The Alberni Valley Rescue Squad (AVRS) says searchers used a boat, helicopter and ground crew to rescue an injured hiker this week.
On Tuesday, the search and rescue team was called to the Della Falls trail, located northwest of Port Alberni, for a report of an injured hiker.
AVRS sent out a helicopter and a ground team to reach the hiker, with the ground team using a boat to cross Great Central Lake to get to the trail.
While the search team was en route, the injured hiker was able to make it partially down the trail with help from her fellow hikers, according to AVRS.
On the trail, she met a medical team, and with the help of the ground team was taken to the AVRS boat.
From the boat, she sailed to a nearby helicopter land zone, where a helicopter picked her up and flew her to an awaiting ambulance.
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The SAR boat crosses Great Central Lake, north of Port Alberni. (Alberni Valley Rescue Squad/Facebook)
Paramedics then drove the injured hiker to the West Coast General Hospital in Port Alberni.
“Many of the rescues executed by SAR (search and rescue) teams throughout the province utilize multiple resources, agencies and personnel,” said AVRS in as social media post Wednesday.
“We thank our search managers, ground search crew, CDFL (helicopter rescue) Team; as well as our partners at Arrowsmith SAR for the Search Manager support, Airspan Helicopters, our paramedic colleagues from BC EHS and the healthcare team at WCGH.”
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(Alberni Valley Rescue Squad/Facebook)
In May, the B.C. Search and Rescue Association urged British Columbians to be prepared if they were heading out to the backcountry this summer, or if they were looking to enjoy the water.
The association pointed to the BC AdventureSmart website as a resource for outdoor recreation safety tips.
In general, people should make sure they have good hiking boots with proper ankle support and grip if they are heading out on a hike, as well as a satellite phone or a way to contact emergency services.
You also do not need to wait 24 hours to call emergency responders if you think someone is missing or if they’re overdue from a trip, according to the B.C. Search and Rescue Association.
On average, B.C. sees about 1,750 search and rescue calls per year, says the association.
READ ALSO: Injured, lost hikers make for a busy day for Juan de Fuca SAR crews
With files from CHEK’s Harry Corro
Adam Chan
