It’s proving to be busy year for Central Cariboo Search and Rescue

The year is slightly over the halfway point and it’s already been a busy one for members of Central Cariboo Search and Rescue.

Public Relations and SAR Member Deborah Bortulussi said they’ve seen an increase in tasks since January First.

“Our Auto Extrication Team had 115 call outs. Our Land Search and Rescue Team had 7 so far. That is a forty percent increase from 2024 for those members and it’s 130 percent increase for Auto Extrications from the year before.”

And with it being the beginning of Summer, Bortolussi said she could see those numbers go up.

“We see an increase in tasks during the Summertime with everyone out and about in the back country more as well with more people travelling. Then we still have Fall which brings an increase again of call outs with people in the back country hunting and getting in those last adventures while they can before Winter hits. We also see an increase of Auto Extrications call outs as Winter hits us.”

In between tasks, Bortolussi says members of Central Cariboo Search and Rescue are always working to keep their skills sharp.

“Whether that be working on specialized teams practices such as swift water rescue or our wild land wilderness rope rescue, we’re always doing something. “It can be our generic skills like navigation and search types as well as more advanced things too.”

Bortolussi noted that they will be hosting a recruitment day this Fall.

“September 28 we’ll be in the Save On Foods Parking lot in Williams Lake with all of our equipment, demonstrations, and to chat with anyone who may be interested in membership. We’re doing ok for membership at the moment but we’re always looking for more. The thing with volunteering is many hands make light work. We love building our membership, we love sharing what we do, getting to teach what we do, and we love being able to have the help on calls when the community needs it and to give support to some of our longtime members.”