Photo: Pensar

Penticton Search and Rescue helped save a man who was badly injured when his ATV flipped over in the mountains west of Oliver on Wednesday afternoon.

Victoria Emergency Coordination Centre received a 911 call just after 2 p.m. They reached out to PENSAR to help rescue and provide medical assistance for an injured hunter.
 
The Oliver resident had been hunting in the mountain area west of town when his ATV overturned and he fractured his leg in the accident.

Keremeos RCMP managed to provide GPS coordinates to the rescue team using a cell signal.

Once the hunter was located he was airlifted to Penticton and taken to hospital. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Search and Rescue Manager, Randy Brown praised his teams' efforts, “we usually get these calls close to sunset, which would have possibly negated the use of aircraft, and everything would have had to be conducted via land. This would have made for a long prolonged rescue effort over difficult terrain.”

Brown wants to remind hunters and anyone heading out to the back-country to have a plan and tell others where you will be and your intended route and whenever possible use the buddy system or have a GPS.

Brown says even old-school low-tech devices like a whistle and a mirror can save your life, "believe me I have seen them work, carry something reflective - so others can see you."
 
Bringing extra food, water and clothing is also a good idea. Temperatures in the fall can change quickly, especially when the sun goes down and most people don’t realize that hypothermia can be more of an issue in shoulder seasons, than in the winter. So be prepared - the fall and spring can be full of weather surprises.