Steve Nickolet hands over keys to jet boat to Ian Leach, President of Search and Rescue Society – photo250News

Prince George, B.C.-  It  was an afternoon of thanks and celebration at the Prince George Search and Rescue building on the Hart Highway this afternoon.

With burgers on  the bar-b-q, and  special certificates of appreciation,  Search and Rescue  wanted to say thank you to all who had contributed to the construction of their new  garage.

The steel construction 22 x 44    building, cost  about  $86 thousand dollars . 

At right,  Jeff Smedley cuts the ribbon  to officially open the  new building)

“We received about $35 thousand dollars in donations of cash,  time and  materials” says Jeff Smedley of S&R. “From the community, that’s amazing” says Smedley “We know everyone has to put bread on the table, and  somehow, they found the money and  time to  help us out and still  continue  to  look after their families,  so we are very, very grateful.”

But it’s what’s inside the new building that is really  a gem.

Steve Nickolet  had a jet boat he and  a friend used to use for  business.  His friend died a few years ago in an avalanche near the Torpey.  Since then, Steve hasn’t used the boat much, and decided to donate it to Search and Rescue.  The jet boat, valued at $30 thousand dollars,  will help Search and Rescue  with their  water  rescues.

The 19 foot barge style boat  can  carry equipment in the bow,  and  can stand 6 people on the side without fear of it tipping “We are easily going to be able to go in and do our job on the rivers” says Smedley.

Since April of this year, Search and Rescue has been called out 26 times, half of those calls were  water rescues.

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Inside the  building