Penticton Search and Rescue had a busy start to the summer with five calls in six days.
Starting on Saturday, June 18, PENSAR was called out just before 5 p.m. to evacuate an injured mountain cyclist in the Upper Wiltse area in Penticton, where the steep terrain made an airlift necessary.
The next day, PENSAR was called out to help find a man who had gotten lost near Isintok Lake, west of Summerland. RCMP had called for assistance around 8 p.m. and after searching through the night, found the lost man at 5:30 a.m. on Monday, cold but safe.
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On Tuesday, the search and rescue team prepared to deploy for a man lost in Penticton, but the incident was resolved before they deployed members into the field.
On Saturday, June 25, while conducting training in the Apex Mountain area, team members were able to divert resources to assist Princeton with a rope rescue call in the Stemwinder area.
Finally on Sunday at around 10:15 a.m., PENSAR deployed to assist with an airlift of an 11-year-old mountain cyclist from the 3 Blind Mice trails, with rescuers locating him and getting him to an ambulance for treatment. His injuries weren’t serious.
PENSAR has some tips for people who are eager to get back to the outdoors to enjoy the season safely:
- Take enough water with you and extra just in case.
- Wear a hat.
- Use sunscreen.
- Plan your route and tell someone where you are going.
- If you get lost, stay where you and don’t wander further.
- Take an extra cell phone battery.
- Wear or take some bright clothing so that you can be spotted at a distance of from the air, or bring a signal device such as a whistle so crews can locate you.
- Bring a compass or a physical map.
- Download an app like TrailForks which can be used to locate you if you need assistance.
- Go to AdventureSmart to look for planning tips.
To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.
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