B.C. search and rescue volunteers take part in rope rescue training in Kelowna

More than 70 Search and rescue volunteers from all across the province took part in rope rescue training in the Central Okanagan on Sunday.

The Central Okanagan Rope Exercise (CORE) is a regional training event that features seven instructors offering educational sessions and giving the SAR volunteers an opportunity to practice their high-angle rope rescue skills and techniques.

“We’re doing a culmination of scenarios and small drills as well,” said Brad Trites, COSAR president. “Today we’re focused on scenarios where our teams are going over the edge and either rescuing live subjects or dummies and bringing them over the edge.”

2:19 Spring transition causing rough terrain in the Okanagan

The yearly training is a major part of search and rescue given the variety of terrain in B.C.

“It’s really technical discipline and requires a lot of hands-on practice to keep your skill level up so when we get a call at three in the morning you’re showing up on site and you know exactly what to do,” said Trites.

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Over the last three days, volunteers have been training at the Myra Canyon Adventure Park, an area perfect for this kind of practice.

“The cliffs we’re on are roughly 200 to 300 feet and we’re not going the full way down, we’re going 50 to 100 feet,” Trites said. “The terrain here, we have everything from slope access to the high angle vertical access.”

1:59 Dangerous avalanche conditions could hinder rescue efforts

According to search teams, the setup and risk assessment of a rope rescue could take around 20 minutes and depending on the location of the subject and the terrain, anyone in need of rescue could be waiting hours for help.

“It could be half an hour or it could be eight hours,” said Trent Blair Prince George SAR and rope rescue team leader. “If someone was at the bottom of (Myra Canyon) that would be a multiple lower and lots of ropes. It could take a significant amount of time.”

In the Central Okanagan rope rescues happen just two or three times a year, however across the province, they happen more frequently.

This was the first time Central Okanagan Search and Rescue hosted the event and they have plans to do it again in the future.