Search & Rescue Volunteers Paying For Training

Saturday, February 20, 2010 05:38 AM

Prince George, B.C. - Funding cuts to the provincial Search and Rescue organization, means local volunteers now have to pay out of their own pockets for specialized training in swift water rescue and man-tracking.

Jeff Smedley, a local volunteer with Search and Rescue, attended yesterday's pre-budget rally outside local MLA Shirley Bond's office because his group also relies heavily on gaming revenues. "At the moment, public safety isn't being cut," says Smedley. "However, the applications that we have applied for, we still haven't received a response back as to what we're receiving funding for and, who knows, (the funds) still could be cut."

Smedley says Search and Rescue is already dealing with a cut in funding from the RCMP to the tune of $95-thousand dollars across the province that wiped out funding for the two specialized programs.

One of the main reasons the city worked with a community group to establish a boat launch at Cottonwood Island Park several years ago, was in case of a boating emergency on the water.

Smedley says it's critical for a city with two large rivers to have Search and Rescue volunteers trained in swift water rescue. "Absolutely, the guys are paying for that out of their own pocket now. One course is roughly in the neighbourhood of $350- to $375-dollars and to outfit each person is close to $1000-dollars in equipment."

He says, in the event of an emergency, you should have a minimum of three rescuers on the water and a land-based support group of at least another three people.

Smedley admits it's ironic that S&R volunteers should have to pay to protect the public.

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Posted on Saturday, February 20, 2010 05:38 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Stompin Tom on February 20 2010 7:17 AM

Well,

atleast if they pay their own way you know they are committed.

Gotta look for the positives.

Posted by: CabinFeverGirl on February 20 2010 8:25 AM

Comments about commitments , and paying for training are not something positive.Matter of fact I take a slight offence. My son is a dedicated VOLUNTEER in emergancy services. All his training is paid for so he can save lives and property. He has put hours of VOLUNTEER time into taking these cources. They do not pass you easily. He takes extra classes on his own dime to benifit us all. When they respond to your life threatning situation during their work some employers do not pay for the time they take away .etc etc etc.

POSITIVE somethings:
-In the middle of the night, out of cozy blankets, these valuable volunteers leap to action on their Dollar and sleep time.
- I can rest safe knowing we are all protected.
Thankyou to all our volunteers.

I do not rest safe till he is back home safe!

Posted by: CabinFeverGirl on February 20 2010 8:26 AM

Posted by: CabinFeverGirl on February 20 2010 8:36 AM

There are many dedicated volunteers that cannot afford these classes. We all need to support them anyway we can Write the powers that be! That is positive

Posted by: faxman on February 20 2010 12:12 PM

Start invoicing those people who find themselves needing the services of the Search and Rescue people. You pay for every other service you use; why would you expect this one to be free?

Posted by: He spoke on February 20 2010 12:26 PM

Search and Rescue, Well a few years ago a friend of mine was missing for 30 hrs beyound the return time. We notified the Search and Rescue, told them where they had planned to go, all they did was set up a road pass to see if they were on the road. My friends vehicle was stuck in the snow, and it was the other friends that went to rescue them. Search and Rescue did very little!

Posted by: mikmak on February 20 2010 12:33 PM

so, 'he spoke', i guess that justifies cuts to SAR, right? honestly, what is a comment like that supposed to accomplish?

"well, ya know, i knew a guy who knew a guy that got lost on a mountain, and his cousin told me that SAR hardly did anything at all".

i suppose you volunteer with search and rescue and have a clear understanding of their strategies, as well as the red tape they have to go through with the rcmp? right?

Posted by: ski50 on February 20 2010 12:40 PM

I do ski patrol and contrary to popular belief we are not paid. Our initial gear costs us $500.00 and our annual fees are $175.00. Now true, we get free skiing, but we have to ski on our committed days whether the snow is great or crappy. Every year I think about whether to do it again because an annual pass isn't financially out of reach for me. That said, everyone should contribute to society for it to function well.

