SUNDRE – Several members of the Sundre Search and Rescue Society have been involved in providing assistance in an ongoing operation out in the Abraham Lake area near Nordegg.
A team of five volunteers was deployed yesterday – Wednesday, Aug. 7 – to provide assistance to crews with the Rocky Mountain House Search and Rescue Society, which has since earlier this week been actively searching for a hiker north of Highway 11, also known as the David Thompson Highway, in the Cline River area.
“Thank you to all the motorists that slowed down for us yesterday; we appreciate you helping to keep us safe,” reads a statement posted earlier today – Thursday, Aug. 8 – on the Rocky Mountain House SAR social media page.
“Teams will be continuing in the Cline River area today and appreciate people in the area giving us room to work.”
Roger Tetreault, senior search manager with Sundre SAR, told the Albertan earlier today in response to follow-up questions that the ongoing search involved five members from the local organization who yesterday were flown by helicopter up a mountain to facilitate the search by descending the trail rather than hiking up it.
“They called everybody out again today,” he said, describing the response area as remote and mountainous, adding there was a level of uncertainty as to more precisely what destination the hiker had intended reach.
Tetreault offered some tips to anyone endeavouring to embark on an excursion into the mountainous back country.
“There are trip planners that you can fill out and leave on the dash of your vehicle,” he said, referring to jotting down details including where one plans to go and when they expected to return.
“Of course leaving messages with the family is great,” he said, also recommending updating one’s voicemail message on their cellphone.
“The first thing if you’re overdue that people – family, friends, RCMP – are going to do, is call your cell,” he said, adding a detailed message can in such situations prove to be crucial in facilitating the search effort.
“It’s such a simple thing to do; 90 per cent of people when you call their cellphones, you get the recorded cellphone provider voice message that they’re not available. It’s so easy to change your voicemail message,” he said, adding that whoever calls will hear that message regardless of whether the phone’s battery has died or is simply out of service.
This latest operation adds onto a growing list that has made for their busiest summer to date, he said, adding Sundre SAR has responded to more calls this season alone than in the past several years combined.
“Absolutely the busiest summer we’ve ever had.”
