**** Provinical Emergency Program of BC *** *** February 1995 Incidents *** BACKGROUND: This material is compiled by amateur radio volunteers at the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) head office in Victoria, BC. It is sent throughout British Columbia on the amateur radio packet data network. It has been retrieved from an amateur radio packet BBS and adapted for the Mindlink BBS. When a community volunteer SAR group responds to a call for assistance, a task number is issued by PEP headquarters to cover basic expenses. The information about the operation is provided by the SAR group and makes up the summary of the operational tasks you see below. For more information contact: The Provincial Emergency Program in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 604-387-3436 From: VE7AKV@VE7VBB.#SVI.BC.CAN.NOAM To : NBC@PEP Period: 30 Jan - 05 Feb Weekly Statistics Incidents....................... - 106 Persons involved................ - 16 PEP Volunteers.................. - 46 Search & Rescue - Air.......... - o - Land..........- 6 - Inland waters - 0 Dangerous Goods Spills.......... - 72 Motor Vehicle Incidents......... - 16 Miscellaneous................... - 12 General Enquiries & Information..- 477 Funds Allocated................$14,650 Significant occurances: 1. CTL Region - 29 Jan - UPDATE The two missing persons from Williams Lake called home during the early morning of 30 Jan 95. They had been in Kamloops during the night and were returning to Williams Lake. SAR team was on standby but no search was conducted. 2. SCO Region - 29 Jan UPDATE The 4 overdue males in the Widgeon Lake area near Coquitlam were located and all were cold & wet but ok. They became stranded when heavy rains caused a creek to rise and it became unsafe to cross. 3. FVA Region - 30 Jan 19 members of Maple Ridge SAR conducted a search for two missing snowshoers in Golden Ears Park north of Maple Ridge. They were assisted on the second day of the search by 10 members of North Shore SAR. Coquitlam SAR was placed on standby. A helicopter was used to aid in the transport of searchers. Both snowshoers were located and evacuated by helicopter. One snowshoer had suffered a broken ankle. 4. SCO Region - 03 Feb 10 Whistler SAR members participated in a search for two overdue female skiers on Whistler Mt. last seen on 02 Feb at 1300 hrs. Both were located ok and transported to Whistler Clinic for checkups. 5. OKN Region - 05 Feb - Revelstoke RCMP requested assistance with locating an overdue snowboarder on Salem Mt., 20 miles north of Revelstoke. One Revelstoke SAR member flew by helicopter to site and found snowboarder and flew out with him. The snowboarder was cold and suffering from mild hypothermia. 6. KTN Region - 05 Feb - Sparwood SAR alerted by RCMP to standby for search for seven overdue snowmobilers in the Corbin Road area, approximately 20 kms. east of Sparwood. RCMP to check out area first to ensure their vehicles are still there. Floods: Because of heavy rains, there was various amounts of flooding in the following areas: Chilliwack, Westside, Kelowna, Armstrong, Keremeos, Barriere and Quesnel. Urban Fires: 01 February Langford 3 persons 01 February Cranbrook 2 persons 31 January Williams Lake 3 persons Notices: 1. The Provincial Emergency Program weekly communications checking net operates on 3.735 MHz and 7.060 MHz +/- every Wednesday at 0230 UTC. 2. HF Packet net on 3.615 LSB +/- following HF voice net. VE7PEP will send a series of CQ calls at 15 second intervals to facilitate connecting. BACKGROUND: This material is compiled by amateur radio volunteers at the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) head office in Victoria, BC. It is sent throughout British Columbia on the amateur radio packet data network. It has been retrieved from an amateur radio packet BBS and adapted for the Mindlink BBS. When a community volunteer SAR group responds to a call for assistance, a task number is issued by PEP headquarters to cover basic expenses. The information about the operation is provided by the SAR group and makes up the summary of the operational tasks you see below. For more information contact: The Provincial Emergency Program in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 604-387-3436 From: VE7AKV@VE7VBB.#SVI.BC.CAN.NOAM To : PEP@NBC Weekly statistics compiled from files at PEP HQ, Victoria. Period: 06 - 12 Feb Weekly Statistics Incidents....................... - 113 Persons involved................ - 9 PEP Volunteers.................. - 102 Search & Rescue - Air.......... - 0 - Land..........