Reducing Search and Rescue calls in British Columbia during the coming year of the COVID-19 pandemic
In the spring of 2018, I took the time to read every one of the 1600 Search and Rescue (SAR) incident summaries for the previous year and I wrote up a blog post with some observations. To be clear, I have no affiliation with any SAR team. This was part of a larger public advocacy campaign to encourage the government to increase funding for SAR volunteers. The incident summaries are very short but I was able to learn a lot about the diversity of tasks and gain some insight into how people like myself can avoid becoming the subject of a SAR call.
Here is an example of an incident summary:
“13 Sunshine Coast SAR members responded to rescue two people trapped in a vehicle flipped upside down in Trout Lake. The subjects made it out of vehicle and swam to the BCAS crew on shore.”
In light of the current situation, I decided to revisit what I learned in writing that post. SAR teams have asked the public to take extra care. Responding to SAR calls during a pandemic is complicated. Physical distancing is often not possible and personal protective equipment is in short supply. Many SAR volunteers also work in the healthcare system and now is a very difficult time for them to drop everything to respond to a call.
There was a 50% reduction in SAR calls in the first week of April 2020 which is amazing. In the coming weeks and months, we will likely see some restrictions on daily life relaxed in British Columbia. That said, we will continue to be living with a COVID-19 pandemic and it will be critical to reduce SAR calls even further. Here are some of my takeaways on what we can all do to dramatically minimize SAR calls over the coming year.
1) There is no silver bullet
If you extrapolate from the rescues that are shown on the evening news, it’s easy to assume that most SAR calls are the result of extreme mountain adventures gone awry. Based on that, it’s temping to suggest that a simple measure like closing parks or banning certain activities should be used to reduce SAR calls. The reality is that SAR calls involve an incredible diversity of tasks: missing youth, car accidents, resource industry accidents, missing or injured hunters and mushroom pickers, snowmobile and ATV accidents, boating and swimming accidents, mountain biking and climbing accidents near urban centers, missing and injured hikers deep in the wilderness, etc. Short of a full shelter-in-place order, an effort to target a single category of calls is not likely to make as large of a dent as may be assumed. We need to find ways to reduce call volume and call complexity across the full range of tasks.
2) Take care of each other and pay particular attention to seniors with dementia
Missing youth, despondent individuals, and seniors with dementia are all common reasons for SAR to be called out. During these challenging times, these types of calls may increase and we all need to make extra effort to take care of each other. Be aware that seniors with any stage of dementia may be particularly prone to becoming lost if there are changes in routines such as needing to go buy groceries on their own instead of going with a friend or relative.
3) There is no replacement for a trip plan and carrying the right supplies
Large number of calls could be avoided or greatly simplified if the basic measures were followed by every person on every trip.
Every year, SAR teams get called out to search for people who aren’t actually missing due to miscommunication with family and friends. A written trip plan would help prevent most of these miscommunications. AdventureSmart even has an app so you can quickly fill out a trip plan on your phone.
Carrying the essentials is more than important than ever. The specific items you need to carry will vary from trip to trip and I encourage people to think about essential systems instead of essential items. AdventureSmart has a great resource on the essentials.
4) Satellite messengers can greatly reduce call complexity but be careful about false activations
Satellite messengers can be used in two key ways.
A) Call prevention
If you are delayed, a satellite messenger can be used to inform your emergency contact that you are safe but will be returning later than originally planned. They can also be used to let your emergency contact know if you have a mechanical issue on a forest service road with no cell phone coverage. That way, a tow-truck can be deployed instead of a SAR team.
B) Call simplification
These devices can alert SAR to your specific location and the nature of your issue (healthy, critical injury, cold, in a safe shelter, no food, lots of food, etc.) That type of information can allow SAR to respond with a much smaller team to perform a quick rescue instead of initiating a lengthy search over a large area with a much larger team. For all of their benefits, satellite messengers have a few weaknesses. Like all electronic gizmos, they can break in the field and are not a replacement for a trip plan. Many of the devices on the market also suffer from being prone to accidental activation when stuffed into a backpack. Removing the batteries or storing the device in a rigid container are two great ways to reduce the chance of a false activation.
5) Dial back the risk
This is obvious but is one of the most important things we can all do. If we can exercise self-discipline (easier said than done), we will be able to enjoy increased access to the outdoors over the coming year. If too many people are getting injured, it will be logical for the government to place restrictions on our activities. Injuries do not discriminate and occur across all activities and experience levels. Everyone needs to take what they are comfortable with and dial it back a few notches. Those decisions are unique to each individual and each situation and I caution against passing judgement on others or using the actions of others as a benchmark.
As an aside, I do hope the government is consistent in their decision making when considering the impact of injuries on the health care system.
In 17/18 I counted about 500 SAR calls with injuries or fatalities (but noted that the real number was probably a bit higher.) All of these injuries occurred during activities which have a net-positive benefit on the health of the population. Being active reduces comorbidities such as high blood pressure which are known to lead to worse outcomes in COVID-19 patients.
On the other hand, there were about 15,000 hospitalizations in BC in 15/16 related to alcohol abuse. The WHO has advised that: “Alcohol consumption is associated with a range of communicable and noncommunicable diseases and mental health disorders, which can make a person more vulnerable to COVID-19. In particular, alcohol compromises the body’s immune system and increases the risk of adverse health outcomes. Therefore, people should minimize their alcohol consumption at any time, and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Given that the provincial government has been making efforts to encourage an increase in alcohol consumption during this pandemic (extended hours for liquor stores, more flexible rules to allow alcohol delivery), I will be a little perturbed if they decide that the low number of recreational injuries justifies a curtailment of recreational activities.
6) Don’t get lost or separated from your group
This is also obvious but can’t be overstated. A paper map and compass remain the foundation of navigation equipment and skills. However the ability to preview a route in Google Earth, to print off high resolution satellite images and to carry a digital GPS in your pocket reduce the excuses for getting lost to almost zero. Mushroom pickers are particularly prone to getting lost since they wander somewhat aimlessly through the forest with their eyes focused on the forest floor. People travelling on snow are also particularly prone to getting lost since they are often not following a well-marked trail and it’s harder to recognize landmarks when everything is white. Getting separated from a group is easier than getting lost and extra effort should be made by groups to stick together.
With careful decision making, we can significantly lower SAR call volume in 18/19 and hopefully develop some permanent habits that carry over in the long run.
Happy Hiking,
Steve Jones
stevejoneshikes@gmail.com
