Police officers join rangers outside the La Ronge RCMP detachment. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Search and Rescue

RCMP honour La Ronge Canadian Ranger Patrol for ongoing support

Mar 1, 2019 | 4:01 PM

Members of La Ronge Canadian Ranger Patrol were honoured for their dedication and support to the communities they serve.

A special plaque was presented to the rescue group this morning by La Ronge RCMP Staff Sgt. Kyle Watson who said local officers wouldn’t be able to do their jobs without them. He stated rangers are an integral part of the police force being able to respond to certain calls, adding they have knowledge of the land that Mounties don’t as many come from big cities and other provinces.

“Having the rangers here is a huge asset,” Watson said. “The rangers are part of the local branch of the Canadian military and they do a lot of our search and rescue.”

An example of the partnership between the RCMP and the rangers is how the two sides come together for training exercises. In the next two days, the rangers will be taking nine officers to a location near La Ronge to conduct survival training in the wilderness. Patrol Commander Jim Searson said, even though the rangers are taking the lead, they’ll also learn tricks and different techniques from the RCMP.

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The La Ronge Canadian Ranger Patrol was formed in October 2010 and currently consists of 29 members. Searson noted the largest number of people allowed in the patrol is 30, adding there are residents who want to join but are in the process of doing so. Searson joined the group only six months after the patrol formed and he stated rangers should be ready to assist the RCMP at a moment’s notice.

The plaque awarded to the La Ronge Canadian Ranger Patrol from the RCMP. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW)

“We’re the eyes and the ears on the land,” he said. “We have to be familiar with the land, be one with the land and be able to go out and assist people whenever required.”

The RCMP calls on the rangers for assistance about four or five times per year regardless of the season. During the winter, the rangers are equipped with snow machines and, in the summer, they use boats and whatever else is needed. Searson also stated rangers need to be able to sustain themselves in the wilderness for up to 72 hours, and they have rescue gear ready to go at all times.

Other ranger patrols in northern Saskatchewan are located in Fond du Lac and Île-à-la-Crosse, but Searson noted plans are in the works to start another group in Stanley Mission soon. He said rangers also assist one another, adding some rangers from Fond du Lac are currently in La Ronge to participate in the survival training.

“It’s really an exciting time when we have different rangers coming in to work with us,” Searson said. “We’re always learning different tricks or ideas from them and ways to approach searching.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno