By Greg Fry

2017 a record year for Kamloops Search and Rescue

Jan 4, 2018 | 8:30 AM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops Search and Rescue shattered a record for call outs in 2017.

The non-profit was called out to 49 separate tasks, an increase of over 32 per cent over the previous record year in 2016. The 49 tasks were also a 44 per cent increase over the five-year average (2012-2016).

In 2017 volunteers also put in over 3,500 hours, more than double the number of hours put in on tasks during 2016.

“It’s hard to point to a single reason for the increase in calls outs,” says Search Manager Alan Hobler. “But the jump in hours are in part due to an increase in active members and two multi-day searches this year.”

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He says other highlighs from 2017 include:

• 2,729 training hours; the five-year average for 2012 through 2016 was 2,886 training hours.
• Averaged 30 members actively participating in tasks and training throughout the year.
• 11 members in training completed their ground search and rescue training and became active members.
• Nearly 22,000 kilometres logged on their four trucks.
• Three multi-day tasks, including two extended searches and delivering wildfire evacuation notices.
• The drone team took part in their first task in February 2017, successfully locating the missing subjects, and went on to take part in another eight tasks over the year.

Was the record year a drain on volunteers?

“Yes. We have a lot of new members on the team and I think that’s helped. They’ve been keen to get out and it’s definitely helped,” Hobler says. “But for most of us, some of the tasks we’ve been on are getting quite tiring. We’ve had three (searches) going at once, so it can be quite hard on the volunteers.”