Now my main point. If you go out of bounds on a ski resort and get lost, we don't come and get you. We are not trained for off area rescue. Search and Rescue does that. If you go off the road into the ditch and get trapped in your car, BC Ambulance doesn't cut you out, it's the local volunteer fire department. And if there isn't a local fire department, then it's Search and Rescue that comes and cuts you out of your car. If we ever lose those guys, we'll lose people.

Incredible that in the billions of dollars spent the government can't find the money for Search and Rescue.

Posted by: seamutt on February 20 2010 12:49 PM

He spoke do you have any idea what may have been going on behind the scenes. You say missing for 30 hours. How long after S&R was notified was the friend found? Where friends already searching before S&R was notified? I take it S&R was notified after that 30 hours. A road pass can be one of the first things to set up to see who is traveling in and out of the area. People coming out can be questioned for information. S&R does not operate on thier own, provincial emergency organization has to be notified along with RCMP before any operation is started. A ground and air search was most likely being organized. People have to be called out from thier homes and work. Volunteer S&R is not like the firedept, ready to go at a moments notice.

I suggest you know nothing about what you are critizing. So what is your solution?

Posted by: My3Centsworth on February 20 2010 2:15 PM

Anyone that hasn't done some volunteer work should get out and do some. If folks haven't done any volunteer work, they shouldn't complain. They should be really grateful to the people that give of their time, money, safety, etc. I think it is absolutely wrong when monies and grants for S & R groups are cut back. I think it's even worse when people criticize volunteers.

Posted by: Eagleone on February 20 2010 2:33 PM

It seems stupid that government can't fund this kind of thing when they have money for things like politicians to watch games at the Olympics.

Posted by: dnakamura on February 20 2010 5:18 PM

To expect S&R volunteers to pay for their training is ridiculous. This is a valuable service that people risk their own safety to serve the public. My most recent recollection of S&R's work was when they engineered a rescue mission that saved the life of a man trapped inside Fang Mountain.
S&R should be designated an essential service and treated as such. What does it do for the morale of the organization when it's a slap in the face to have their training budget cut? Jeff and his crew are angels and need to be honoured and respected for the work they do.

Posted by: lmorge on February 20 2010 5:59 PM

SAR is worth their weight in gold and should be given all the funding they require. They are needed, valued and respected by all the public service. That is- now with the exception of our own BC government.

Posted by: Dragonmaster on February 20 2010 6:02 PM

Posted by: faxman on February 20 2010 12:12 PMStart invoicing those people who find themselves needing the services of the Search and Rescue people. You pay for every other service you use; why would you expect this one to be free?

I agree, then we can do the same for ambulance, fire and police.

Wheres your head at?

Posted by: faxman on February 20 2010 7:31 PM

Posted by: Dragonmaster on February 20 2010 6:02 PM:

"I agree, then we can do the same for ambulance, fire and police.

Wheres your head at?"

Apples and oranges; if you need the services of S&R chances are you were willingly doing something that had associated risks.

BTW, you do get a bill for your ambulance ride.

My head's on my shoulders. Yours?

Posted by: detoe43 on February 20 2010 10:41 PM

Hmmmm...No it's not apples & oranges. Using
a motor vehicle is one of the riskiest activities a person can be involved in, slipping & falling in a bathtub is a common occurance, hell even being in a relationship is risky. All these are done by choice. SAR does rescue services for more than just skiers, snowmobilers & climbers. They provide the service to all wilderness users as well as assist in backroad & highway rescue. Cutting funding to this important branch of emergency services is ludicrous. Add this one to a growing list of cold hearted, ill planned cuts.

Posted by: interceptor on February 21 2010 9:41 AM

Just add ten cents to every ATV registration, snowmobile registration, hunting license, ski pass, trail pass, fishing license, pilots license, drivers license... hmmm sounds like a tax increase.