09/01/2026
Atlin SAR has had a busy few weeks, with call-outs requiring helicopter response 3 Mondays in a row.
On two occasions, Atlin SAR was tasked with extracting subjects from the wilderness and are always happy to help the folks who need it.⛑️
This past Monday, Atlin SAR was activated to respond to an iPhone SOS message for a potentially injured subject in rugged, mountainous terrain 250km SE of Atlin. After a lengthy flight and foot search of the area, the subject was located in good health and it was revealed to have been an accidental push of the SOS button. We are relieved that there was a happy ending to this call-out, but significant resources were used that could have been avoided if a few simple steps had been taken both before going into the backcountry and after the initial SOS call was made.
Before heading into the backcountry:
▪️Update and test your emergency communication device 📞(InReach, Zoleo, iPhone, etc),
▪️Designate an emergency contact,
▪️Make sure your emergency contact knows your plans and has a description of your gear. SAR teams, when activated, will reach out to your emergency contact for more information.
If you are in the backcountry and accidentally activate your emergency communication device, it is important that you reply to the call centre that reaches out to you. Please do NOT turn off your device, as a team will be sent to the last known location and will be required to check in with you before they can say all is well.
Big thanks to our colleagues at Discovery Helicopters for their assistance on these call-outs! 🚁
