Fallen B.C. search and rescue workers honoured in annual event Tuesday

The day memorializes those lost and pays tribute to those actively serving. Giving their free time to the community and risking their lives to save others. Alan Hobler is a member of the local Kamloops Search and Rescue (KSAR) and volunteers as a rescue coordinator.

“Our volunteers have a passion — they want to help. They have the time to put into training, and they have the passion to go out and help people,” explained Hobler.

The work that search and rescue do is dangerous. Whether it be due to the risk of avalanches, the power of water currents, or the remoteness of the call location. First responders use ATVs, snowmobiles, mobile command centres, and whatever they have to reach the unreachable.

The British Columbia Search and Rescue Association wants the province to know that the sacrifice of their volunteers will forever be appreciated. The fallen were memorialized forever with their names etched in stone outside of the B.C. legislature.

Steven Van Wagoner was at the event Thursday, and was touched by the service.

“They were trying to help. They were doing their best. They were doing something that was really needed and really appreciated,” said Van Wagoner, with emotion.

Search and rescue organizations say they are adapting to find safer methods of rescue. There have been no on-duty SAR fatalities in British Columbia in the past decade.

by Noah Rishaug

Fallen B.C. search and rescue workers honoured in annual event Tuesday

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