By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Nanaimo SAR rescue unusual for all the right reasons

Sep 6, 2017 | 2:20 PM

NANAIMO — For once, Nanaimo Search and Rescue handled a call where hikers had followed all the proper hiking rules.

Organization president Carly Trobridge told NanaimoNewsNOW the two hikers rescued near the summit of Mt. Benson on Sunday, Sept. 3, after one of the hikers fainted and fell, were properly prepared for their voyage and had followed all hiking rules.

“They would have been quite comfortable had they had to spend the day or hours waiting for someone to respond to the rescue request,” she said. “We don’t always see that.”

Trobridge said she was uncertain of injuired sustained by the hiker but said they weren’t critical. 

The hiking duo also kept track of where they were on the mountain and were able to accurately pinpoint their location for rescue teams. 

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Trobridge said often those in need of rescue haven’t properly prepared for their trip or didn’t follow any signs.

The rescue still wasn’t without its challenges. Trobridge said the difficult terrain up Mt. Benson turned a short trip into a lengthy, two-hour voyage.

This was the 36th call Nanaimo Search and Rescue has fielded this year, after 25 calls in all of 2016.

Trobridge said with the warm weather continuing into the fall, Search and Rescue doesn’t anticipate calls will slow down until October and they expect another 10 calls by the end of the year.

She said this will likely break their record for most calls in a year.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit