Mike Hudson with South Columbia Search and Rescue is happy with the Province’s announcement of $18.6-million in funding for Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) groups. He’s also grateful for all the community support leading up to the announcement.
According to the Province, the one-time funding will be used over the next three years the help bolster training, provide administrative support and equipment renewals. Hudson says there’s a few projects in particular for South Columbia SAR that may be accomplished more easily now. New jackets are worth $15,000, the rescue boat will likely need replacing in the next few years, and there’s some final projects needed for the building.
“There’s still a little bit left to finish that we sort of had to relocate funding for for some other things. We’ve got some projects on the go and you know, this will definitely help us get through to those projects and still be able to sustain operating expenses, so it’ll be really good.”
One thing Hudson is still hoping to see is a sustainable funding model. As of last week, GSAR groups weren’t sure whether they were going to receive funding or not.
“More sustainable funding would give us the ability to know that we for sure are going to get some funding from the government and that we know that we can make sure we can keep the lights on and the doors open and the insurances and gas in the trucks. Right now each group applies for grant money every year to try and pay for those things.”
Instead of every three years, a funding injection would come through annually. It also wouldn’t be distributed through the BC Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA), Hudson says, but a new organization would be built to handle it permanently. A formula has been developed where the team’s capability, how many people they have, how many calls they get and the types of calls would factor in. The more specialty services the SAR group is able to offer, the more funding for training they would receive.
The Ministry of Public Safety has called it “the single largest provincial GSAR investment in BC’s history – a 24% increase from $5 million per year in supplemental funding announced in 2016.” Â Emergency Management BC also has funding for two additional staff positions to work with BCSARA on the development and implementation of a new governance and funding model.