Vernon Search & Rescue Called out Three Times Saturday

The long weekend combined with the warm weather brought a lot more people outdoors and also brought out Vernon Search and Rescue.

In the space of about seven hours, a B.C. Air Rescue helicopter accompanied by Vernon’s winch rescue team flew to three separate rescues.

Pete Wise, a search manager, tells KISS-FM News that two people on dirt bikes were badly injured in separate accidents in the Shuswap and Okanagan regions Saturday.

The rescues began to unfold around 1 when the chopper was called out to the Hummingbird Creek area in the Upper Shuswap after a report of a badly injured dirt biker.
Wise confirmed he had multiple injuries and the winch team managed to get him on board and take him to a waiting ambulance.

The helicopter rescue team was called out again around 3:30 p.m. to Okanagan Mountain Park about 13 kilometers up a trail where a lady was reported to be in stress causing her to loose consciousnesses occasionally. She was airlifted to safety and checked over.

The third event came in around 8:30- 9 as it was getting darker when BC Ambulance requested the team assist a badly injured dirt biker in the Grizzly Swamps area.

By this time they required the assistance of the RCMP to provide lighting which they were able to locate the injured male and bring him out to safety.

Wise went on to tell KISS-FM that the last biker rescued was in very bad condition and said it was a good idea that they could get to him as he may not have made it…it was that serious. They had even a plan B in place where the Search management Team would have had to hike in and stretcher carry him down the mountain.

All 3 individuals were transported to hospital for observation.