techs, planners, military and civilian aircraft maintainers and support staff whose professionalism is readily apparent to the casual observer. Each member of the squadron plays a critical role in the never-ending state of high-readiness, which by necessity includes training to maintain competencies and acquire new skills.

The primary role of 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, based at CFB Comox, is the provision of aviation resources in support of the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Victoria.

The territory they cover is vast. The squadron is responsible for a SAR zone stretching from the BC – Washington border to the Arc-

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The CC-115 Buffalo aircraft is one of Canada’s primary search and rescue aircrafts which will fly in almost any weather. The agile Buffalo can take off and land on even the most rugged terrain and in areas as short as a soccer field.

tic, and from the Rocky Mountains to 1,200 km out over the Pacific Ocean. It consists of approximately 920,000 square kilometers of mainly mountainous terrain of Yukon and British Columbia and 560,000 square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean extending to approximately 600 nautical miles offshore, including over 27,000 kilometers of rugged British Columbia coastline. The rugged and often inaccessible terrain, severe weather, and large expanses of sparsely populated areas make the Victoria Search and Rescue Region (SRR) the most demanding region in the country.

While approximately 80 of the Squadron’s personnel strength of 200 are aircrew trades, including pilots, navigators, flight engineers, and Search and Rescue Technicians (SAR Techs), the majority are maintenance personnel, charged with keeping the fleet of 11 aircraft at peak operational readiness.

On occasions when major search operations dictate the establishment of a forward operating base somewhere else in the province, 442’s maintenance personnel will deploy with the aircrew, providing servicing and repairs to aircraft on site The Canadian Armed Forces have approximately 140 search and rescue technicians (SAR Techs). They are highly trained specialists who provide advanced pre-hospital medical care and rescue for aviators, mariners and others in distress in remote or hard-toreach areas. These men and women are trained to a primary-care paramedic national standard with additional advanced skills.

SAR Techs are land and sea survival experts who specialize in rescue techniques, including Arctic rescue, parachuting, diving, mountain climbing and helicopter rescue.

The Squadron’s annual SAREX is a major event that had about 60 members of the squadron away from Comox for a week of intense

APRIL 2016 | WAVE MAGAZINE [19]

training and flying. Locations vary from year to year to give members of the squadron experience operating in new and different terrain; it also allows the squadron to train with SAR organizations throughout the Victoria Search and Rescue Region, strengthening an impressive network of trained volunteers who also stand by ready to respond.

This year’s SAREX was held in Kamloops and the surrounding area from 22-26 February. Capt Francois Fasquelle led a small team of planners in delivering a week of realistic training scenarios which included rescuing hunters following a helicopter crash, a night para-drop, survival training, and a major air disaster event.

Meanwhile, the work they do is aided by two primary aircraft: the CC-115 Buffalo and CH-149 Cormorant helicopter.

CC-115 Buffalo – One of Canada’s primary search and rescue (SAR) aircrafts, the CC-115 Buffalo will fly in almost any weather. The agile Buffalo can take off and land on even the most rugged terrain and in areas as short as a soccer field.

The CC-130 Hercules now performs many of Eastern Canada’s SAR operations, but the short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities of the CC-115 have kept it in use in the Rocky and Coastal Mountain ranges. At 24 metres long, the Buffalo is small enough to service the rough and mountainous terrain on Canada’s West Coast.

All six Canadian Forces’ CC-115s are employed by 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron out of Comox, BC. With a maximum load of 2,727 kg — or 41 fully equipped soldiers — the Buffalo has an operational range of 2,240 km.

CH-149 Cormorant – The Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) only dedicated search and rescue (SAR) helicopter, the rugged CH-149

A 442 Squadron SAR Tech treats a “wound” during last month’s SAREX training exercise held in Kamloops.

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The Royal Canadian Air Force’s only dedicated search and rescue helicopter, the rugged CH-149 Cormorant can operate in even the most severe conditions, making it ideal for Canada’s challenging geography and climate.

Cormorant can operate in even the most severe conditions, making it ideal for Canada’s challenging geography and climate.

