Vernon Search And Rescue Group Society

Vernon Search And Rescue Group Society Vernon Local Volunteers perform Search and Rescues for the RCMP and provide Mutual Aid to other SAR groups in the Province of British Columbia.

Search and Rescue

The RCMP with the jurisdictional authority, are responsible for all Search and Rescue (SAR) activity within their catchment area(s). SAR Teams are the operational resource activated in these situations. They also actively participate within their communities, responding to emergency and disaster situations when requested. SAR Team members must individually provide and maintain t

he ability and equipment necessary to respond and sustain independent SAR operations under all conditions for a minimum of twenty-four hours. SAR activities might include:
Ground Search & Rescue, including wilderness survival, mapping, compass & GPS Tracking
Communications, VHF, UHF, Sat/Cell, amateur and commercial band. High Angle and Embankment Rope Rescue
Avalanche Awareness and Rescue
Swift Water Rescue
Helicopter (Hover Entry/Exit)
Emergency Medical Assistants (EMA), First Responder and EMA II - Paramedic. Search & Rescue Management
Basic and Advanced Incident Management
Mountain Rescue,
Police Evidence Search and support
BC Coroners Service recovery, and
Equipment maintenance
From time to time when emergencies and disasters require evacuation of residents from their homes and businesses, SAR teams may be utilized for this important task.

VSAR wants to send out a big "thanks" this week.. The hall was due for a deep clean and we wanted to make sure we got ev...
06/12/2026

VSAR wants to send out a big "thanks" this week..

The hall was due for a deep clean and we wanted to make sure we got every nook and cranny.

Sunbelt donated the use of a manlift for the day, and it went to great use reaching the bay ceiling.

Thank-you Sunbelt Rentals!

Last night, Vernon SAR received a request from BCEHS to perform a rescue of an injured Mountain Biker who had taken a tu...
06/03/2026

Last night, Vernon SAR received a request from BCEHS to perform a rescue of an injured Mountain Biker who had taken a tumble over the front handlebars of his bike, into the trees and was unable to self extricate due to injury and whereby he was able to call 911.

VSAR responded with our SAR trucks, three ATV's, three e-bikes and 15 members. Members rode as far up as they could then continued on foot. Upon reaching our injured biker, the team assessed, stabilized, packaged and then began the loooonnng stretcher carry to where we had staged our ATV’s. After another long trip in the rescue boggan, we think it is safe to say our patient was very happy to be handed over to waiting BCEHS.

All in all, we were all able to head home for a nap at just after 1:00 this morning.

Our patient was able to assist in his own rescue because he was in range of cell service and able to dial 911. VSAR would like to use this opportunity to coach people to remember the three T’s: Take The Essentials (including a communication device - cell service and otherwise); do a Trip Plan, and get the Training for your activity.

Be safe and have great adventures.

06/03/2026

Task in Progress.

BCEHS has tasked VSAR to assist with the extrication of an injured person from the back country south east of Vernon.

Vernon Search and Rescue would like to express our sincere gratitude to Nolan’s Pharmacy for their recent donation of me...
06/02/2026

Vernon Search and Rescue would like to express our sincere gratitude to Nolan’s Pharmacy for their recent donation of medical supplies and medications to our Advanced Protocol First-Aid Team.

This generous gift will enable us to better assist those we find in medical distress with greater comfort and successful medical outcomes.

It really makes a difference when we have great support like this from our community.

Thank you Nolan’s Pharmacy!

05/29/2026

**TASK UPDATE**

The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP is seeking information from the public after receiving a report of a suspicious radio transmission in the Currie Creek area near Cherryville.

On Thursday, May 28th, 2026, at approximately 6:30 p.m., police were contacted by a member of the public who was working in the 6km area of the Currie Creek Forest Service Road. The individual reported hearing what sounded like a person in distress on radio channel RR30. A female voice stated, “My name is Amanda, call 911,” followed by what sounded like either “Cherry Creek” or “Currie Creek.” No further transmissions were received. Police are currently investigating the origin and validity of the report. Vernon Search and Rescue is assisting and is conducting searches in the area.

“We’re sharing this with the broader public to see if anyone knows anything that could help us,” states Constable Chris Terleski, Media Relations Officer for the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP. “If there is someone that’s overdue, or missing, or a situation that happened that was resolved, we need to know about it so please call us immediately.”

Anyone with information about this is asked to contact the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP at (250)-545-7171.

