Fernie Search and Rescue (SAR) was tasked with two rescues on July 18, 2020.
The first rescue involved a group of four rafters near Morrissey who fell out of their raft. After being located by SAR technicians, they were safely returned to their vehicles.
The second rescue involved a hiker near the Ammonite, who suffered from a broken ankle. A longline rescue was performed by a class D fixed line technician in order to remove the patient and transfer them to the British Columbia Ambulance Service. Both rescues occurred at the same time.
“We are seeing a lot more recreational traffic in our area as travel increases,” said a post on the Fernie SAR Facebook page. “Simultaneous rescues stretch our resources significantly, and we would encourage people to play safe. The ongoing pandemic continues to slow our response times and increase our risk.”
Fernie SAR technicians also brushed up on their rope rescues in a practice session held on July 17. Despite dealing with thunder and a downpour, the participating technicians successfully set up a guiding line across Fairy Creek. The rope rescue training session was proceeded by a ground level highline practice in June.
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