Whether coming to the aid of a ship’s crew, an injured mountain climber or a lost hiker, the Cormorant gets the job done.

Powered by three engines, the CH-149 Cormorant has exceptional long-range capability — it can fly for over 1000 km without refueling. With its ample cargo space and rear-ramp access, the helicopter can carry up to 12 stretchers or a load of 5,000 kg.

Because of its shaped rotor blades — strengthened by titanium strips along the leading edge — the CH-149 has superior lift and flight speed, and significantly less vibration than many other helicopters. This advanced system allows the Cormorant to start and stop rotors in very windy conditions — over 50 knots —and also helps provide a stable hover for critical hoisting operations.

Equipped with a full ice protection system, the Cormorant routinely conducts rescues that would have been impossible for its predecessor, the CH-113 Labrador.

A 442 Squadron SAR Tech tends to victims in an emergency exercise scenario during the annual SAREX, a major event that had about 60 members of the squadron involved in an intense training and flying session held in Kamloops Feb. 22-26.

CAMPBELL RIVER’S FIRST RESPONDERS

Get to Know:

RCMP It’s a team of professionals ranging from rookies to seasoned veterans who dedicate themselves to a wide range of policing services. There’s serious crime investigators, street crime officers, forensic investigators, crime prevention/ victim services officers, a municipal traffic force, a police dog handler and more.

The Campbell River detachment includes 52 RCMP members. There are 25 civilian staff as well, which includes Support Staff, Victim Services Personnel, Restorative Justice, Crime Analyst and Crime Stoppers.

Coverage area for the detachment ranges from the Oyster River in the south to halfway between Campbell River and Sayward in the north and Strathcona Park in the west to the vast and unpopulated mainland coast in the east.

To help with the eastern sections, the

detachment can call on the services of the RCMP marine section which has two crews at its disposal and which includes the waters off Campbell River as its precinct. The serious crimes unit has five members and has an accredited team commander.

Campbell River’s Public Safety Building was designed to accommodate police work and 17 years later, is still serving effectively.

Campbell River, along with most of B.C., has seen a 19 per cent jump in its Crime Severity Index which assigns a numeric value to a crime, with homicide earning the greatest number.

In 2015, Campbell River RCMP dealt with one homicide, 16 robberies (a 60 per cent increase over 2014), 277 assaults (a 13.1 per cent increase) and 23 sexual offenses (a 35.3 per cent jump).

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[22] WAVE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

RCMP tactical team members prepare to enforce security at the G20 summit in Toronto in June 2010.

Riot duty and crowd control is a major part of tactical team duties.

Campbell River Constable

holds the line against protesters

By Lindsay Chung

Const. John Clemens of the Campbell River RCMP spent 31 days at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 and loved it. But as a member of the Vancouver Island Tactical Team (VITT) he had a very different experience than your average sports fan.

Clemens and other VITT members worked 15-hour days, searching all the venues before people got there and dealing with protesters.

“I was right in the centre of the protest at the Olympic opening in Vancouver,” he recalled.

“We had 300 protesters trying to break the line and go inside and disrupt the opening ceremonies; not many people know about that. We brought in the horses and we were liaised with the Lower Mainland [tactical] team and Vancouver PD and we stopped them. They were trying their best to get through us, but we didn’t allow it. We were co-ordinated; they weren’t.

We practice that co-ordination to move as a troop.”

Clemens is a season pass holder for Nordic skiing at Mount Washington, so he told the boss

“if you have anything to do with Nordic skiing at the Olympics, I’m your guy.” He ended up being placed at the finish line for the cross-country skiing, and he worked at the Callaghan Valley venue where they held the ski jumping.

“First, we had to search for [improvised explosive devices], all of the venues there, and then I got posted right at the bottom of the ski jump, right dead centre where they’re coming at me after the jump, to keep people from coming there and from taking pictures because if you come too far, they can run you over,” he said. “It was really weird to see them coming straight at me. I was back far enough that they never landed near me but it sure looked like they were going to. It was quite something. And we had to search that venue from top to bottom.”

