August 9th rescue highlights work of Prince Rupert Ground Search and Rescue Society

Members of Prince Rupert Ground
Search and Rescue at the start of their
rescue operation of last Sunday
(photo courtesy of PRGSAR)

This Sunday the Mount Hays area will be teeming with activity as participants take to the mountainside in the rebirth of the Mount Hays Quickclimb, an event that highlights the natural environment of the North Coast and what it has to offer.

However, last Sunday evening, a very different and urgent quest on the mountain took the Prince Rupert Ground Search and Rescue team onto the mountain searching for three hikers stranded on the mountainside.

The August 9th incident was first reported at 6 PM when the three hikers  determined that they were in some trouble and contacted the Prince Rupert RCMP, from that point the local Prince Rupert Search team was called out for what would turn out to be a 12 hour night search and rescue operation in challenging terrain and wet conditions.

Working their way towards the reported location of the trio, the search team located the three hikers around the midnight hour approximately 200 metres above Wantage road in an area between a large vertical cliff and steep section above them. The terrain of that area was considered dangerous for even very experienced hikers due to the loose soil, requiring extra attention to effect a rescue.

PRGSAR was formed in
June of 2014

As the first response team provided blankets, hot tea, and high protein snacks, a scouting team established an exit route to bring the group to safety.

Once the scout team had determined the best course away from the danger area the group began their ascent. The incident came to a successful conclusion  at 5 AM as the PRGSAR members and the hikers reached their vehicles and from that point the team drove the hikers to safety.

The local Search and Rescue society currently has 21 unpaid professionals and 16 call outs for rescue in urban and wilderness areas.

The newly established Society (it was formed in June of 2014) works under the jurisdiction of the RCMP with a focus on technology and man tracking skills.

The Prince Rupert based Society is on call to provide assistance for Prince Rupert, Port Edward, as well as along Highway 16 and to the First Nation communities of Lax Kw'alaams, Kitkatla, Metlakatla, Hartley Bay and Klemtu.

More about their service in the community can be found on their Facebook page.

The Society will be looking for community partners in September to help provide funding for further training and equipment, you can find out more about their work and how you can lend some assistance when the PRGSAR hosts an information session at the Port Interpretive Centre on September 13th at 7:30 PM.

More items related to Northwest Emergency Response files can be found on our archive page