North Shore Rescue is the first search and rescue group in Canada to use a night vision imaging system (NVIS) to better equip them in nighttime operations, according to the provincial ministry of public safety.
Volunteers will be gathering data on how the NVIS system is a necessity for emergency missions, hopefully leading to all rescue units in B.C. being granted access to the technology, the ministry indicated in a release. The equipment is currently only used by official organizations such as police or military.
North Shore was gvien the technology because they work in extremely large, urban areas and 37 per cent of their responses are night operations.
The volunteer group is leading the initiative by using helicopter night-vision goggles to better assist them in aerial searches.
Across the province, there are 2,500 registered search and rescue volunteers who respond to approximately 1,600 incidents each year. North Shore is responsible for 130 of those calls.
@janelle_swift
janelle.swift@castlegarnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
