COSAR members airlift an injured adventure racer to safety, Sept. 30, 2021.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/COSAR
October 01, 2021 - 9:21 AM
The Central Okanagan Search and Rescue team has experienced a record-breaking year for call outs.
Last night, Sept. 30, the group conducted two rescues in Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park, bringing the group’s total number of calls in 2021 to 86, according to a COSAR press release.
The rescues mean the team has now experienced the busiest rescue season in its 67-year history.
The first call came in at 2:30 p.m. when a cyclist on the KVR suffered from a suspected heart attack, according to the rescue group.
Roughly 30 minutes later, the rescue team received a second call for an injured adventure racer on the Crawford DH trail, about three kilometers away from the first incident. He was transported using Penticton Search and Rescue’s helicopter.
“It was a dubious milestone,” said COSAR president Brad Trites, in the press release. “The huge volume of tasks is starting to take its toll.”
Due to the high volume of calls, COSAR has started recruiting new members until Oct. 31.
“We are looking for people with outdoor skills, but also with availability. We expect a minimum of 200 hours of volunteer time annually and many members give five or six times that,” Trites said.
Last year COSAR volunteered more than 20,000 hours. An open house this month will be followed by short-listing interviews, reference checks and then 90 hours of basic training, according to the rescue group.
Details and the application can be found online through the team’s website.
COSAR is the oldest search and rescue organization of its kind in B.C. and currently has 51 members.
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