Search and Rescue

Ground has broken on Vernon Search and Rescue's next home, which is expected to be ready by 2023. Left to right: Don Gibbs, significant project donor and former owner of 5150 Silver Star Road; Kevin Acton, Chair of the RDNO Board of Directors; Rob Cross, VSAR Member; Brian Quiring, RDNO Director. (RDNO photo)

Ground breaks on new home for Vernon Search and Rescue

New facility on Silver Star Road expected to be ready by 2023

 

Vernon Search and Rescue located a person lost in the hills around Vernon at 2 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, 2022. (VSAR photo)

Vernon Search and Rescue uses ‘mapping magic’ to track down person lost in the woods

VSAR found the person at 2 a.m. after the RCMP provided the location of their cell phone

 

A Canadian Forces CC-115 Buffalo aircraft prepares to land at Chilliwack Airport in Chilliwack, B.C., on Friday February 28, 2014. The Royal Canadian Air Force is relocating two aircraft from Winnipeg to Vancouver Island to address a gap in Canada’s search-and-rescue services. The gap is the result of a new delay in the military's new Kingfisher rescue planes, news of which comes months after the air force retired the last of its ancient Buffalo aircraft.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Military dealing with gap in search-and-rescue services due to new procurement delay

The military’s new Kingfisher search-and-rescue planes won’t be ready for another three years

 

Chase and handler Terry Downs are part of Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (Brittany Webster - Capital News)

Central Okanagan SAR dog Chase sharpened his sniffer during training

Chase participated in 20 tasks in 2021

  • May 2, 2022
Chase and handler Terry Downs are part of Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (Brittany Webster - Capital News)
Handlers and their K9s at a training session (COSAR/Submitted)

B.C.’s bravest dogs in Okanagan for a weekend of Emergency training

RCMP Police Dog Services is holding the annual training and validation for SAR K9s in Kelowna

Handlers and their K9s at a training session (COSAR/Submitted)
A helicopter taking off after receiving a patient rescued by the Oliver Osoyoos Search and Rescue team on Monday, April 18. (OOSAR Facebook)

Oliver Osoyoos Search and Rescue help rescue seriously injured man

The man was rescued west of Oliver and taken to hospital via med-evac helicopter

A helicopter taking off after receiving a patient rescued by the Oliver Osoyoos Search and Rescue team on Monday, April 18. (OOSAR Facebook)
Pictured above, CCSAR members drove the new truck in a salute to health care workers past Cariboo Memorial Hospital in September 2021. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

RECOVERED: Central Cariboo Search and rescue truck is back home, tools still missing

CCSAR Chief Rick White says he’s relieved the specialized truck has been found

Pictured above, CCSAR members drove the new truck in a salute to health care workers past Cariboo Memorial Hospital in September 2021. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
A 52-year-old man who was badly injured on Nkwala Mountain while mountain biking Sunday. (hikingaddictions.com)

Badly injured mountain biker rescued from Penticton mountain

The 52-year-old was biking on Nkwala Mountain Sunday

A 52-year-old man who was badly injured on Nkwala Mountain while mountain biking Sunday. (hikingaddictions.com)
A Central Cariboo Search and Rescue truck was stolen overnight from inside the SAR team’s hall in Williams Lake. Pictured above, CCSAR members drove the new truck in a salute to health care workers past Cariboo Memorial Hospital in September 2021. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

B.C. SAR team’s truck, tools stolen in Cariboo

‘Who would take life-saving tools’: Williams Lake RCMP investigate the overnight theft

A Central Cariboo Search and Rescue truck was stolen overnight from inside the SAR team’s hall in Williams Lake. Pictured above, CCSAR members drove the new truck in a salute to health care workers past Cariboo Memorial Hospital in September 2021. (Angie Mindus photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
Emma Drago, left, makes a donation of more than $17,000 to Central Okanagan Search And Rescue search manager Duane Tresnich in the name of Ryan Fletcher. Fletcher’s family and friends were on hand Saturday to honour their friend and thank COSAR. He died in December while snowboarding at Big White. (COSAR photo)

Friends, family remember snowboarder with COSAR donation

More than $17,000 raised in honour of Ryan Fletcher, who died in December snowboarding at Big White

Emma Drago, left, makes a donation of more than $17,000 to Central Okanagan Search And Rescue search manager Duane Tresnich in the name of Ryan Fletcher. Fletcher’s family and friends were on hand Saturday to honour their friend and thank COSAR. He died in December while snowboarding at Big White. (COSAR photo)
A hiker looks on as a helicopter takes his colleagues back to Bertram Creek Park near Okanagan Mountain Park after one of the hikers in a group of four fell through a snow bridge. (COSAR photo)

