BONNYVILLE – Search and rescue groups are on call 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, in order to bring those who are lost in the outdoors home as quickly and safely as possible.
As the daylight hours continue to grow and the number on the thermometer rises, search and rescue volunteers enter their busiest season of the year – early spring to the end of September.
Calls for searches can happen at any time, “That's why we are always looking for more [members]. Not everyone can attend every call and we understand that, so if there's more people around, there is a greater likelihood of having more people being able to attend a call,” said Andrew Nickless.
Nickless has been a volunteer member of Bonnyville Search and Rescue for seven years and has been the president of the group for last three years.
“I started volunteering because I wanted to have an impact in the community and use some of my skills as a teacher, as an IT person and a former lifeguard,” he said.
Along the way, Nickless picked up more skills by being part of the organization and has remained committed to the cause.
Each year, the number of calls that local search and rescue groups attend can vary greatly. Bonnyville Search and Rescue gets called out about three to four times a year on average, but the numbers of calls can increase quickly as the group also provides added support for search and rescue operations in Cold Lake and St. Paul, said Nickless.
In return, other area search and rescue groups are also likely to lend a hand if a search is called in the Bonnyville area.
“What triggers that is if we need more people or if they have pieces of equipment that we require,” explained Nickless. “Last year, we had a lot more calls from Cold Lake because there were a few drowning searches that took place on Cold Lake and we run the boat for the area, so we were called in.”
Volunteering for search and rescue comes with some of its own hardships, similar to challenges experienced by other first responders.
“It was shocking just how many water rescue searches we went on because people weren't wearing life jackets,” reflected Nickless, noting many incidents were preventable. “We still deal with Critical Incident Stress like any first responder would.”
Nickless acknowledged that some search and rescue operations have a tough conclusion. “I always tell my team a positive outcome is we find a person and we bring them home to their family. Whether they come home alive or not, we are happy that they are coming home. We brought closure to the family.”
Bonnyville Search and Rescue currently has about 14 regular members serving the organization in a variety of capacities.
“Most of them are searchers, but we also have some [members] who are strictly support. They're not trained searches per se, but they help out with fundraising, with administration, accounting and other activities,” noted the president.
Many volunteers joined the organization with family members, partners, or friends to learn outdoor skills and to be ready to help in case of an emergency.
“Most of our older members have been members since the [organization’s] inception in 1997, when the group was first formed. They have stuck with us the whole time.”
The current age range of Bonnyville’s search and rescue volunteers is between 20 to 71 years old. Nickless noted that 16 and 17 years old can also join the organization but are not able to be certified or go on active searches until they are 18.
The skills you gain
“We will train anybody and give them the skills that they need depending on the roles they want to take within the organization,” said Nickless.
The organization would like to double the number of its volunteer base and is able to provide all the training needed to do the job. “We recruit anybody at any time of year,” said Nickless.
Search and rescue training includes Advanced First Aid, compass and GPS navigation, man tracking and radio communications with ground members, boats and aircraft.
Many Bonnyville Search and Rescue members have also just completed training with STARS Air Ambulance where volunteers learned how to help when an air ambulance needs to land.
But most of all, being a search and rescue volunteer provides leadership skills and builds peoples’ confidence in the outdoors, Nickless said.
To learn more about Bonnyville Search and Rescue or to find information on how to volunteer, visit BonnyvilleSAR.org.
Advice for heading outdoors this summer
Over the summer months, more visitors will travel to the Lakeland for holidays while residents will be spending more time outside, increasing the likelihood of unexpected mishaps.
Whether you are ATVing, boating or hiking, always be prepared that something could go wrong.
“You might have to be out longer than you expect,” said Nickless. “Sometimes people find themselves in a situation where they are overdue because a motor breaks or a boat or kayak springs a leak, and they end up stranded or in the water or on an island away from where they're supposed to be.”
The number one thing people should do if they are heading outdoors or on the water is make sure to tell someone where they are going and when they should be expected to come back, even if it is just a rough estimate.
“If you do find yourself in trouble, stay where you are, it is easier to find you,” said Nickless. “For those who think someone is lost or overdue, quickly connect with the RCMP. The quicker search and rescue starts going, the quicker we can find that person and the less delayed we will be in getting to them.”
