Whistler's search-and-rescue team breathed a sigh of relief on Saturday, March 23, as the B.C. government announced it would provide $18.6 million in one-time funding over three years to the organization that represents the province's ground-search-and-rescue teams.
"It's a relief to all of the teams in the province," said Whistler Search and Rescue (WSAR) manager Brad Sills, adding that the money gives them the "assurance and the certainty" needed to proceed with training and purchasing vital equipment.
Historically, search-and-rescue teams were required to apply for provincial grants, an onerous process that took a significant amount of time and effort, explained Sills.
"They were primarily competing against other groups ... It was uncertain whether you would get (them), and you also had to compete against all manner of other community organizations," he said.
Sills noted, however, that it's important to remember that provincial funding makes up only about a third of WSAR's annual budget. "The other two thirds is still raised by us," he emphasized.
The team's annual fundraising dinner, online donations and family donations are vital to the team's successes, said Sills, adding that community foundations have also traditionally supported WSAR.
The British Columbia Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA) will be responsible for distributing the money to the 80 volunteer-based, search-and-rescue teams across the province.
Chris Kelly, president of the BCSARA, was ebullient when reached by phone, saying that the funding amount is in line with what the BCSARA asked for.
It will go towards training, rescue and safety equipment, and organizational costs like licenses and insurance, he said.
The funding can also be accessed for capital purchases, such as response vehicles.
Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, made the weekend announcement. "In discussions with (the BC Search and Rescue Association), I've heard the ground search and rescue community's strong concerns about the need for both an immediate infusion of funding and a clearer path toward long-term sustainable funding," he said in a release.
B.C.'s SAR groups were upset last month after no new funding was included in the provincial budget (see Pique, March 2; "Budget leaves parks and SAR hanging").
B.C.'s over-extended SAR groups have been asking the government for a more stable flow of cash for several years.
Kelly is encouraged by the province's commitment to getting a sustainable funding model off the ground; the BCSARA has been advocating for one since 2013.
A governing structure for the model made up of SAR officials and government representatives still needs to be established.
Also included in the province's announcement was new funding for two additional people to work at Emergency Management BC (EMBC), the government agency BCSARA works directly with. That, said Kelly, bodes well for the future.
"Currently, EMBC has one staff member, his title is the 'SAR specialist,' and I'll be honest, he's one of the busiest people I have ever known," said Kelly. "There is a recognition that ... it's going to take more person power on the government side to effectively move ahead."
With the fiscal year coming to an end in March, the BCSARA is now faced with the job of delegating the funding, which it expects to receive shortly.
"I know the SAR community is anxious to know how much allocation amounts will be, and BCSARA has already been meeting to get that information together and get those funds distributed as quickly as possible," said Kelly.
"One of the decisions we need to make is do we just give out the same amount as the last three years, and then revisit this over the next few months, or do we spend the time up front and make those recalculations?"
The $18.6 million represents the single largest provincial ground search-and-rescue investment in B.C.'s history—a 24-per-cent increase from the $5 million per year in supplemental funding announced in 2016—and is in addition to funding that the province already provides each year ($9 million in 2017-18) to cover SAR operational costs for deployment, as well as training and equipment costs, and the insurance and liability.
