Coquitlam SAR Awards and Honours
Coquitlam SAR has a number of awards to honour our community partners and team members.
Community Partner Awards
The community partner award was instituted in 2014, with the inaugural awards given to
- 2019:
- Intercontinental Truck Body: Since 2015 ITB has assisted Coquitlam SAR with the development of our command vehicle and our rescue truck.
- Greg Kanya: Greg has been a partner and advocate for Coquitlam SAR in his role as Manager of Emergency Programs at the City of Coquitlam since 2012
- Jim Stibbard: Former Talon Helicopters Pilot who worked on many rescues with Coquitlam SAR
- 2018
- 2017
- Coquitlam City Councillor Teri Towner, for raising the team’s profile and instigating the petition for a national search and rescue day.
- Surrey Search and Rescue volunteer Andrew Wallwork, for assisting our Treasurer in setting up an enterprise grade CRM/Financial management system for the team, a project of hundreds of hours.
- 2014 Group: City of Coquitlam Vehicle Maintenance Dept:
for their exemplary support of the team in maintaining our vehicles for many years- Fred Hendy, fleet superintendent
- Gerry Hughes, Garage Foreman
- Todd Lynn, mechanic
- Stephanie On, fleet operations
- Bill Allan, mechanic
- 2014 Individual: Peter Murray – Talon Helicopters
for his support of Coquitlam SAR, and Search and Rescue in general through professional helicopter rescue services.
The Rollie Award for Excellence
Coquitlam SAR member Roland Webb died suddenly in 2013. Just prior to his passing, we created a “Transportation Award,” in humour, for the many times he had damaged or broken the team’s 8×8 Argo Avenger. The award consisted of one of the bent and broken wheels of the vehicle.
After his passing, the award was re-dedicated to Rollie’s memory, and awarded for excellence in SAR within Coquitlam Search and Rescue. The recipients of this award are listed below.
- 2012: Roland Webb (transportation award)
- 2013: Al Hurley: for his efforts at getting the team’s Long Line Rescue group up and running
- 2014: Michael Coyle: For his many contributions to the team over 15 years.
- 2015: Sandy Burpee
- 2016: Liz Clyne: Truck and Transportation, managing the Coquitlam 1 replacement project.
- 2017: Mechthild Kellas-Dicks: treasurer, ground search team leader
- 2018: Darren Timmer: former president, long line rescue, technical rescue
- 2019: Ian Cunnings and Ray Nordstrand: long time members of Coquitlam SAR, managers of communications projects
Life Members
Lifetime membership on the team is an honour reserved for members of long service, and exemplary dedication to the team. Members with this honour are listed below
- 2014: Kevin Young
- 2013: Eric Lorimer
- 2012: Dan Cook
- Dwight Yochim
- Mark Sanford
- Pat Hurley
- Sandy Burpee
- Al Hurley
- Lorne Clare
- Don Cunnings
Honours received by Coquitlam SAR
Officer in Charge, Certificate of Appreciation for Community Service, 2018
Awarded to Coquitlam SAR for their actions in the search for Annette Poitras
Commanding Officers Unit Certificate of Appreciation, RCMP “E” Division Commanding Officer, 2014
Awarded to Coquitlam SAR for their actions in the search for Tyler Wright.
Chief Constables Letter of Commendation, Port Moody Police 2013
Awarded to multiple Coquitlam SAR members for their efforts during the search for Joy and Judy.
National Search and Rescue Secretariat Awards
The National Search and Rescue Secretariat grants awards to SAR members every year, and Coquitlam SAR has been honoured twice in this manner.
Award for Exemplary service
- 2013 Roland Webb, Award for Exemplary service (posthumous)
- 2007 Ian Cunnings: Award for Exemplary Service
Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers
- 2019: Michael Coyle
- 2018: Alan Hurley
- 2017: Ian Cunnings
- 2015: Sandy Burpee
British Columbia Medal of Good Citizenship
- 2017: Sandy Burpee
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal
- 2013: Don Cunnings