Complex cases take more of COSAR crews’ time
Search and rescue crews were kept busy in the Central Okanagan last year, responding to 50 calls.
The number of calls per year has been fairly consistent, with volunteers responding to 52 calls in 2016 and 46 calls in 2017.
However, the difference last year was the number of hours spent on call because of longer calls in 2018, including two six-day searches.
In 2018, Central Okanagan Search and Rescue members spent 3,500 hours on call, compared to 2,200 hours in 2017.
This does not include the 9,000 hours spent on training, administration, fundraising or equipment maintenance.
“We had a number of complex tasks this year,” said COSAR president Dan Schlosser.
The two six-day searches involved looking for a lost walker in West Kelowna and a man who went missing in the McKinley Landing area.
Bodies were recovered in both cases.
In total, search and rescue volunteers recovered six bodies in 2018.
Some of the more complex cases required calling in help from search and rescue teams from Vernon and Penticton.
COSAR is in need of more specialized equipment and more space, said spokesperson Ed Henczel.
“We have gear scattered all over town, and it would be lovely to have it under one roof so we can maintain it better,” he said. “We’re in the process of looking for a new location or expanding our hall.”
COSAR is currently based out of an old fire hall on Old Vernon Road.
The non-profit organization relies largely on donations to operate and is also looking for more long-term stable funding from the province.
COSAR currently has 50 members and will be recruiting a new batch of volunteers next winter.
COSAR is the oldest search and rescue group of its kind in B.C.
“This year was busy, but it had its positives as well,” said Schlosser. “We were named Volunteer Organization of the Year by the Central Okanagan Foundation.”
For more information, go online to cosar.ca.