Penticton & District Search & Rescue

Penticton & District Search & Rescue PENSAR volunteers respond throughout the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen and throughout the Province of BC

Yesterday evening, members of PenSAR and COSAR had the opportunity to present at the Alpine Club of Canada Okanagan Sect...
06/04/2026

Yesterday evening, members of PenSAR and COSAR had the opportunity to present at the Alpine Club of Canada Okanagan Section's monthly social night.

Topics included:
🏔️ What happens behind the scenes when an SOS is activated
🧭 AdventureSmart principles and how to reduce the likelihood of needing Search and Rescue
📱 Best practices if you do find yourself in an emergency and need to activate SOS
🚁 The different specialties and capabilities within Search and Rescue

As we head into climbing, mountaineering, and summer recreation season, we want to remind everyone that Search and Rescue is a free service.

If you think you may need assistance, don't hesitate to activate SOS early. It's always easier for teams to stand down if the situation improves than to respond after a situation has become critical.

A big thank you to the Alpine Club of Canada Okanagan Section for the invitation and for helping promote outdoor preparedness and safety within our community.

✨ Task Update ✨Busy evening for PenSAR last night with three simultaneous calls across Penticton.At approximately 8:30 P...
05/27/2026

✨ Task Update ✨

Busy evening for PenSAR last night with three simultaneous calls across Penticton.

At approximately 8:30 PM, two calls came in almost back-to-back: an injured mountain biker in the Three Blind Mice trail network and a missing senior from a care home. While members were arriving at the hall, a third call came in for another injured mountain biker in the Three Blind Mice.

PenSAR deployed three teams.
One ground team responded to Flow Coaster for an injured rider with suspected head and lower limb injuries, packaging and transferring the subject to EHS at Riddle Road.

A second team accessed High Pony, via ground where they located and stabilized another injured rider before coordinating our first night operations activation since certification.

A third team, including MIT members gaining their first real-world operational experience, responded to the missing senior urban search, who was later located safe.

It was a night of high tempo operations, multiple concurrent taskings, and important first heli deployments under night conditions.

As we move into evening riding season, we encourage all riders to carry lights, extra layers, and appropriate gear. Conditions can change quickly and incidents may extend time on trail.

Thank you to all PenSAR members, Top Flight Helicopters, EHS, RCMP, and partners who responded quickly and professionally.

Rope Team Milestone WeekendThis past weekend was a huge success for PenSAR’s rope rescue team, with several members comp...
05/25/2026

Rope Team Milestone Weekend

This past weekend was a huge success for PenSAR’s rope rescue team, with several members completing and passing their technical rope evaluations!

We’d like to officially welcome Cassandra and Jared to the rope team after successfully completing their Tech 1 evaluations.
Great work and welcome aboard!

Congratulations as well to Lewis for completing his Tech 2 certification, a significant achievement that reflects a high level of skill, dedication, and teamwork.

We’d also like to recognize Ariel from Oliver Osoyoos SAR for successfully completing his Tech 1 rope certification.
It was great training and evaluating alongside neighboring team members.

A big thank you goes out to some of our current rope team members who came up to support, mentor, and assist throughout the evaluation weekend.

These accomplishments wouldn’t be possible without the time, effort, and commitment of the entire team.

Strong work by everyone involved!

Task Update ✨This afternoon PenSAR was tasked out for a Mutual aid call with Princeton Search and Rescue for an injured ...
05/19/2026

Task Update ✨

This afternoon PenSAR was tasked out for a Mutual aid call with Princeton Search and Rescue for an injured kayaker on the Similkameen River west of Princeton, where ground access was unsafe for SAR teams.

PENSAR responded with 3 members alongside Eclipse Helicopters.

The subject was safely long-lined to BC Emergency Health Services crews staged near Highway 3.

Big thanks to PGSAR and Eclipse Helicopters for the teamwork and professionalism that helped make this rescue a success.

Also worth recognizing the subject’s party, who were well prepared, properly equipped, and had already provided first aid to their injured friend before crews arrived.

Great example of preparedness making a real difference in the backcountry.

