COSAR sets new single year record for recoveries, needs new members

Photo: Contributed

Central Okanagan Search and Rescue has set a new record for rescues in a single year.

"Last evening's two rescues in Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park were the 85th and 86th tasks for Central Okanagan Search and Rescue, marking the busiest year in their 67 year history," says COSAR president Brad Trites.

The first call came in at 2:30 p.m. when a cyclist on the KVR suffered what is believed to have been a heart attack. Just 30 minutes later, a second call came in for an injured adventure racer on the Crawford DH trail, only about three kilometers away from where the first incident occurred. Penticton Search and Rescue transported the individual to the hospital by helicopter.

“It was a dubious milestone,” says Trites. “The huge volume of tasks is starting to take its toll.”

In an effort to prepare for the winter and spring season, COSAR has now started recruiting new members until the end of October details and the application can be found at Cosar.ca.

“We are looking for people with outdoor skills, but also with availability. We expect a minimum of 200 hours of volunteer time annually and many members give five or six times that,” said Trites.

Last year COSAR volunteered over 20,000 hours.

An open house in October will be followed by short-listing interviews, reference checks and then 90 hours of basic training.

COSAR is the oldest search and rescue organization of its kind in B.C. and currently has 51 members.