It’s been a busy few days for Vernon Search and Rescue. The volunteer organization was called on three missions, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. An RCMP request for help locating a missing child came in Saturday. Senior search manager Coralie Nairn says that within 22 minutes of receiving the call, more than 20 volunteers were on the ground searching for the seven-year-old in a residential neighborhood. Privacy issues prevent her from revealing the exact location, but Nairn says the volunteers were told to leave a few minutes later as the child was found safe. On Friday, VSAR was called just before 1 p.m. after a snowmobile operator on the Hunter’s Range near Enderby suffered a serious shoulder injury. Because extrication would mean transporting the patient by sled for “a very bumpy, 50km”, VSAR requested that a helicopter be deployed. “The light was right and the weather was good,” says Nairn. It also helped that friends of the injured man were able to get him to a cabin by snowmobile before the helicopter arrived, so no search was needed. The man was met by medics at the Vernon Airport and taken to Vernon Jubilee Hospital for emergency treatment. On Thursday, crews helped locate a missing hunter who went missing in the Mabel Lake/Lumby area. “He did the right thing. He knew he was lost and called 911 and waited for help,” says Nairn. “He jumped into a location and was able to start a fire until help arrived.” Nairn’s best advice is to tell someone where you’re going and stay at that location. “Technology has changed and we can use cell phones and satellite GPS to locate people,” but he warns with an area of 8,500 square kilometers under VSAR’s jurisdiction, many areas have insufficient cell coverage. She also recommends packing extra clothes, food, water and something to start a fire.