- 5 - Inland waters - 2 Dangerous Goods Spills.......... - 83 Motor Vehicle Incidents......... - 14 Miscellaneous................... - 9 General Enquiries & Information..- 376 Funds Allocated................$14,100 Significant occurances: 1. KTN Region - 05 Feb - UPDATE After 21 hours of searching the area of Corbin Rd in Sparwood, the 7 missing snowmobilers were located, all safe and fine.They had driven into a very steep ravine and could not drive their machines or climb out. Search groups from both Sparwood and Fernie had assisted. 2. KTN Region - 10 Feb - Nelson SAR have 19 members augmented by an RCMP helicopter actively searching the west arm of Kootenay Lake for 2 overdue canoeists. Two oars and an overturned canoe were located on the east side of the lake, however no trace of the canoeists. The search was concentrated on the east side of the lake on 11 and 12 Feb utilizing PEP Air and water search teams. 3. VIS Region - 12 Feb Ladysmith SAR responded to an RCMP request to search for 2 people that went fishing in Copper Canyon area & have not yet returned. Ladysmith SAR carried out a road search. The 2 were located at 1300 hrs 12 Feb., cold and wet but otherwise ok. However, 8 SAR members, 2 each in 4 vehicles were not accounted for.All 4 vehicles located and freed from snow drifts. Incident not concluded until 2155 hrs 12 Feb. 4. FVA Region - 12 Feb - Maple Ridge SAR responded to search for 2 overdue hikers on Menzies Trail in Golden Ears Park. Their rented car was discovered in parking lot after dark.Hikers located, reason for being overdue was one had twisted knee and has hobbling. Dangerous Goods: 09 Feb. A train car carrying sulphur caught fire outside of Lytton.The car was held outside Lytton and the fire put out. Lytton Emergency Program Coordinator Joe Chute had readied volunteers to assist in an evacuation if it had been needed. Flooding: There was minor flooding 15 miles west of Merritt, 50 km north of Kamloops and near Port Alberni. There was no serious damage in each case. Other Incidents: The South Island SAR were called to assist the RCMP and Fire Dept. in clearing trees which had fallen, due to snow and high winds, along the road between Langford and Sooke. Urban Fires: 09 February Enderby 5 persons 10 February McBride 2 persons 11 February Nanaimo 2 persons 11 February Vancouver 4 persons Notices: 1. The Provincial Emergency Program weekly communications checking net operates on 3.735 MHz and 7.060 MHz +/- every Wednesday at 0230 UTC. 2. HF Packet net on 3.615 LSB +/- following HF voice net. VE7PEP will send a series of CQ calls at 15 second intervals to facilitate connecting. From: VE7AKV@VE7VBB.#SVI.BC.CAN.NOAM To : PEP@NBC Period: 13 - 20 Feb Weekly Statistics Incidents....................... - 128 Persons involved................ - 14 PEP Volunteers.................. - 84 Search & Rescue - Air.......... - 0 - Land..........- 7 - Inland waters - 0 Dangerous Goods Spills.......... - 95 Motor Vehicle Incidents......... - 17 Miscellaneous................... - 9 General Enquiries & Information..- 438 Funds Allocated................$29,115 Significant occurances: 1. KTN Region - 10 Feb UPDATE A further 13 ground searchers from Nelson SAR, along with 5 members of PEP Air, continued searching for the two missing canoers. The canoe and oars had been found the day before, however nothing further was located and the RCMP stood the search down. 2. OKN Region - 14 Feb - 9 Revelstoke SAR members responded to search for 2 overdue snowmobilers in the Boulder Mt area near Revelstoke. Both located ok later that night. Had become disoriented due to heavy snowfall and stopped and made fire to wait out storm. 3. CTL Region - 17 Feb - 1 100 Mile House SAR member assisted by being a spotter in RCMP helicopter in search for 2 overdue snowmobilers in the Wavey Lk. area 40 miles east of 100 Mile House. Both were located alive and well on 18 Feb. One man had walked out on his own and then directed RCMP helicopter to the location of his friend who was suffering from a sprained ankle. They had become stuck in heavy snow and had to a abandon their snow machines. 4. KTN Region - 19 Feb Kaslo SAR team had 2 members on snowmobiles searching in the Jackson Basin area half way between Kaslo and New Denver for two missing skiers. One was injured and taken out by helicopter the other was ok and taken out by the search team. 5. OKN Region - 19 Feb - 25 members of Vernon SAR searched for a snowmobiler missing in the Hunters' Range area 40 km east of Vernon. Located ok. Team brought the person out by 0200 hrs 20 Feb. Landslide: 17 Feb - A landslide at 45992 Gurney Rd. near Cultus Lake, Chilliwack forced relocation of a family of four to a motel. Floods: 16 Feb - Both Whatcom County and FVA Region were watching the Nooksak and Sumas Rivers for possible flooding. By 19 Feb rivers had started to go down when rain stopped. 