CHILLIWACK – Chilliwack Search and Rescue is receiving $100,000 in funding to help with their day-to-day operations and to bolster training, administrative support and equipment for this critical public safety lifeline volunteers announced the Chilliwack MLAs today.
“Chilliwack Search and Rescue will be using this $100,000.00 grant this year to continue to offer this service to the Chilliwack area and the greater of the province of B.C.,” Chilliwack SAR president Jeremy Plesman said. “We hope this a first step in looking for a new way of committed long-term future funding for Search and Rescue in B.C.”
“With many outdoor recreation opportunities in the area, Chilliwack Search and Rescue invest significant volunteer hours covering a large area,” Chilliwack-Hope MLA Laurie Throness said. “They are a critical organization in our community and this extra funding will certainly help them out.”
“This extra boost helps cover the significant operating costs Chilliwack SAR have each year,” Chilliwack MLA John Martin said. “As an organization that depends on volunteers, this funding makes a difference.”
The funding is part of the B.C. government’s $10 million in one-time funding committed to the BC Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA) and will take place over a two-year period, based on the proposed Alternative Support Model that was supported by its members. These funding allocations are given according to the needs of the local ground search and rescue teams to replace or update equipment, provide administrative support and pay for new or additional training.
This investment builds on the $6.3 million the B.C. government is already providing each year to cover ground search and rescue operational costs for deployment, as well as training and equipment costs, and the insurance and liability for the members of the 80 groups serving across the B.C. landscape.
Learn more:
BC Search and Rescue Association: www.bcsara.com
Chilliwack Search and Rescue: chilliwacksar.org
PreparedBC: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/preparedbc
Basic emergency kit supplies: http://ow.ly/4nrcp3
Household preparedness and neighbourhood preparedness guides: http://ow.ly/4nrcso
Emergency Info BC, B.C.’s official channel for emergency alerts: http://ow.ly/WCDbj
Follow on Twitter: @EmergencyInfoBC and @PreparedBC and @ChilliwackSAR
