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Search and Rescue

Chief Rick White

Volunteers with the Central Cariboo Search and Rescue (CCSAR) Unit assist the RCMP and BC Ambulance Services with:

  • responding to motor vehicle accidents
  • searching for missing persons
  • locating missing aircraft
  • assisting at disaster scenes such as fires, floods and landslides
  • providing back up to agencies providing emergency support for disaster victims.

Operations are based out of Williams Lake and may involve:

Administrative and clerical volunteers are always needed and welcome.

Telephones and radios are manned, from home base, by volunteers during a search to keep in touch with the command centre out in the field.

Of course record keeping for membership and searches requires a lot of paper work.
For this we need members to help out.

Volunteers act as air spotters, navigators, or pilots in private or commercial airplanes or helicopters to search for missing or overdue aircraft or lost persons. Volunteers assist members of the Provincial Emergency Program - Air Division, the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association or Department of National Defense - 442 Squadron from Comox in these searches.

Auto extrication is the removal of trapped or injured persons involved in a motor vehicle accident.

Our volunteers are highly trained and equipped for an emergency response with specialized equipment such as the jaws of life, hydraulic spreaders, cutters, rams, jacks and winches to affect the fast, efficient and safe removal of accident victims on or off roads.

This team also specializes in rope rescue techniques.
Quite often we are called upon to scale an embankment to rescue people.

Our team consists of volunteers from many different careers and jobs, who at a moments notice will leave their jobs, family, friends and other activities to assist in saving someone's life.

Volunteers communicate between the search and rescue scene and the command centre, usually in Williams Lake. This is accomplished through our network of radios and repeaters or through radio links provided by cooperating agencies.

Other team members are certified to respond to flat ice call outs which also requires special training.

These certified members are called upon to incidents where an individual(s) has fallen through ice on still water (ie. lakes or slow moving river ice).

As the water environment is varied and hazardous all team members put their own safety first and perform these functions on a volunteer basis.

Land search and rescue members search for missing persons on land and water in both urban and rural areas. We may need to search for missing children, hunters, hikers, snowmobilers or victims of crime. Searchers often work in remote, rugged areas with difficult access.

In addition to Auto Ex and Land SAR the team is also capable of assisting the RCMP in lake, river and other water rescues when called upon.

With the use of a Thunder Denali jet boat equipped with a 200 hp motor searches have been conducted on local and district lakes.

Members are trained, in house, on the running and maintenance of the jet boat. Operators have the Boat Operators Certificate.

A team is also certified to operate in swift water. Extensive training with designed gear in and around swift flowing waters is ongoing during the summer months.

Become a Member!

  • No previous experience necessary
  • All required personal protective equipment and training are provided at no cost
  • Only have to fill out an application form, driver's abstract, and criminal record check
  • Tax credits provided to volunteers from the federal government who serve at least 200 hours per year
  • On duty insurance coverage

For more information visit Central Cariboo Search & Rescue.

What do I need to apply?

Q & A

What is the time commitment to be a volunteer?

We ask our members to be dedicated, while still keeping in mind the balance of life and volunteering. This means communicating with the Training Officers when you can attend practices, being on call when available, and being committed to keeping up your skills and certifications. We promise the time you give is well worth it.

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