Coquitlam Search and Rescue

Coquitlam SAR is a Volunteer Search and Rescue team based in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada.

Operating under the Provincial Emergency Program and tasked by local law enforcement and emergency personnel, we are responsible for inland water, wilderness and urban search and rescue in an area bounded by Indian Arm on the west, Pitt Lake on the east, Garibaldi Park to the north, and the Fraser River to the south. This primary area is over 1000km² and includes some of the most rugged and inaccessible terrain in the southwest region of the Province of British Columbia.

We also provide assistance to residents during natural disasters such as floods, forest fires, and earthquakes, and respond to requests for mutual aid from other PEP-Affiliated_SAR_Teams_in_BC" title="wikipedia: SAR teams in BC" target="_blank">SAR teams in BC, and in Washington State to the south.

Coquitlam Search and Rescue is dedicated to

providing professional Search, Rescue, First Aid and pre-hospital care to people in need
performing in a responsible, accountable and compassionate manner
teaching wilderness public safety education
striving for excellence in our service, and dedication to the team and our community.

This web site contains information about the team, pictures of us in action, an ongoing blog of our activities, acts as a portal for information about wildnerness safety and provides contact information for the public to see what a volunteer SAR team does.

Busy Training Times for SAR Volunteers

News - General News
Written by Roland Webb
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Coquitlam SAR members have been active with training programs for both Members-In-Training (MITs) and senior active members. Ground SAR (GSAR) course: 17 new MIT's were brought on to the team in late 2009. These volunteers are approximately half way through the 10 month GSAR training course delivered by senior team members on behalf of the Justice Institute of BC. Topics include Search Techniques, SAR theory, navigation, hypothermia care, stretcher evacuations, avalanche/winter travel safety and communications. Wilderness First Aid for SAR Operations: 14 senior SAR volunteers are progressing through a 40 hour Wilderness First Aid for SAR Operations course. This is a course developed in partnership between Coquitlam SAR and Slipstream wilderness first aid. Delivered over several weeknights and full weekend days the course is an intensive once that focuses on the role of SAR in treating, packaging and evacuating injured subjects and delivering them to definitive care. Swiftwater Rescue Technician: working with Rescue Canada , Coquitlam SAR is doing 2 days of swiftwater rescue training this month in the Chilliwack River. In addition to the above training, team members have been attending the regular Tuesday evening training events covering everything from equipment operation, communication, rope rescue and advanced first aid techniques, and attending searches as required. As spring progresses, the team is getting ready for the busy summer backcountry recreation season.

CLARE, Judge Lorne Patterson passed away on March 29, 2010.

News - Team News
Written by Ray Nordstrand
Wednesday, 07 April 2010
CLARE, Judge Lorne Patterson passed away on March 29, 2010. Lorne Clare was born in New Westminster on June 6th, 1930 and is survived by his wife of 53 years, Eileen, and his two daughters, Kelly Rebecca (Tom) Selkirk and Patricia Dawne Clare (Peter Wilcox). Lorne practiced law in New Westminster for 23 years and was appointed and sat as a BC Provincial Court Judge for another 23 years. Lorne started with the Coquitlam Search and Rescue team, hoping to be a resource member. He successfully completed the BSAR (Basic Search and Rescue) course and became an active member for well over 5 years. The group was more informal at the time, and Lorne was instrumental in creating and registering the Coquitlam Search and Rescue Society as a non-profit society. This lead to formal society meetings, our registered charitable status, and the eventual fund raising that has made Coquitlam Search and Rescue one of the top search groups in Canada. Lorne enjoyed boat operations and handling communications in searches. Although he was not required, Lorne actively participated in training with our group. He attended many of the early Mountain Rescue training sessions. Once, while practising self arrest with an ice axe on Mount Seymour, I asked him why he had joined SAR. He claimed he liked giving back to the community. That same day, he excused himself early, stating that he had a family dinner to get back to. Unbeknownst to us, on his way home he drove himself directly to the hospital with his first heart attack. His obituary claims “the thrill was worth it!” Going back many years, after a climbing trip in Nepal, I met with Lorne at the family home at Christmas time. Lorne, seeing my outdoor enthusiasm, immediately recruited me to join Coquitlam Search and Rescue… that was over 20 years ago. It has become my passion and I have enjoyed every moment since. The Coquitlam Search and Rescue Society recognized Lorne as a lifetime member for his important contributions to the team, many years ago. Now, at his passing, I again say personally, as a representative of Coquitlam SAR and on behalf of all the people we have rescued and saved since you formed the society; Thank-you Lorne! We hold your memory in honor. Ray Nordstrand Search Manager

Search for Andrew Koenig

News - Search
Written by Coquitlam SAR
Friday, 26 February 2010
Coquitlam SAR joined North Shore Rescue and Lions Bay SAR to search Stanley Park for a missing male. American actor Andrew Koenig had been missing since Feb 14^th. Vancouver Police lead the search of the parks trail system and shoreline. A large group of friends also participated in the search. Unfortunately, Andrew Koenig was discovered deceased by a group of Andrew’s friends on Feb 25^th

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