Marine Search and Rescue Responded
By Barbra Fairclough
Volunteers with the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) Shuswap were deployed to support evacuation efforts in response the Bush Creek Fire. Tamara Lansing, RCMSAR volunteer confirms this year they have had 18 missions in response to fire for a total of 301.25 volunteer hours.
Last year RCMSAR executed 20 missions. This year there have been 34 missions. Lansing confirms many of the calls have been for fire. The first call with the Bush Creek Fire on August 18 was to back up ground Search and Rescue in Scotch Creek and Lee Creek. This was during the time the firefighter camp was evacuated.
Bruce Reiker, President of the Shuswap Lifeboat Society says, “RCMSAR was called upon to support the wildfire situation in North Shuswap in some unique ways the past few weeks. It started with an evacuation of stranded residents from North Shuswap using both rescue vessels, starting in the early evening and continuing through most of the night.”
Tamara Lansing confirms responders were ferrying people to Blind Bay. Both the Tolonen and Rescue One were deployed with Tolonen working between 3pm and midnight and Rescue One worked 5pm to 4am that day.
When Rescue One returned at 4am there was a change of crew and a quick maintenance check and they were off again to deliver food and supplies. Bruce Weiker says “Over the next few days we were tasked to deliver food to Magna Bay and Seymour Arm residents, concluding with several trips to deliver medications to those in need.
RCMSAR passing supplies to support wildfire evacuees at Seymour Arm. Photo contributed.
On August 18 they received a call to respond to a medical emergency on the north shore. RCMSAR volunteers responded and picked up a woman as well as her family and pets and delivered them to Blind Bay where an ambulance was waiting.
Rescue One worked for 20 straight hours and runs for both vessels continued for a couple of weeks. Runs up to Seymour Arm carried donations and prescriptions as well.
Even though both the Tolonen and Rescue One are equipped to conduct fire suppression they maintained active missions ferrying people, food, medications, and supplies. Including ferrying paramedics to the ambulance in Anglemont to check it and ensure it was stocked.
Lansing explains that RMSAR’s 38 volunteer members are supported with regular training. Crew members attend classroom exercises 2 times per month and at six days on the water here in the Shuswap. Many of the volunteers are retired firefighters, military, teachers, and seaman background and some with no prior boating experience.
To be signed off for the helm or navigation position crew members must complete 80 hours of training, satisfy a level of competency, and be signed off by the trainer or station leader.
Communication is key and to ensure they can navigate in remote areas the vessels are equipped with commercial and marine vhf radios as well as a satellite phone.
Tolonen and Rescue One are both equipped for all weather navigation. They are both outfitted similarly and have the same capability as a BCEHS ambulance. They both have high powered search lights, night vision and extensive first aid equipment.
RCMSAR passing supplies to support wildfire evacuees at Seymour Arm. Photo contributed.
The vessels normally carry a coxswain and three crew persons. Tolonen is powered with two 440hp diesel engines and has capacity for two critically injured and 30 walk on casualties. The 40 foot rigid hull inflatable fast response craft has a cruising speed of thirty knots.
Rescue One is a 29 foot Fast Response Craft with a cruising speed of 22 knots. It carries a crew of four plus two paramedics and has the capacity for one critically injured and 13 walk on casualties. It is powered by a 310 HP Volvo Penta Diesel.
Both vessels have towing capacity and are equipped for virtually any situation. They are response ready 24hours a day 365 days a year.
Bruce Weiker says, “Our crews work hard to support the wildfire situations in our areas. We are proud to have been part of the team that supported all the other agencies involved in this disaster, including fighters both from WFS and local departments, RCMP, Shuswap Ground SAR, the Emergency Coordination Centre, and all the other agencies and volunteers.”