_______________________________________________________________________
Early last evening, VSAR received a request from RCMP to conduct a search in the Monashee area/Hwy 6 area east of Cherryville. Search teams were out all night and efforts continue today. We are assisted with Mutual Aid by Shuswap Search and Rescue and Kamloops Search and Rescue and PEP Air

Search & Rescue is often portrayed as colorful, exciting, and even adrenaline based.But behind every call for assistance...
05/28/2026

Search & Rescue is often portrayed as colorful, exciting, and even adrenaline based.

But behind every call for assistance is a SAR Management Team working hard to plan, schedule, and coordinate things so the right people are in the right place, with the right skills and the right equipment, at the right time.

This last weekend, VSAR hosted Search Managers from a number of neighboring teams for a day discussing and sharing best practices, lessons learned, inter-operability, and mutual aid capabilities.

It may not be the most glamorous training we can show off, but these efforts in the background allow for consistent, effective, and efficient responses when a call for help comes in.

Thank you to the SAR Managers from Arrow Lakes, Revelstoke, Shuswap, Kamloops, Central Okanagan, Penticton, and Oliver/Osoyoos that gave up a beautiful sunny day to get on the road and contribute towards this continuous improvement in the delivery of Search and Rescue response!

Vernon Search and Rescue once again salute the extraordinary efforts of Cheryl & Jody Lambert as the initiators and driv...
05/27/2026

Vernon Search and Rescue once again salute the extraordinary efforts of Cheryl & Jody Lambert as the initiators and drivers behind another of their very successful "SOS for VSAR" golf fundraisers.

This is the 4th time they have coordinated this event exclusively for our benefit, and with the generous engagement of those participating, this year raised just over $34,000, bringing the total fundraised for VSAR over the years to just shy of $200,000!

These funds have been instrumental in our ability to renew our aging vehicles: first a few years ago with a pickup for towing our many trailers, then a custom-built crew & equipment transport, and most recently, a soon to come off the assembly line, custom-built mobile command and operations center.

We cannot thank these two enough for the work they have done to help our 100% volunteer-based organization enhance delivery of search and rescue services throughout our North Okanagan region.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Last weekend, members of VSAR took some time to sharpen skills and challenge themselves operating an ATV .When we get a ...
05/19/2026

Last weekend, members of VSAR took some time to sharpen skills and challenge themselves operating an ATV .

When we get a call for assistance, we need to access our subjects quickly and safely, in whatever terrain they might find themselves. This means driving over fallen logs, up steep embankments, and fording water, while navigating to specific coordinates, are all things we are faced with often. So getting out, practicing our skills, and exercising safety is never time wasted.

Obviously there was absolutely no fun to be had on this ride, and the view at the top was pretty sweet too!

** Bonus points for anyone that can identify where we ended up **

05/18/2026

Vernon SAR has been tasked to assist as Mutual Aid with Kamloops Search and Rescue pertaining to an ongoing search on the North Thompson River.

Vernon Search and Rescue is a team.We train as a team, we respond as a team, and we publicly celebrate our successes as ...
05/17/2026

Vernon Search and Rescue is a team.

We train as a team, we respond as a team, and we publicly celebrate our successes as a team.

But every once in a while, something so very special happens that we need to break from our mold and single out the achievements of an individual volunteer. This is one of those times!

PLEASE JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING OUR VERY OWN DON BLAKELY AS A RECIPIENT OF THE 2026 BC ACHIEVEMENT COMMUNITY AWARD WITH HIS ALMOST 40 YEARS OF DEDICATION TO SAR!

This award "celebrates changemakers who devote their energy to improving lives, creating spaces of care, resilience, beauty, and inclusivity. Often working behind the scenes, their efforts inspire others and have a lasting impact. This recognition emphasizes the transformative power of service and generosity in shaping vibrant, dynamic communities."

And Don perfectly embodies this changemaking: at the local level first volunteering with Fort Nelson SAR then Vernon SAR, at the provincial level first through the various committees and projects with BC SAR Advisory Board and then the BC Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA), and more recently, at the country level on even more committees and projects with the Search and Rescue Volunteers Association of Canada (SARVAC).

Thank you for your volunteer service Don! You have made an enormous impact on the lives of so many by being such a cornerstone to the development of SAR in BC!

Address

5150 Silver Star Road
Vernon, BC
V1B3K4

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