Search and Rescue (SAR) members from Fernie and Sparwood's SAR teams were involved in a major technical rescue mission during the night of Monday, June 17.
A 28-year-old local man became stranded on a cliff face after scrambling after his dog on a day hike and suffering a fall. He sustained some relatively minor arm injuries during the fall, but found himself stranded on a narrow two-metre ledge above a 30-metre drop.
He was able to reach family members and inform them of his location and predicament. The RCMP were contacted and they in turn called Fernie Search and Rescue at around 10 p.m.
Members were called out and staged on the River Road Extension opposite the tunnel near Elko. 4X4s and ATVs were used to ferry equipment and personnel up a forest service road that provided the closest access point to begin a hike to the location.
Assessing the need for a technical rope rescue, 20 SAR members spent a number of hours hiking in over 200 kg of specialized technical rope rescue equipment through a very steep and treacherous section of forest to get near to the stranded subject.
Rope rescue team members were then able to climb around 15 m above the man, set up a rope rescue system, lower a rescuer down to him, secure him and haul him safely back to the top. The man was reunited with his father and then joined the rescue crews hiking out of the forest after receiving first aid for his arm injury.
Teams returned to Fernie’s SAR hall and stood down shortly after 6 a.m.
Rope rescue is one of SAR’s most technical disciplines, requiring team members to undergo months of training culminating in a three-day evaluation and certification process with provincial evaluators. Rope rescue team leaders require a further training and evaluation process that typically takes a few years to complete. The equipment required is rescue-specific, bearing a limited resemblance to typical climbing gear. This expensive equipment must be replaced every five years due to the stresses placed on it and Fernie SAR was recently successful in fund-raising to replace its equipment.
“The Valley’s SAR teams have continued to certify members in Rope Rescue and members from Elkford, Sparwood and Fernie train regularly together, meaning that we are able to complete technical rescues like this, even in darkness as on this occasion,” said Simon Piney from Fernie SAR who acted as Rope Rescue Team Leader.
“This rescue was a challenge due to the remote location and difficult access. We are fortunate to have so many dedicated volunteers willing to give up a whole night to help someone else and are grateful to all those SAR members involved,” added Scott Robinson who acted as SAR Manager for the operation.