**** Provinical Emergency Program of BC *** *** January 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 : PEP@NBC Period: 09 - 15 Jan Weekly Statistics Incidents....................... - 105 Persons involved................ - 14 PEP Volunteers.................. - 121 Search & Rescue - Air.......... - 3 - Land..........- 6 - Inland waters - 0 Dangerous Goods Spills.......... - 74 Motor Vehicle Incidents......... - 13 Miscellaneous................... - 9 General Enquiries & Information..- 310 Funds Allocated................$13,455 Significant occurances: 1. VIS Region - 09 Jan-4 Victoria PEP Air responded to RCC request to locate ELT sounding at Victoria Airport. ELT was located and shut off by Fire Department who also responded. 2. VIS Region - 10 Jan 54 PEP consisting of Courtenay/Comox SAR augmented by 12 REACT radio personnel and 26 Mt. Washington Ski Patrol searched for overdue snow boarder who was last seen at noon. Mutual aid from Parksville, Qualicum and Campbell River was requested for 11 Jan. Missing snow boarder, Matt Wolferstan, was located alive and well at noon 11 Jan and transported to hospital. 3. NWE Region - 11 Jan - 16 members of Masset SAR conducted a ground search of the beaches surrounding town of Masset for any trace of missing Lear Jet overdue at Masset Airport. 4. SCO Region - 12 Jan - Pemberton SAR had 3 members searching for 2 overdue snowmobilers in the Duffey Lake Road and Van Horlick Creek area. They had failed to return at the prearranged noon deadline on 12 Jan. Search team was stood down by RCMP when both males were picked up. There had been a lack of communications as the snowboarders had not intended to return until noon 13 Jan. 5. SCO Region - 13 Jan 7 PEP Air responded to RCC request for assistance in search for aircraft overdue between Boundary Bay & Sechelt. An air search of area was conducted without success and RCC advised PEP Air to stand down at 1612 13 Jan. On 14 Jan Sunshine Coast SAR responded to a request from RCC to carry out a search on Keats Island as there had been reports of voices heard on island. A decision is expected on 16 Jan if further searching is to be carried out. 6. KTN Region - 14 Jan 15 Golden SAR members responded to an EHS request for assistance in the rescue of an injured snowmobiler at McMurdo Cabin, 90 km south of Golden. He had suffered spinal injuries which were not life threatening & was successfully removed to hospital. Dangerous Goods: 12 Jan - A furnace oil leak was discovered at Cusheon Lake on Saltspring Island. It was at first feared that the leaked oil would contaminated the domestic water supply. MOE, MOTH and PEP were involved in the clean up. Tests determined that there was no contamination of the water supply. 13 Jan - Surrey Fire Department reported approximately 2 gallons of gasoline had entered the sewer system and 5 minor explosions had been reported causing manhole covers to be blown off. Situation was caused by resident washing vehicle parts with gasoline and diesel fuel and allowing 5 gallons to run into the storm drain system. Drain system was purged and gas distribution system closed down. 120 people who had been evacuated wer later allowed to return. Other Incidents: 14 Jan A gas stove explosion and fire in a small apartment- townhouse complex in Vancouver injured two people and forced the evacuation 40 others. Health officials condemned the building and declared it unsafe for further occupancy. 15 Jan - Four persons were rescued from the fishing vessel "Alaska Star". The vessel took on water and sank rapidly in the general area of Masset. The four crew, Americans, were brought ashore. Three were housed in a local motel and the other, suffering injuries, was taken to the Masset hospital. Urban Fires: 10 Jan Vancouver 1 person 13 Jan Revelstoke 13 people 13 Jan Sidney 3 people 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 Weekly statistics compiled from files at PEP HQ, Victoria. Period: 16 - 22 Jan Weekly Statistics Incidents....................... - 87 Persons involved................ - 18 PEP Volunteers.................. - 288 Search & Rescue - Air.......... - 0 - Land..........- 14 - Inland waters - 0 Dangerous Goods Spills.......... - 57 Motor Vehicle Incidents......... - 10 Miscellaneous................... - 6 General Enquiries & Information..- 384 Funds Allocated................$17,975 Significant occurances: 1. NWE Region - 11 Jan - UPDATE - Fishing vessel reportedly snagged several pieces of wreckage from missing aircraft. A fisherman located a second body. No further PEP involvement expected, unless requested after missing aircraft is positively located. 2. SCO Region - 16 Jan 16 North Shore Rescue members responded to assist in search for two missing 15 year old males who were overdue while mountain bike riding in the Grouse Mt. area. Both youths were located in a deep gulley at 2240 hrs. They were cold and wet otherwise ok. They had been overcome by darkness and unable to find their way back out. 3. OKN Region - 18 Jan - Salmon Arm Search team had 3 members respond to assist EHS in rescue of a trapped and injured person from a ditch on East Ranchero. The person was located with possible spinal injuries and transported to hospital. 4. SCO Region - 18 Jan - Approximately 70 volunteers from North Shore, Lions Bay, Surrey, Coquitlam, Mission, Maple Ridge, Central Fraser Valley SAR teams, augmented by searchers from Whatcom County Washington State, searched the area surrounding 184th St, near Zero Avenue and the Canada/US border for Melanie Carpenter who has been missing for 2 weeks. On 22 Jan. the search was concentrated in the Tynehead Park area of Surrey. 5. KTN Region - 21 Jan - 21 members of the Fernie SAR team responded to rescue an injured snowmobiler, 40 km southeast of Fernie. Snowmobiler was found to have serious injuries after his snowmobile overturned. He was removed to hospital accompanied by a doctor and members of the SAR team. 6. OKN Region - 21 Jan - 15 members of the Revelstoke SAR team responded to search for a missing snowmobiler on Boulder Mt. near Revelstoke. Snowmobiler was located with undetermined injuries and brought out by the SAR team. 7. OKN Region - 21 Jan - Princeton SAR had 14 members respond in the search for a missing 51 year old female skier in Manning Park. She had set out with a group of 8 but had decided to return on her own and failed to show up at the arranged time. RCMP helicopter equipped with FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) will be used at first light as well as an RCMP snow dog and searchers on snowmobiles. She was located alive and well at 0945 22 Jan. She had skied off in the wrong direction and kept going all night. She realized her mistake when the sun rose and then turned around. She met the search team at the 7,000 foot level and was air lifted out of the area by RCMP helicopter. 8. VIS Region - 22 Jan Comox Valley SAR are currently assisting RCMP in the search for three missing skiers after an avalanche occurred on Mt. Washington. One person was located. Two others have not been accounted for as yet. Urban Fires: 17 January Revelstoke 1 person 19 January Quesnel 3 persons 19 January Quesnel 5 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. -------------------------