Clemens, who has been a police officer for 28 and a half years, spent three years with the Lower Mainland Tactical Team and has been with the Vancouver Island Tactical Team for 11 years.

Clemens says there are an average of 40 to 60

members on the team, and members volunteer to join the team from detachments all over Vancouver Island, coming together to train at CFB Comox each year.

The Tactical Team gets called out to different events and is trained in riot tactics and specialized searches, searching for people, bombs and items.

Besides the Vancouver Olympics, Clemens has also gone with the VITT to protests at Bear Mountain, a search for a missing person in Courtenay, protests for LNG drilling at Burnaby Mountain, the Stanley Cup riots in Vancouver, the Martin Mountain wildfire in Kamloops where they had to evacuate people and make sure looters didn’t come in, a homicide on Salt Spring Island where they were tasked with interviewing people, and most recently, Clemens went to Houston this October, where there were protests against the pipeline.

One of Clemens’ favourite assignments was escorting the Olympic torch on Vancouver Island. The Tactical Team members were in the

APRIL 2016 | WAVE MAGAZINE [23]

RCMP tactical team members march into place at the G20 summit in Toronto in June 2010.

vans protecting the runners and were always there in case anything happened, travelling with the torch the entire way. “[The Olympics] and the Olympic torch events, for me, were very meaningful,” said Clemens. “Very proud to be part of it. I actually have a picture at home of me with the Olympic torch at home. One of the runners said ‘here.’ I said, ‘I want to take your picture,’ and they said ‘why don’t you get someone to take a picture of both of us.’ That was great. And the enthusiasm of people everywhere we went was amazing. It was fun. I am very proud of what we did for the Olympics. It was great to be there. My son was at UVic at the time and he brought all his friends down because I phoned him to say ‘we’re going to be at this intersection in five minutes,’ and they were all there and they started singing ‘O, Canada’ and there were 100 of them.”

Members from Vancouver Island will get called out as reinforcements for other teams for large events, and Clemens was one of six Vancouver Island members assigned to the Ontario team at the G20 riots in downtown Toronto in 2010. Not all members can go at once; it depends on their availability and if their home detachment has enough members at the time to let them go.

“It’s an exciting part of what we do,” said Clemens. “That’s why I’ve stayed with it a long time.”

The National Fire Protection Association reports that 71% of smoke alarms which failed to operate had missing, disconnected or dead batteries, making it important to take this time each year to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

To stay safe, replacing batteries in all smoke alarms should be done at least once a year, and changing them while updating the time on all of your clocks serves as a great reminder. In addition, smoke alarms should be tested once a month, and if an alarm ‘chirps’ warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.

[24] WAVE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

Five members of the Campbell River RCMP Detachment belong to the VITT. Each detachment is required to provide members, and Clemens says there are always members waiting to get on the team.

“We have one of the most respected Tactical teams in B.C.,” said Clemens. “We got lots of kudos and lots of calls because we do a good job and we are well trained. The trainers have been with the team for a long time, and they have been tasked with going to other countries, to England and the United States, to show them how to do proper searches. We were

Vancouver Island Tactical Team originally trained by search trainers who are ex-London policemen.”

was a good fit. Clemens wanted to be a police officer “right from the get-go.”

Members of the VITT all have different kinds of training, such as shooting less-lethal projectiles or using gas. Clemens is trained to be one of the members who holds the line against protesters.

“My high school picture shows ‘plans on attending St. Mary’s University and then joining the RCMP’ and that’s exactly what I did,” he said.

“I like it on the line,” he said. “You’re up front and it’s central to everything that’s happening.”

Clemens decided to join the Tactical Team after a friend of his, who was a team member, suggested he join. He had always been into physical activity, and he was a Canadian Armed Forces Reservist when he was younger, so it

“It was leading towards that, from Scouts Canada right through to the military and to campus police and in charge of the residence at St. Mary’s, and martial arts for a long time – so it all led to this job.”

Clemens thinks the most challenging parts of being on the VITT are stamina and physical fitness. Members spend hours at a time march-

ing in heavy gear and get shot at with gas.

