Two days after plucking a man from the frigid waters in Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park on Saturday, Dec. 12, Nick Rivers is definitely B次元官网网址渇eeling itB次元官网网址� on Monday.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 doing alright. Sore, but it comes with the territory,B次元官网网址� said Rivers, search and rescue manager of Arrowsmith SAR and a Parksville business owner.
Rivers rappelled into the raging Little Qualicum River to rescue a man who was B次元官网网址渃linging for lifeB次元官网网址� to a log between two waterfalls. According to Rivers, the entire operation took 25 to 30 minutes to complete and the rescued man was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
The reception from the general public that Rivers received following the rescue has been all positive. He mentioned that since 6 p.m. yesterday, media inquiries have poured in, and he jokingly said he is B次元官网网址渉aving a hard time keeping up with the fame.B次元官网网址�
Rivers did not that being in the publicB次元官网网址檚 eye does B次元官网网址渂ode wellB次元官网网址� for the Arrowsmith SARB次元官网网址檚 current fundraiser for their new hall, saying that B次元官网网址渢he attention couldnB次元官网网址檛 hurt,B次元官网网址� but he didnB次元官网网址檛 want to push the agenda. The group has asked for public assistance with the $1.2-million project, with member Stuart Kirk telling the the call volume has doubled over the last decade.
Typical rescue operations by Arrowsmith SAR throughout the year are predominantly on land, locating and rescuing lost hikers. Rivers said that water rescues only happen B次元官网网址渙nce or twice a yearB次元官网网址� and that SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 rescue was the first for 2020.
READ MORE:
The rescued man has yet to reach out to Rivers, but he has learned the man is B次元官网网址渘ow doing OK.B次元官网网址�
RiversB次元官网网址檚 advice for the public is to pay attention and to keep safety at the forefront during outdoor expeditions, and that B次元官网网址渞isks tend to be fairly obvious.B次元官网网址�
According to their website, the Arrowsmith SAR coverage ranges from Cook Creek to Lanztville, to the east end of Cameron Lake to Jedidiah and Lasqueti Islands.
Rivers said heB次元官网网址檚 been involved in some B次元官网网址減retty intense rescuesB次元官网网址� in the past, but he canB次元官网网址檛 say that heB次元官网网址檚 experienced anything B次元官网网址渢hat intenseB次元官网网址� before.
BC Search and Rescue Association treasurer Jim Harrison said B次元官网网址渢he outcome could have been quite a bit different.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚n this case there was the anchorage there for the ropes, properly trained members that were trained in both rope rescue and swift water. If they were not available or if that site had been further away from their equipment and accessB次元官网网址� the team on-site might have made the decision not to go into the water.B次元官网网址�
With winter rescues, Harrison said there are a number of safety considerations to take into account.
B次元官网网址淲ater temperature requires extra gear to ensure that members donB次元官网网址檛 get hypodermic,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd especially on the Island, with increased rain during the winter months, water levels can fluctuate. When water levels are high, log and other debris can wash down as well, which is always a major concern when in swift water.B次元官网网址�
Like us on and follow us on
