Columbia Valley Search and Rescue and Golden and District Search and Rescue teams have been placed in Rocky Talkie‘s SAR Award, garnering  $5,000 grant and $10,000 grants to support their efforts.

Columbia Valley Search and Rescue (CVSAR) provides trained ground search and rescue services, emergency disaster response, public safety, and community education across a 10,000 square km area in the East Kootenay.

Their operational coverage spans from Canal Flats in the south to Bugaboo Provincial Park in the north, extending east to the Alberta border and west to the Purcell Mountain Range. The team consists of 36 active members and 9 non-operational members who support various roles within the organization.

The $5,000 award use:  Funds will help advance their communication project to improve radio coverage in remote areas. This includes testing a fixed repeater at a mountain-top location, ensuring safer and more reliable communication for SAR teams in areas with no cell coverage.

Also, Golden and District Search and Rescue (GADSAR) is receiving $10,000 in similar funding.

With 45 active members, the team is committed to maintaining a high level of training and equipment to ensure safe and effective operations. Their primary response area spans approximately 1,200 square kilometres—from Yoho National Park in the east to Glacier National Park in the west, north to Kinbasket Lake, and south to Spillimacheen—but they also provide mutual aid beyond this region when requested.

The $10,000 award use:  GADSAR will launch a drone program to improve search and rescue efforts in avalanche and swiftwater incidents. The funds will cover the purchase of a DJI Mavic 3 drone and provide training for safe, efficient drone operation.

Lead image: Columbia Valley Search and Rescue.  Photos submitted

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