“We have to hold the line,” he said. “It’s very strict discipline. We don’t engage until we are instructed to do so, so we stand there and we don’t retaliate, we don’t do anything until we’re instructed to do so. It takes a lot of self-confidence to stand there when people are attacking you. These guys are tough who are on the team. It’s a good thing to belong to.”

One of the biggest benefits, he thinks, is the camaraderie and team effort that comes with it.

“They’re all team players who are on the troop, and they all work pretty good together,” he said.

“They’re a good representation of the RCMP.”

We farm salmon in some of the most rugged, remote places on the BC coast.

Many thanks to the professional and volunteer emergency service workers who keep us safe.

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bc ambulance

On the scene, ambulance paramedics have a truckful of specialized equipment they can use.

Most ambulances have one main stretcher, three spinal immobilization devices, defibrillators, oxygen tanks, diagnostic equipment, thermometers, pulse oximeters, glucometer and blood pressure monitoring.

Paramedics provide early intervention to those who are too ill or injured to make their own way to the hospital is that critical.

Campbell River paramedics respond to an average of 5,500 calls in a year.

The Campbell River ambulance branch has a staff of 41, with nine of those being fulltime paramedics and the rest working parttime.

A typical schedule for the full-time paramedic is two day shifts, followed by two night shifts and then four days off. Shifts for the part-timers are typically 12 hours

long, depending on which of the three ambulances the paramedic is assigned to.

The Alpha shift, primarily staffed by fulltime paramedics, is the first ambulance called out to an emergency while the second ambulance out is the Fox shift – mostly used by the part-time paramedics who are on standby at the station.

While the Campbell River unit’s normal response area is Roberts Lake to the north, Strathcona Park Lodge to the west, and south to Hamm Road, paramedics are not bound to one area and are sometimes sent to neighbouring communities to help out when needed.

Local paramedics also have a good working relationship with their other emergency services partners. This includes the Campbell River Fire Department, RCMP, Canadian Coastguard, SAR and Oyster River Fire Department. Paramedics also work very well with their closest health care team, the

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Anyone who is interested or would like to get involved as a paramedic can visit www. bcas.ca or call the BC Ambulance Service Careers Help Desk at 1-877-577-2227.

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B.C. Ambulance Paramedics Danielle Robertson and Trevor Melville are two of the dedicated men and women whose cool demeanour and professional skills are a welcome presence at an accident scene or other medical emergency.

Campbell River’s paramedic corp are dynamic, active people who want to make a difference in their community

By Alistair Taylor If you’re looking for a profession with a predictable, “same-old, same-old” type of work day then being an ambulance paramedic is not for you.

Thankfully, that kind of a job doesn’t appeal to the men and woman who respond to accident scenes, medical emergencies or caring for the sick and elderly in our community.

“I was looking for something that wasn’t a desk job,” Trevor Melville, a 27-year veteran paramedic, says about when he became a paramedic.

Campbell River’s paramedic corp are dynamic, active people who want to make a difference in their community. “You can have an impact in a short amount of time,” says Danielle Robertson.

Robertson and Melville represent the diversity that exists in Campbell River’s B.C. Emergency Health Services ambulance station. Melville is a full-time veteran that became a paramedic in the community when the city’s fire department provided that service. He then transferred into the BC EHS when they absorbed all paramedics province-wide. Robertson is a part-time paramedic who maintains her status so that she can stay and work in this community, the one she grew up in and whose father serves as a full-time paramedic here as well. In fact, Robertson often works on shifts with her father whenever the opportunity comes around in the rotation of assignments.

“He started (here) when I was two and it’s always been part of my life,” Robertson says.

Melville started as a paramedic back when you became a firefighter and then took the training that qualified you as a paramedic.

“At that time, your training was given after you were hired,” Melville says. “Now it’s reverse; you have to be trained before.”

Melville was a volunteer firefighter in Comox and a part time paramedic when he hired on in Campbell River.

