by Angela Treharne

(Left to right) Nic Milligan, Teck Coal presents a cheque to Steve Robertson, President  of Elk Valley Heli-rescue, watched by society directors Sharron Thomas, Marilyn Robertson, Chris Thomas,   Bernie Palmer and Bernie Van Tighem, Elkford Fire Chief and Greg Goodison,  pilot at Bighorn Helicopters

A heli-rescue team has been formed by Elk Valley rescue teams to get help to backcountry accident victims faster.

The team will cover the East Kootenay region and will include eight trained long-line rescue team members who can be lowered from the helicopter and extract victims to safety.

As well as reaching victims in minutes rather than hours, the team will be able to access victims in awkward places such as ledges or unstable avalanche zones.

Currently the nearest heli-rescue teams are in Golden, Nelson or Canmore.

Teck Coal is donating $100,000 to the Elk Valley Heli-Rescue Society - $50,000 to set up the society and $10,000 each year for the next five years to cover running costs.

Teck’s Manager of Community and Governmental Affairs Nic Milligan said the company was keen to support local search and rescue services after seeing the response to the avalanche in December 2008 which took the lives of eight Sparwood men, several of them Teck employees.

“That incident highlighted the importance of these organizations for us,” he said. “We wanted to recognize that in a significant way.”

Milligan added: “Of all the projects that search and rescue were hoping to develop, the heli-rescue team was applicable to the greatest area – there was an opportunity to involve members of each of the search and rescue organizations in the Elk Valley.

“We also call upon the search and rescue groups in other areas and this is equipment that would also assist them.”

The society includes members of Fernie and District Search and Rescue (FADSAR), Sparwood Search and Rescue and the Elkford Fire Department.

Heli-rescue team director Chris Thomas said having the long-line capability will allow victims to be rescued more easily from areas that are difficult to reach by foot.

“A few weeks ago we rescued an injured snowmobiler in a helicopter but we had to lug him up a slope to where the helicopter could land. With long line we could lift him up to a landing place which would be much quicker and less people involved.

“We have an avalanche beacon detector for the helicopter so possibly in a dangerous avalanche zone we could lower someone down to dig a victim out, and if another avalanche was to happen the helicopter could fly away and take them out of there.”

However Thomas, who is also a Fernie Search and Rescue director, warned that the helicopter is not a backcountry taxi service.

“You should always be adequately prepared to look after yourself in the backcountry. This is an emergency service for if an accident happens – it isn’t giving people licence to do whichever silly thing they want.”

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