A changing culture in the snowmobile world may be the reason Shuswap Volunteer Search and Rescue (SVSAR) members are getting fewer calls to find missing sledders this year.

含羞草研究社漌inters are our leading call-outs by category; that being said call volumes are down a bit,含羞草研究社� says SVSAR president Luke Gubbels. 含羞草研究社淧eople are self-rescuing a bit more and people who are getting stuck are more likely to come up with a plan to get themselves out.含羞草研究社�

Gubbels says in 2016, SVSAR members put in more than 9,000 volunteer hours in what proved to be the group含羞草研究社檚 busiest year on record.

Training and preparedness remain a top priority for the 40 SVSAR volunteers who are willing to go out at any time and in all kinds of weather to help others.

In order to do this, all SVSAR members who want to be involved in winter operations, have to take a two-day, Level 1 basic Avalanche Skills Training course. It is a course Avalanche Canada recommends for anyone who is planning to venture out into the backcountry.

Taught by a qualified instructor, the course is given at Owlhead on a weekend from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and is prefaced by a four-hour classroom session the week prior to the hands-on course.

Four members of SVSAR are also trained to the (Canadian Avalanche Association) CAA Level 2, having taken a week-long course of 10-hour days with an experienced and qualified instructor.

含羞草研究社漌hen we get a call, part of the operational guidelines is we have to have two level ones and we have to be in contact with a level two when initiating our rescue,含羞草研究社� Gubbels says, explaining that snow changes overnight and sledders often don含羞草研究社檛 listen to avalanche warnings until the risks go beyond 含羞草研究社榗onsiderable含羞草研究社� to 含羞草研究社榟igh含羞草研究社� or 含羞草研究社榚xtreme.含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淲e get in touch with a Level two who is working in the field and they give us information on the snowpack; they ask where we含羞草研究社檙e going and give us a pretty good rundown on that area.含羞草研究社�

Gubbels says that information is passed on to search managers for discussion and a decision as to whether or not responding to a call puts volunteers into a dangerous avalanche situation.

含羞草研究社淲e often have to go out at night and we can含羞草研究社檛 assess the situation,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e more than willing to respond to a genuine emergency if someone is lost or might have to spend the night on the mountain, rather than the guy who just doesn含羞草研究社檛 want to leave his sled behind.含羞草研究社�

For the most part, Gubbels says sledders are better prepared, more familiar with where they含羞草研究社檙e going, more avalanche-aware and armed with better communication and emergency plans.

On Owlhead, Gubbels offers particular praise to Gord Bushell, manager of the Eagle Valley Snowmobile Club, who has done an excellent job at sharing educational information at meetings, posting signs and talking to people in the parking lots, something RCMP officers sometimes do as well.

含羞草研究社淵ou should have a plan, assign a leader for the day and make sure you get down at the appointed time,含羞草研究社� Gubbels says. 含羞草研究社淎nd make sure you have what you need to spend the night 含羞草研究社� the ability to start a fire, emergency blankets and shelter, warm clothing and food and water.含羞草研究社�

Except for a pair of pants and a jacket, search and rescue volunteers pay for all their basic gear and devote long hours to learning and practising critical skills.

含羞草研究社淪VSAR is a society in constant motion either on task, training, educating, fundraising, learning and preparing to serve our community to the best of our ability,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淲e thank the numerous community groups, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, Province of BC and the members of the public for their continued support. We exist to help those in need because of your generosity.含羞草研究社