Juggling act: How Nanaimo Search and Rescue handles its increasing call volume

The challenge for first responders is coordinating the multitude of resources send out on each call.

Rescues requiring medical attention are done in partnership with BC Emergency Health Services paramedics, while RCMP head up the search if it’s for a missing person.

Trobridge said there are standard practices, a rescue guide called ‘Lost Person’s Behaviour’ which helps get an operation underway in the best way possible.

The guide covers how missing people typically act, based on numerous past cases. Information such as where they were last seen, where they were found, and the time and distance between being lost and eventually located are all recorded.

Use of the guide helps generate an initial search map using information about the person actually missing.

“For an urban search we would search high traffic areas away from the point last seen…for despondent people structure are a high likelihood. It gives us all of those stats, so it really helps.”

The size of the search depends on each situation.

Many times, a selection of 41 operational and nine auxillary members will be sufficient to get the job done, other situations require more resources.

A mid-January operation involving helicopters hovering over the Nanaimo River saw six additional Search and Rescue organizations assisting from across the Island.

Further complicating matters, particularly on larger or higher-profile searches are members of the public offering to help.

Those include friends and family of the missing person.

While studies show it can be beneficial to help mitigate the stress of family or friends to help search for their loved ones, Trobridge said it’s important to always check in with them first before going out and searching an area on your own.

“We really dissuade members of the public from beginning a search on their own accord and without consulting with us first and that’s largely for safety reasons. There are hazards in the area they might now know of.”

She said they could also hinder the work of police dogs by heading into an area that hasn’t been searched and tainting the scene with their scent.

Competition to join Nanaimo Search and Rescue is fierce. Trobridge said they’ll conduct an eight week training program to certify new members every few years.

Fifteen people make it, out of roughly 60 who apply.

“We recruit largely based on aptitude and personality. We are firm believers that if you have the right personality and the right desire to be apart of something like search and rescue, we can teach you the hard skills.”

The organization participates in between 50 to 60 searches a year.

For more information or to get involved in Nanaimo SAR, visit their website nanaimosar.bc.ca.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow

by Jordan Davidson

Juggling act: How Nanaimo Search and Rescue handles its increasing call volume

More Local News