✨Task Update ✨Last night, members of Penticton & District Search and Rescue were tasked to assist a subject stranded on ...
05/18/2026

✨Task Update ✨

Last night, members of Penticton & District Search and Rescue were tasked to assist a subject stranded on a steep slope near the Penticton Yacht Club.

Rope and ground teams responded quickly, setting up an efficient rescue system to safely assist the subject back to flat ground.

Thanks to the teamwork and professionalism of everyone involved, the incident was resolved smoothly and safely.

A big thank you to all members who responded and helped out last night. Your dedication and commitment to the community never go unnoticed.

PenSAR was proud to attend the Keremeos Rodeo this weekend and celebrate alongside the community!Events like these are a...
05/18/2026

PenSAR was proud to attend the Keremeos Rodeo this weekend and celebrate alongside the community!

Events like these are a great reminder of the importance of connection, local traditions, and supporting the communities we serve.

We’re grateful for the warm welcome and the opportunity to be part of such a fun and spirited celebration.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the weekend memorable, we look forward to continuing to show up, support local events, and strengthen community relationships across the region.

A huge thank you to the Fraternal Order of Eagles for their generous support of Penticton Search and Rescue.We are incre...
05/14/2026

A huge thank you to the Fraternal Order of Eagles for their generous support of Penticton Search and Rescue.

We are incredibly grateful to receive a total donation of $4,250 from the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Contributions like these help us continue providing vital search and rescue services, training, and equipment for our community.

The support of organizations like yours makes a real difference, and we truly appreciate your commitment to helping keep our community safe.

Thank you for standing behind PenSAR!

✨ Task Update ✨Yesterday, PenSAR responded to a call for an injured mountain biker in the Three Blind Mice trail network...
05/08/2026

✨ Task Update ✨

Yesterday, PenSAR responded to a call for an injured mountain biker in the Three Blind Mice trail network.

An initial team moved in quickly to provide first aid, followed by additional ground teams and our heli team to support the rescue.

The subject was safely long-lined out and transferred to BCEHS crews waiting at D’Angelo Estate Winery.

A great reminder from this task: the subject’s riding partners used a space blanket to provide shade from the sun and protection from rotor wash, while also creating a highly visible marker from the air. Spotting the group through the trees took only seconds and helped speed up access to the scene.

A huge thank you to Eclipse Helicopters and D’Angelo for your support and assistance during this task. Strong partnerships and quick-thinking bystanders help make successful outcomes possible.

We’re wishing the rider a smooth and speedy recovery.

Monday night training was a meaningful one for PenSAR as we had the privilege of welcoming back a previous subject we as...
05/05/2026

Monday night training was a meaningful one for PenSAR as we had the privilege of welcoming back a previous subject we assisted in a rescue out of the Skaha Bluffs.
She took the time to share her story, her experience, and her appreciation for the team.
We want to sincerely thank you for coming and speaking with us.
Hearing firsthand from the people we help is incredibly valuable and reminds us why we train so hard and do what we do.
Sharing these experiences helps us continue to learn, grow, and provide the best possible care and support when people need us most.
Thank you again for taking the time to come back and share your journey with us.

This weekend, conducted recurrency training with one of its two air carriers, Topflight Elite Training and Charter. The...
05/02/2026

This weekend, conducted recurrency training with one of its two air carriers, Topflight Elite Training and Charter. The Class "D" Fixed Line team spent the day east of Penticton practicing technical insertions and extractions on in tandem, with an aerial rescue platform, and using taglines for complex terrain, where a trees and cliffs make it difficult to access and redirects are required.

We were also excited to welcome two members of who were able to join for the day. Cross training among SAR teams strengthens BC's rescue community by facilitating the sharing of knowledge, experience, and familiarity with each other - making mutual aid calls across regions more efficient.

This weekend follows recurrency training with PENSARs other air carrier, earlier in April.

Its because of these partnerships that PENSAR is able to provide the services that it does.

Address

251 Dawson Avenue
Penticton, BC
V2A3N4

Website

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKCTE6QVGEA

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