18 Feb - Minor flooding occured in Sooke and North Saanich. 19 Feb - The potential for serious flooding occured on Bell Brook near Chilliwack. Debris was blocking a culvert causing much of the difficulty. Highways contracted for the creek to be cleaned out. There was concern that the high water might have contaminated some wells in the area. Min. of Health was going to test the well water and advised residents to boil water until tests showed water ok. Avalanche: On 19 Feb an avalanche at Raven Lake, 90 km east of Prince George was reported to have buried two people. Prince George SAR members responded. Conclusion not know at this time. Weather: Heavy rainfall warnings continue for the South Coast Regions. Beginning on 17 February daily accumulations were from 30 to 100 mm. The rains continued for several days and resulted in flooding in several areas of Greater Victoria and Saanich and in the Chilliwack area in the Fraser Valley. Notices: 1. The Provincial Emergency Program weekly communications checking net operates on 3.735 MHz and 7.060 MHz +/- every Wednesday at 0230 UTC. 2. HF Packet net on 3.615 LSB +/- following HF voice net. VE7PEP will send a series of CQ calls at 15 second intervals to facilitate connecting. From: VE7AKV@VE7VBB.#SVI.BC.CAN.NOAM To : PEP@NBC Period: 20 - 26 Feb Weekly Statistics Incidents....................... - 116 Persons involved................ - 13 PEP Volunteers.................. - 112 Search & Rescue - Air.......... - 0 - Land..........- 9 - Inland waters - 1 Dangerous Goods Spills.......... - 84 Motor Vehicle Incidents......... - 17 Miscellaneous................... - 5 General Enquiries & Information..- 357 Funds Allocated................$14,120 Significant occurances: 1. SCO Region - 21 Feb - After a reported flare sighting on Burke Mt. in the Coquitlam area, 16 Coquitlam SAR members conducted a search of the area. A ground SAR team was helicoptered in and walked down the mountain. Nothing was located. 2. VIS Region - 23 Feb - 15 members of Saltspring Island SAR participated in a search for a 33 yr old female who had walked away from the hospital. She was located within one hour and the team stood down. 3. VIS Region - 23 Feb - 25 Comox Valley SAR members successfully located a despondent female who was overdue from Winter Games commitments. She was found in a wooded area on the outskirts of Comox after she had become disoriented. She was wet, confused and hypothermic. Subject transported to hospital. 4. KTN Region - 25 Feb - Nakusp SAR had 4 members respond to request for assistance in the rescue of an injured hiker N. of Burton. Two men were hiking and one walked out to notify RCMP. Injured man was located in an area of dense bush aprox. 2 miles off the highway. He was believed to have sustained a punctured lung and was removed from the area by stretcher. 5. OKN Region - 26 Feb - 3 Penticton SAR responded to RCMP request for assistance in rescuing two persons from a sinking boat in Okanagan Lake, 3km north of Penticton. Search team located the boat which was only having mechanical problems and towed it back to marina in Penticton. Occupants were in no immediate danger. Floods: On 20 Feb. the creek adjacent to the Brookdale Mobile Home Park in Nanaimo began to overflow its banks. The park was flooded and an oil tank from one of the residences was in danger of collapse. The affected area was sandbagged. On 20 Feb. several residences in the Clearwater Improvement District were threatened by runoff from the snow melt. A home was sandbagged which prevented rising water from entering the house. A backhoe was used to break the frost in a ditch. This allowed the water to drain into a gravel area. On 20 Feb. three houses on Dixon Creek Road, Barriere, were threatened by melt water runoff. MOTH attempted to solve the problem by digging a ditch to catch the water, however, this ditch soon filled with water and began to overflow. Sandbagging prevented further damage to homes. Urban Fires: 22 February Chetwynd 4 persons. Notices: 1. The Provincial Emergency Program weekly communications checking net operates on 3.735 MHz and 7.060 MHz +/- every Wednesday at 0230 UTC. 2. HF Packet net on 3.615 LSB +/- following HF voice net. VE7PEP will send a series of CQ calls at 15 second intervals to facilitate connecting. --------------------------------