New search and rescue chapter starting in Battlefords

“Currently we have nine applicants approved and I expect over the next week we’ll get a handful more,” Bartholomew said. “In our first year if we have a dozen that would be great.”

When members participate in searches, they work with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, the RCMP, any other police service, or Parks Canada, depending on the type of search they conduct.

The group takes on a search and rescue effort when directed by the RCMP only, not the general public.

“The reason for that is the fact that in Saskatchewan on any given year there are about 1,400 missing persons reports that are filed with police services,” Bartholomew said, adding that often times many of the individuals first reported missing do turn up on their own.

As a result police services need to complete their initial investigations before they will contact SARSAV to respond.

“Basically, the police use their judgment as to when they want to activate us,” Bartholomew said.

“Once they activate us then it’s possible it can be either for homicide cases as one situation, or it can be a missing child or a missing elderly person, etc.,” he said.

The organization’s surrounding branches have helped in the local area in the past, such as the search in the Battlefords in September 2018 following an Amber Alert.

Bartholomew said search and rescue volunteers take on many different jobs in their search efforts.

“In some searches you may be driving around in vehicles. You may even be sitting at an intersection doing containment control making sure no one has left that area,” he said. “In other searches you might actually be on foot pushing through bush or walking down back alleys or streets. There are a variety of different methods in which we might be out there searching.”

If any individuals want to help the Battlefords chapter but are not able to be active searchers themselves, Bartholomew said they may wish to make a donation to the organization instead through SARSAV’s Facebook Page, to assist the non-profit group with costs.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW

by Angela Brown

New search and rescue chapter starting in Battlefords

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