Fernie Search and RescueFernie Search and Rescue is dedicated to assisting those individuals who find themselves in emergency situations in the wilderness surrounding the Fernie area. The group was formed in the 1970s and has been involved in hundreds of rescues and saved many lives.Fernie Search and Rescue14 hours agoThe team has been busy with further call-outs including false alerts, injured mountain bikers and a major recovery operation near Kimberley with numerous other SAR teams. As the busy summer rescue season (hopefully) slows down, and hunting season begins, our thoughts turn to the Fall, which typically include some of our most labour-intensive responses – calls for “overdue hunters”. Many of our members enjoy hunting season and our request to fellow hunters is to make sure someone knows where you are going – even a post-it on a fridge with an area will make a huge difference. Ideally take an InReach or SPOT device so that you can be found quickly in the event of an emergency, and it will also allow you to communicate changes in plans. Without those basic steps the “overdue hunter” call can consume hundreds of hours of rescuer time, involving aircraft, road searches, social media campaigns, interviews with friends, family, work colleagues and working with our friends at the RCMP on all the investigative tools they have while we try and establish where the missing person is. Sometimes we don’t even know which Province they are in. Please help us avoid these kinds of responses; not only will it save us a lot of unnecessary time and work, it also means an emergency response can be quick and efficient should you need one. Happy and safe hunting season! The team works in collaboration with 911 agencies, neighbouring SAR teams and Ascent and Bighorn Helicopters. #bcsara44115View on FacebookFernie Search and Rescue1 week agoSummer season continues to be busy with a lot of activity over the recent long weekend. The group has been dealing with numerous injured bikers around the valley, including dislocations, broken bones and other medical emergencies. There have been calls for lost and stranded hikers, vehicle rollovers and body recovery work. Our work is a collaboration with neighbouring SAR teams, 911 agencies and Ascent and Bighorn Helicopters. #bcsara11658View on FacebookFernie Search and Rescue2 months agoBusy summer season continues. Calls have included: - A biker suffering from anaphylaxis due to an insect sting; - Numerous injured bikers; - Some cliffed-out hikers; and - An injured child out hiking in the Top of the World area. We also found time to train with our friends at Island Lake Lodge for a multiple scenario incident. We work in partnership with our neighbouring SAR groups; local 911 agencies and Ascent and Bighorn Helicopters. #bcsara+3316129View on FacebookFernie Search and Rescue3 months agoFernie SAR is into the busy summer season. We are responding regularly to injured bikers on the trail networks, as well as some water-related emergencies. General themes we would like to remind people of:- - However well you plan, things can go wrong. - A good plan does not eliminate risk, it anticipates problems and what to do if the worst occurs. - How will you call for help (cell is very limited outside of the valley), what will you do while you wait for help to arrive? Does anyone else know where you are? - The warmer temperatures mean that the immediate environmental risks of an injury diminish, but the injuries we see this time of year are often more severe. Our team works closely with our rescue partners at Fernie Fire, BCAS and the RCMP as well as Ascent and Bighorn Helicopters, and numerous local groups and landowners. #bcsara12317View on FacebookFernie Search and Rescue6 months agoFernie SAR continues to be called upon regularly for winter rescues. Calls in the last few weeks have included injured snowmobilers and skiers, as well as providing specialised air support to neighboring groups. Winter themes continue:- · Parties needing assistance will need a sat-enabled device. Cellphones will rarely have signal or sufficient power. SPOT and InReach continue to be the devices that work the most reliably, based on recent experiences. · Backcountry recreationalists that take emergency precautions stand the best chances of a successful outcome in the event of an accident. The ability to provide first aid, keep injured people warm and call for help is essential. · The SAR model seeks the necessary resources at the time of the emergency – there are not rescuers and helicopters standing by at all times of the day and night. As such, while Plan A may be a 20 minute long-line response, Plan B will often involve a gruelling multi-hour ground extraction. For long-line responses to take place, trained rescuers, specially-certified pilots and adapted aircraft all need to be available, with sufficient daylight remaining to complete the mission. · By way of example, a rescue of an injured snowmobiler this weekend required moving someone in a toboggan through blizzard conditions and treacherous terrain. The rescue took over 10 hours and was completed at 4am. These responses are hard on subjects and hard on the rescuers. As usual, all our responses involve team work with our amazing rescue partners throughout the valley. #bcsara207812View on FacebookFernie Search and Rescue7 months agoLet's play smart for the next few days. #avalanchecanada3042View on Facebook