Robertson, meanwhile, joined up 10 years ago and did the Emergency Medical Responder training, which is the basic training to get you into an entry-level paramedic job. But she had to begin her career in Sayward and Port McNeil before being able to transfer into Campbell River. That’s quite common.

Sometimes you’ll have to put in time in other larger urban centres in the province before you can secure the posting that you want. Campbell River, for example, is considered a plumb posting.

After you’re hired, though, the learning never stops and not just through experience.

“The training prepares you with the skills but you learn a lot on the job,” Robertson says.

But in addition, you spend a portion of every year upgrading your training formally. The training is handy, of course, because the Campbell River station is a challenging post which appeals to this group of professionals.

“No day is ever the same,” Robertson says.

You might come in to work at the start of your shift expecting a calm, quiet day but before you know it, you might have to board a Coast Guard vessel or fly to a remote inlet. “That’s what’s unique about this station,” Melville says.

Campbell River is considered an urban posting but the area that the station covers includes the local waters and adjacent mainland inlets, much of which is wilderness, as well as Strathcona Park.

“I have gone as far north as Kingcome Inlet,” Melville says.

Other times, calls have involved travelling to Zeballos and other places further afield.

But at the core of the work is the desire to help people; to make a difference in people’s lives.

“You can make a difference in a short amount of time,” Robertson says.

Meilville agrees. “You also get to see the results of your work fairly quickly,” he says.

Another aspect of that is how closely the ambulance paramedics work with the Campbell River hospital and its staff and how important that relationship is. “Being a small community, we get to work closely with the hospital,” Robertson says.

That level of integration allows for a more personal touch. The paramedics don’t just drop off a patient and never see them again. Part of the staying in touch involves knowing the hospital staff who are treating the patients. “You can follow up,” Melville says.

The paramedics take pride in their work and value the relationship their profession has with the public.

“I think one of the positive things on the job too, you don’t necessarily think of often is, it’s a privilege, actually, that people have the trust in us to briefly allow us into their homes and their lives, usually in a time of crisis,” Melville says.

It’s in that time of crisis that most people come into contact with paramedics and it is probably what you would immediately associate them with. So, what allows paramedics to be able to deal with what often is a traumatic situation?

Is it a natural ability? Is it something you learn?

“Well, you figure it out pretty early on, whether you’ve got it or not,” Melville says. “It’s certainly not for everybody.”

“Sometimes you do deal with stuff that affects you worse than other things. You just figure out who you can talk to.”

APRIL 2016 | WAVE MAGAZINE [27]

Get to Know:

CAMPBELL RIVER’S FIRST RESPONDERS

CAMPBELL RIVER SEARCH AND RESCUE

The not always glamorous, but extremely rewarding

life of a Search and Rescue member

By Mike Davies Campbell River Search and Rescue (CRSAR) volunteers put in over 9,400 hours last year helping keep our community – and visitors to our area – safe when they venture outside to enjoy our beautiful region.

a line underneath a helicopter. Never in a million years would I have ever imagined I’d get to do something like that. It was so awesome. It was like a dream.”

Local machinist Brent Finnerty, who is going into his third year with the organization, put in more than his share of those hours – and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

And it’s not just the physical challenges and technical knowledge he’s developing as part of CRSAR that he appreciates.

“I love it,” Finnerty says, as he prepares for a Tuesday night training session at the team’s headquarters in Willow Point.

“I told my wife when I joined that I was just going to take it easy and do a year of getting into it slowly and see how it goes,” he laughs, “but in the first year and a half, I’ve done swift water training, avalanche training, alpine training … I just dove right in.”

Born and raised right here in Campbell River, the 45-year-old Finnerty has always been somewhat of an outdoorsman, he says, “but nothing like what I’ve gotten into since I joined up with these folks.”

Sure, he used to go hiking in the woods and spend some time in and around the water, but in his first year on the SAR team, he had alpine training where he learned to travel on glaciers, avalanche training, swift-water rescue training and training on various all-terrain vehicles.