Busy Saturday for COSAR crews

Central Okanagan Search and Rescue completes successful task, helps another, receives donation

A hiker looks on as a helicopter takes his colleagues back to Bertram Creek Park near Okanagan Mountain Park after one of the hikers in a group of four fell through a snow bridge. (COSAR photo)
Search and Rescue teams from across the Lower Mainland helped rescue people from the flooding in Abbotsford. (Central Fraser Valley SAR/Special to The News)

Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue awarded for rescuing 200 people during Abbotsford flooding

Team of volunteers awarded for outstanding efforts with inaugural John MacGregor Award

Search and Rescue teams from across the Lower Mainland helped rescue people from the flooding in Abbotsford. (Central Fraser Valley SAR/Special to The News)
Four different search and rescue teams worked together on Monday night to rescue a hiker who slipped on rocks near the Anarchist Mountain lookout off Highway 3. (Anarchist Mountain Fire Department Facebook)

Injured hiker spends night on Anarchist Mountain near Osoyoos

South Okanagan Search and Rescue teams helped extract the hiker via helicopter Tuesday

Four different search and rescue teams worked together on Monday night to rescue a hiker who slipped on rocks near the Anarchist Mountain lookout off Highway 3. (Anarchist Mountain Fire Department Facebook)
James Wood and his mother (Submitted by Aleesha Wood)

Alert system could have saved vulnerable Kelowna man from death

James Wood died after wandering away from his home in West Kelowna

James Wood and his mother (Submitted by Aleesha Wood)
Two Vernon organizations are challenge auto dealers in the North Okanagan to match or beat a donation in order to help Air Rescue One with its winch program fundraiser. (VSAR screenshot)

Vernon companies issue Air Rescue One fundraising challenge

SilverStar Mountain Resort and Bannister GM challenging area auto dealers to match or beat $10,000 donation

Two Vernon organizations are challenge auto dealers in the North Okanagan to match or beat a donation in order to help Air Rescue One with its winch program fundraiser. (VSAR screenshot)
The avalanche that the two riders were caught in. (GADSAR photo)

2 sledders caught in avalanche north of Golden; GADSAR

One sledder was able to ride out on his own, while the other was airlifted to hospital

The avalanche that the two riders were caught in. (GADSAR photo)
Jessica Tuomela, right with current guide dog Brandy, will be joined in a professional capacity next month by Lucy the golden retriever. The duo will assist in locating missing people from vulnerable populations. (Courtesy of Jessica Tuomela)

Blind B.C. Paralympian and super-sniffing pooch prep to find missing people

Jessica Tuomela, partnering with trained canine Lucy, aims to keep vulnerable Canadians safe

Jessica Tuomela, right with current guide dog Brandy, will be joined in a professional capacity next month by Lucy the golden retriever. The duo will assist in locating missing people from vulnerable populations. (Courtesy of Jessica Tuomela)
A CC-115 Buffalo from 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron out of CFB Comox on a training exercise in Chilliwack on June 16, 2021. The Buffalo flew its final search and rescue mission on Jan. 15 2022. (William Snow photo)

Iconic CC-115 Buffalo flies final mission off B.C. coast

442 Squadron CFB Comox search and rescue plane phased out of service after more than 50 years

  • Jan 17, 2022
A CC-115 Buffalo from 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron out of CFB Comox on a training exercise in Chilliwack on June 16, 2021. The Buffalo flew its final search and rescue mission on Jan. 15 2022. (William Snow photo)
Kevin ‘Bear’ Henry’s mother, Eileen Henry (left) is comforted by uncle James Henry as the vigil for their missing loved one begins in the morning on Jan. 8. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)

Vigil held in Victoria for missing Indigenous Two-Spirit, Kevin ‘Bear’ Henry

Henry was last heard from 42 days ago on Nov. 27

Kevin ‘Bear’ Henry’s mother, Eileen Henry (left) is comforted by uncle James Henry as the vigil for their missing loved one begins in the morning on Jan. 8. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)
Joury being rescused by ski patrol after injuring his knee (Tomer Joury)

Rescued in a whiteout: Kelowna snowboarder thankful for SilverStar ski patrol

A snowboarder crashed and injured his knee in a whiteout

Joury being rescused by ski patrol after injuring his knee (Tomer Joury)