Penticton fire chief heads to Bahamas with search dog Sammy as part of rescue team

PENTICTON – Penticton fire Chief Larry Watkinson has joined rescue efforts in the search for victims of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas.

Deputy Chief Chris Forster says Watkinson and his disaster dog Sammy left on the weekend as team members of Lower Mainland-based Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team to help with rescue efforts in the Bahamas.

Watkinson received a request to support rescue efforts a week ago after initial searches began finding victims in the rubble.

Forster says the search and rescue work is basically an extension of Watkinson’s professional career as a firefighter.

“He’s very experienced. This is something he has put a lot of his life into,” Forster says.

The City supported Watkinson’s efforts by allowing him the time to go on the search and rescue effort.

Watkinson and the team were last deployed internationally in 2015 in Nepal. He is expected to be gone for a week.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.