PRESS RELEASE FROM PENTICTON & DISTRICT SEARCH & RESCUE AND THE PENTICTON AND DISTRICT EMERGENCY PROGRAM SOCIETY

Penticton & District Search & Rescue (PenSar) has been proud to provide professional volunteer search and rescue services to the citizens of and the visitors to the South Okanagan, Similkameen and Province of BC for over 35 years.

PenSar, through their supporting society and public support, have acquired a vast amount of rescue resources and professional discipline certifications over these many years of service.  Such resources include: purpose built rescue vehicles, operations communication trailer, equipment trailer, rope rescue, swiftwater rescue, ground search and rescue, communication, and first aid equipment, as well as training and support supplies.  PenSar will have a rescue boat on the water next spring to enhance our capabilities.  Our professional training and certification within the team includes: high angle rope rescue, swiftwater rescue, flat ice and water rescue, avalanche technician and response, tracking, ground search and rescue, first medical response, and helicopter external transport system rescue. Numerous Justice Institute of BC instructors are part of the PenSar membership.

In light of the recent new media reports regarding SAR teams withdrawing SAR services we wish to assure our communities that PenSar will continue to provide search and rescue services to the best of our abilities.

Although PenSar understands the complex situations that have caused certain actions to be taken by various other teams, we trust that the serious issues affecting each and every SAR volunteer in the Province of BC will be addressed by the concerned parties in the near future.

Thank you for the continued support of your volunteer professional search and rescue team