Central Okanagan Search and Rescue needs help in funding new home

Volunteers who do everything from backcountry rescues to looking for lost children and missing seniors in the Central Okanagan are looking for community support to find and fund a new home.

Central Okanagan Search and Rescue did a needs assessment that showed it could to a better job with a larger, more central and bigger building, it said in a news release issued today, Sept. 10.

While it got verbal support from the Regional District of Central Okanagan, funding is an issue.

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“Over the last few years, several search and rescue teams around the province have received significant support from their communities to help fund buildings that meet the growing needs from increased demand of (search and rescue) services,” president Brad Trites said in the release.

He noted in Rossland there was a generous lease of land. In Kamloops and Nanaimo, philanthropists pitched in to help those volunteer search and rescue groups.

The Central Okanagan group is the third busiest volunteer search and rescue organization in Canada and is expected to handle more than 100 call outs this year, the release states.

READ MORE: Central Okanagan search team answers record number of calls for help

More information on the group can be seen here.

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