“The sky’s the limit in terms of the amazing opportunities I’ve had since I joined,” he says. “I even went up on a long-line exercise where I hung on

[28] WAVE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

“I’ve never really been what I would call a ‘leader,’” he laughs. “I don’t really like being ‘The Guy.’ I never expected to be in the lead role doing stuff I’d never done before I joined, and if someone would have told me I’d

' Merci aux bénévoles de lʼéquipe de

Le plaisir d y vivre son français sauvetage pour votre courage et vos efforts pour sauver des vies!

Association Francophone de Campbell River

250-287-2951 www.afcr.bc.ca

Natasha Provost takes K-9 Rescue team member Spirit for a trip up the wall during rope rescue training at the Campbell River Search and Rescue facility on Larwood Road in Willow Point.

Brent Finnerty (foreground) works on his rope tying

be doing that, I would have probably been, like, ‘I’m not so sure about that.’

But it’s been another aspect that has come out in me that I was really quite surprised by.”

But it’s not all action movie heroics and leadership training and daring wilderness rescues plucking stranded hikers off the side of cliffs with helicopters.

“There are some not-so-glamorous parts, sure,” he says. “You get calls, and you grab your stuff and hurry down here, and the plan is made, and you get on the road, and by the time you’re halfway there, the mushroom picker shows back up at his camp five hours late, and you’ve driven all the way to Port McNeill in the middle of the night and you just have to turn around and come home. There’s definitely some un-super-hero type stuff,” he laughs.

And then there are the times when things don’t work out. Like any emergency response, there are times of tragedy.

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“We’ve had some calls …” he pauses to think of how to express it. “It’s part of the job. I mean, it’s not a job, because we’re all volunteers, but it’s something that you just have to realize … not everything is going to have a good outcome, and you can’t let it get to you.”

When it does get to them, however, Finnerty says there is an excellent support system in place.

“CISM – Critical Incident Stress Management – the support system we have, always comes into play when there’s been a task where we feel it’s needed, and it’s very important and it’s great that it’s in place,” he says.

Another thing that needs to be in place is funding. In that regard, according to CRSAR manager Tim Fairbank, the Campbell River team is fortunate they are in a community like this one.

“Staying equipped and trained can be an expensive undertaking,” Fairbank says,

“and the North Island community has been very good to CRSAR.” Finnerty agrees. “Our community is very supportive of us. Very supportive. We’re very lucky.” Which is good, because, as Finnerty says, “the area we have to cover is huge, and we have a lot of different types of terrain, which need different types of equipment to manage.”

CRSAR’s territory is from Oyster River north on Vancouver Island, across the water to the West Coast of the mainland, up as far as Cape Scott and beyond into the coastal inlets as far as Bella Bella.

“We are in the top 15 per cent, or so, of the 80 groups in BC in terms of call out volume,” Fairbank says, adding that, “the demand for our services has been growing steadily overall around the province, as more and more people get out and enjoy the outdoors.”

The group puts on an 80-hour course each winter for people interested in becoming members and Finnerty says he recommends it for anyone who wants to make a difference in their community and region.

“Do you need a ton of available time?

Not really. I think you need to put in 100 hours of volunteer time a year.

It’s not horribly hard to meet that commitment.”

Meet our

He does say, however, that it’s a lot easier for some than for others. “I’d always wanted to be a part of it,” he says, but he had to wait until his situation in life was more conducive to taking the opportunity.

“I love the outdoors, but I kind of had to wait until that point in my life when, you know, the kids are older, and financially and job-wise … well, I have the freedom at this point in my career to be able to leave when I’m needed for this. That’s probably the biggest barrier for people wanting to be members, if there is one.

It’s not like you have to be in the best shape, or be the best climber or anything. That stuff comes with the training.”

You also need a supportive and understanding partner – if you’ve got a partner. Like Finnerty’s wife, Erin, for example.

“There have been nights when the call comes in at 3 a.m. and I’m running around the house grabbing my gear and throwing things together, and my wife – bless her heart, she’s such a big support – is throwing together some burritos or something so I can have a bite to eat before I run out the door,” he laughs. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” And Erin understands that.

For more information on the team, including their recruitment program or ways to donate to their cause, head over to crsar.ca.

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