Chilliwack Search and Rescue is used to being busy on hot summer weekends, but Friday provided one of the most hectic days the group has ever seen.
Chilliwack SAR was called out six times in 10 hours.
One call saw the group rescue a swimmer stranded on the Vedder River. A woman reportedly saw a raft tangled on a tree, thought someone had drowned, went over to investigate and needed rescuing herself.
Another callout had them searching for missing persons and they were dispatched to help an injured hiker in the Chilliwack River Valley.
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“One of those calls yesterday was for our missing mom,” wrote Marion Haralds on the Chilliwack SAR Facebook page. “It was terrifying. She has Alzheimer’s. We cannot thank this team enough. No words, but heartfelt thank you.”
Chilliwack SAR typically receives between 70 to 80 calls in a year.
So far in 2020 they’ve already responded to 58 incidents.
While they appreciate the opportunity put their skills to use, they’d prefer less people get themselves into tough spots.
We train throughout the year to be ready to respond quickly and efficiently to any type of call, at any time of day, and our members are dedicated to serving our community,” a post on the Chilliwack SAR Facebook page noted. “Rarely do people expect things to go wrong when they’re enjoying their favourite recreational activities, but they can. Preparing well before you leave the house can make it faster for help to find you when you need it.”
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