NANAIMO — When the calendar flips to June, calls tend to pick up substantially for search and rescue organizations.
With an extended sunny and warm weather pattern on the horizon, backcountry trails will undoubtedly be busy, said Arrowsmith Search and Rescue president Nick Rivers.
“Lots more activities going on in the back woods; lots of hiking, dirt-biking, ATV riding — it definitely ramps up the calls for us.”
Around three quarters of Arrowsmith SAR’s annual callouts are between June and September, Rivers note, with the group responding to 82 callouts last year.
Rivers said their call volumes increase on all fronts in the spring and summer, from water-based activities to hiking and a variety of trail-device-operated recreation excursions, as well as increased numbers of urban mental health-related tasks, led by dementia patients.
Rivers strongly recommends reducing high-risk activities in potentially treacherous, out-of-bounds areas, pointing to Little Qualicum Falls and Englishman River Falls provincial parks as places where people have gotten in trouble in the past.
“Usually those are the areas that we end up helping people in, either on the wrong side of fences or off of maintained trails — definitely staying within those park boundaries is a safer option.”
Creating a trip plan and being properly prepared for whatever activity you’re planning will go a long way in keeping outdoor enthusiasts safer, Rivers said.
Requesting help from SAR is “100 per cent free”, Rivers noted.
“I’d be way rather be on my way out to help you and turn around to go home knowing you’re actually okay than waiting well into the evening when it’s dark. Definitely don’t be afraid to call for help.”
More information on Arrowsmith SAR, including donating directly to the non-profit group, can be found here.
Outdoor enthusiasts are advised to reference AdventureSmart to be sure they’re properly prepared for a range of excursions.
SAR Top 10 trip essentials
- Fire starter (matches, lighter)
- Flashlight/headlamp
- Extra food and water
- Extra clothes
- Pocket knife
- Shelter (tarp)
- First aid kit
- Compass or GPS device
- Cell phone (fully charged)
- Whistle or signal device
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