Photo: Contributed - PenSAR

Residents of Penticton's Three Mile area were treated to a little excitement on Okanagan Lake, Saturday.

What appeared to a vessel in distress with people in the water was actually a joint exercise between Penticton and District Search and Rescue and a rescue helicopter team from RCAF 442 Squadron out of Comox.

The rescue scenario saw two PenSAR swift water technicians inserted into the lake with an overturned vessel, playing the role of survivors. The RCAF Cormorant approached and assessed the scene, then dropped two SAR techs into the water to evaluate the survivors, provide aid and evacuation.

The two SAR techs are part of a national team of 140 highly trained specialists who provide advanced pre-hospital medical care and rescue for aviators, mariners and others in distress in remote or hard-to-reach areas.  They are trained to a primary-care paramedic national standard, with additional advanced skills.

They specialize in rescue techniques including Arctic rescue, parachuting, diving, mountain climbing and helicopter rescue.

The 442 Squadron supports B.C.’s volunteer SAR teams throughout the province, in an area stretching from the B.C.-Washington border to the Arctic, and from the Rocky Mountains to 1,200 kilometres out into the Pacific.  The group employs C-115 Buffalo aircraft and CH-149 Cormorant helicopters as its main search and rescue aircraft.