Province’s search and rescue teams see second spike in calls during May

For a second time this month, B.C. search and rescue groups are seeing a spike in calls across the province, with a 45 per cent increase in calls between May 18 to 24.

According to information from B.C. Search and Rescue, 20 per cent of those calls took place on the May holiday Monday alone.

B.C.’s search and rescue groups reported a 35 per cent increase in calls during the first week of May, compared to the same time last year.

Their advice to those wishing to get out and enjoy the outdoors is to stay local, plan trips, train and take essential items when venturing out.

Kamloops Search and Rescue spokesperson Jenn Stahn says her organization is so far bucking the provincial trend, with only four calls since the beginning of April.

“I’ve noticed from numbers coming out of the Okanagan it’s been really busy there this week. It’s hard to say why. The Okanagan tends to dry up a bit quicker, maybe it’s because there are more outdoor opportunities, and more people,” Stahn says. “I’ve been using mountain biking trails in Kamloops since they opened, and they are being used. I guess people are being smart about it and listening to the message, which we certainly appreciate."

Stahn says April and May are generally slow in the Kamloops area, with incidents increasing in June through the summer.

Okanagan rescue teams answered 10 calls last week, according to data from B.C. Search and Rescue, including theses incidents:

• Central Okanagan Search and Rescue responded to search for a 79 year old
• Penticton and Okanagan fire department members assisted a kite boarder on Skaha Lake
• Naramata and Penticton fire departments responded to a lake rescue on Okanagan Lake
• Penticton Search and Rescue members rescued two people on the Arawana FSR behind Naramata
• Central Okanagan and Vernon Search and Rescue members were called to rescue an injured hiker
• Penticton Search and Rescue rescued an injured mountain biker near Skaha Bluffs
• Penticton and Naramata fire departments responded to reports of a boat on fire on Okanagan Lake.
• Penticton Search and Rescue responded to rescue an injured mountain biker at three Blind Mice
• Central Okanagan Search and Rescue members responded to a vehicle down and embankment on Bear Lake Main in West Kelowna
• Shuswap Search and Rescue responded to assist an injured quad rider in the Salmon Arm area

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