RCMSAR Shuswap Celebrates 10 Years of Saving Lives
Rescue One on Shuswap Lake Awaiting Arrival of a 442 Squadron Buffalo Aircraft. (photo contributed by RCMSAR)
By Sionna McTavish
The Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station #106 – Shuswap will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary on Saturday, May 14,, 11:00 am, at the Main Street Dock area in Sicamous. Their two emergency response boats, Rescue One and Tolonen, will be on display with BC Ambulance, the RCMP boat and the BC Parks boat. Everyone is invited to come down to the dock and enjoy some hamburgers and hot dogs, while visiting with the volunteers of RCMSAR.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about the essential emergency services RCMSAR #106 - Shuswap provides, along with the water and boat safety programs they operate on Shuswap Lake and Mara Lake. RCMSAR Shuswap is to be both recognized and commended for their vital role in “saving lives on the water” in our local communities. In 2021, they completed 40 missions, the second highest number by a station in British Columbia.
Bruce Weicker is president of Shuswap Lifeboat Society, the business entity of Station 106. He said that volunteers will be working hard during the month of May to perform maintenance on 18 Kids Don’t Float Kiosks, supplied with Personal Flotation Devices for children. In addition, sponsored RCMSAR Life Ring Stations at selected docks and beaches will be serviced and prepared for usage by the onset of the Victoria Day long weekend.
Moving forward, Weicker has made an exciting announcement that there will be a RCMSAR Boathouse Groundbreaking Ceremony on May 18th at the Twin Anchors Marina in Sicamous. Local dignitaries will be present to celebrate this occasion along with the many crew and society volunteers who have worked tirelessly over the past five years to turn plans for construction of this unique facility into a reality. And at this time, RCMSAR and the Shuswap Lifeboat Society would also like to express their gratitude to the individuals, businesses, service clubs, and local government who have contributed to their operations and fundraising for the new Boathouse.
The Boathouse Response Base development is significant in many ways. One of which is that it will protect nearly $1,000,000 worth of capital assets (including boats, equipment and supplies) that RCMSAR has accumulated over the past ten years. Until this point, their vessels have been moored at a wharf in Sicamous and exposed to all weather conditions. Since the boats must be constantly maintained in order to be ready for emergency call outs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the ability to store them under the cover of a boat house will not only drastically reduce volunteer hours for maintenance, but extend the longevity of the vessels, as well.
To find out where the aforementioned Kiosks and Life Ring Stations are located, discover volunteer opportunities, and a comprehensive collection of information about RCMSAR Station 106 Shuswap, such as how the crew is dispatched with the BC Ambulance Service, assists with structural and wildland firefighters, and about their critical role in working with other emergency response agencies on life saving missions, visit https://rcmsar106.ca/. Or go to their Facebook page at: Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station #106 – Shuswap.
