Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Jill Sperling

Long Weekend Safety

KSAR expecting busy weekend as provincial parks open

May 14, 2020 | 5:05 PM

KAMLOOPS — This weekend will be the second long weekend since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

With some provincial parks opening up, members of Kamloops Search and Rescue (KSAR) are expecting to be busy.

“We’re hoping everybody will be extra cautious this weekend and definitely listen to the provincial guidelines, staying local, if you stay to the parks that you’re a little bit more familiar with you’re definitely reducing the risk,” said spokesperson Jenn Stahn.

Last year, the Victoria Day long weekend was quiet for KSAR, but Stahn says she thinks more people are itching to get out after dealing with COVID-19 restrictions for weeks.

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“We’re expecting it’s going to be a lot busier in the parks and, as a result, we’re probably going to be a lot busier as well.”

The search and rescue team is trying to take every precaution during the pandemic and currently has plenty of personal protective equipment for both members and patients.

“Luckily we do have enough stock to get through another handful of tasks on our own, and we just received a cache from BCSARA (BC Search and Rescue Association) as well,” Stahn said. “They sent out to all the different regions to make sure we’ve got some back-up stock of these specific things, such as the masks that are really hard to come by so that if anybody does run out within our region we’ve got some backup.”

For anyone who does decide to venture out this weekend, KSAR is advising they take some essential items along.

“Making sure you’ve got water with you, extra food, clothing, first aid kit, sun protection is definitely a key one,” Stahn said.

For those spending the weekend at home, precautions should still be taken.

“This is the time of year people start using their barbecues,” said Lyle Weninger, life safety educator with Kamloops Fire Rescue, “so first thing you want to do is keep it away from anything that’s combustible, so keep it away from your house, your siding, wooden decks, bushes.”

Weninger says barbecue fires are relatively common and KFR responds to a few every year.

“You never want to leave a grill unattended,” he said, “so don’t walk away, don’t go into the house and get a bunch of ingredients and then come back out. Make sure you either turn it down or shut it off when you go away.”

No matter what the weekend entails, there are far more safety considerations to be had in the midst of a global pandemic.