On Sept. 12 the annual Sparwood Search and Rescue (SSAR) Open House will be held from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the SSAR Hall. The open house will allow guests to see rescue equipment, meet SSAR team members who will be available to answer questions and enjoy a barbecue. The evening will also feature rescue techniques, and activities for all ages.
The event will serve as more than an open house, with certificates being presented to longstanding Search and Rescue members. This year, the event will also be collecting donations with the aim to help support SSAR members who had their house and many valuables burn in a house fire on Aug. 26.
The open house also doubles as a yearly recruitment drive. The SSAR is actively recruiting volunteers for more than active emergency response positions; the Sparwood branch is also looking for people to help with administration, maintenance, fundraising and other positions that are vital to the branch operation.
Over the years, SSAR’s volunteers have had 2147 training hours and 338 person-hours. This branch is completely volunteer run and is on call at all times. The province’s teams do not charge for their services with the goal of being accessible and available whenever needed.
