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Kent Harrison Search and Rescue

By Neil Brewer

From its origins in the civil defence movement in the late 1950s, Kent Harrison Search and Rescue(SAR) remained a low-profile group of committed local community volunteers until the late 1980s. The establishment of the British Columbia Provincial Emergency Program provided a more defined structure for British Columbia search and rescue (B.C. SAR) groups by introducing standardized training and providing expense reimbursements. By working under this new structure and accessing grants, Kent Harrison SAR grew and substantially improved its capabilities. The group was able to respond to the demand placed upon it with increasing incident volumes and what can only be described as “a higher expectation.” Since this paradigm shift, the annual incident volume has quadrupled.

Kent Harrison SAR faces a continuous challenge in maintaining a resource comprised of unpaid volunteers within a small community. Situated in the Fraser Valley, 150 km east of Vancouver, Agassiz (District of Kent) and Harrison Hot Springs are home to approximately 7,500 residents, many of whom are retirees. Volunteer recruitment and retention are a constant pressure. Since the SAR group is the third-busiest in the province, responding to 60 incidents per year with an active roster of only 15 volunteers means that jobs and family commitments are often compromised.

Funding

The group has been fortunate to gain access to significant funding through various grant applications. The first large grant came in 1993 when the team was successful in obtaining a boat and rescue truck through the National Search and Rescue Secretariat’s New Initiatives Fund (NIF). The $175,000 project was the first one of its kind to be awarded to a B.C. recipient. Since then, several projects have been completed with contributions from NIF, BC Gaming (Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch) and various local service organizations.

In 2006, the eastern Fraser Valley SAR groups were approached by the Fraser Valley Regional District with a proposal to provide ongoing annual funding originating from municipal taxation revenue. This has taken a lot of pressure off the groups, who can now be assured that their fixed costs will be addressed without having to be concerned with annual fundraising demands. SAR volunteers are spending so many unpaid hours on incident responses, training, equipment maintenance and administration that running “bake sales” as well is totally unrealistic. After many years of growth, Kent Harrison SAR is now planning on building a more permanent base. The local municipality (District of Kent) has been very supportive and has provided several temporary solutions, but the value of the team’s assets and the need for training space have created the need for a purpose-built SAR hall. Plans are currently underway for funding and project development. The goal is to have the project completed in three years.

Mutual Assistance

A subject being prepared for evacuation by Class D helicopter operation, in April 2006. Photo Credit: Josef Seywerd

The last 10 years have seen a big improvement in the way B.C. SAR volunteer groups work together in what is referred to as “mutual assistance”. In fact, the process is virtually seamless and regularly sees as many as 15 SAR groups working together as one. A combination of Incident Command System and consistent training standards, along with an open policy of sharing ideas, have created a spirit of camaraderie that grows stronger every year. The level of confidence shown by our police and ambulance partner agencies has also helped to build a strong, competent and capable SAR infrastructure. The regional HETS (Class ‘D’ helicopter evacuation) team that was initiated by Chilliwack SAR, including members from several other neighbouring SAR groups, is a good example of this solid infrastructure.

SAR equipment

Kent Harrison SAR serves the Agassiz RCMP detachment, an area of 2,500 sq km. While it is a smaller area in comparison to many SAR groups in B.C., the area contains a wide range of hazards from rugged alpine (more than 2,000m) and whitewater rivers, to the 250 sq km of Harrison Lake. This wilderness area is easily accessed by a large urban population in the Fraser Valley and greater Vancouver, making it a “playground” for people who are often not prepared for the risks encountered. The team’s risk assessment outlines a wide variety of hazards

An ATV accident, which occurred in June 2003, on Harrison West Forest Service Road. Photo Credit: Neil Brewer

and vulnerabilities, which have driven the need for specialized equipment. A 27-foot turbo-diesel jet and a 20-foot centre-console boat look after Harrison Lake, while two modified (shallow water intake grates) SeaDoo GTX PWCs are used primarily on the Fraser River. Two swiftwater rafts and 14 dry suit kits cater to the Chehalis River. A 12-foot“Logic” polypropylene boat is used for the myriad of small lakes. A 4 x 4 crew-cab rescue truck carries technical rope rescue and avalanche equipment and litters. Two modified Yamaha Rhino side-by-side all-terrain vehicles are proving very effective on ground searches, especially on decommissioned logging roads. A 4 x 4 command vehicle and a 20-foot tandem axle logistics trailer support most of the incidents and often travel to other areas in support of large ground searches. The 20-foot logistics trailer is the newest asset and was developed with the assistance of a NIF project in 2007. With its 12kW generator, washroom and large fuel tanks, the trailer provides a valuable resource. The electrical system can power up to three command vehicles and carries enough fuel for several days of operation.

Ground searches are managed using Martin Colwell’s “Incident Commander Pro” software on seven networked computers and four printers. An automatic position reporting system is proving very effective using OziFleet software through the team’s ICOM radios with microphones and GPS. Mapping covering the southwest quadrant of B.C. is provided through a combination of several software programs. Ultimately, the plan is to integrate more digital mapping data into the geographic information system function in “Incident Commander Pro”. A networked ceiling-mounted XVGA DLP projector in the command vehicle is used to display data, while an 18-inch by 24-inch colour printer can quickly produce hard copies of maps.

It takes a very dedicated and cohesive group of volunteers to provide and maintain this service. With an average of one incident per week, performing searches, rescues, body recoveries and evidence searches, this small team has been referred to as “The little SAR group that could”.

Neil Brewer is a SAR manager and 18-year member of Kent Harrison SAR. He is currently a Director-at-large of the BC Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA), chairing the Grant Committee.(www.khsar.com; www.bcsara.ca)

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