Team Geared Up

LONDON, UK (Team Geared Up) - Over the weekend we tried to find out a little bit about our readers. It proved a great experiment - we’ve a number of serious adventurers hi Alan, Neil, Rick, Shane, Mariano & Richard. We’ve got Sunday Times journalists, Adventure Racers, marathon kayakers, kayak surfers, mountain bikers, Skydivers, Snowboarders, Paragliders, Power Kiters, venture scouts and a SAR Manager from the US. Hi again Rick!

Let’s take a look at Rick’s SAR team Ridge Meadows based in B.C. Canada. Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue was started in 1969 and have grown to a total of 35 active members with about 5 reserve members today. They’ve moved from being equipped with some hardhats, shovels, rope and a stretcher or two to now today having a 1993 Ford 1 ton Command Post, a 1989 Chevy 3/4 ton service truck used to haul equipment and a 19 ft aluminum twin outboard rescue boat, and a 1982 Chevy 1 ton 4×4 and rescue equipment includes rope rescue gear, first aid, and communications. They have now progressed from just search and rescue to preventative measures

They get some serious call-outs, here’s a run down of the big ones since November.

March 28,2007 - Missing Man in Hammond
March 26,2007 - Missing Man in Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
March 25,2007 - Mudslides near Fraser River
November 6,2006 - Flood Evacuations in Maple Ridge
November 6,2006 - Missing Hikers on the North Shore
November 5,2006 - Vehicle Crashes into Pitt River

Photo of their Helicopter Hover-Exit Training on their website look fantastic. This is when you learn to leave a hovering helicopter for situations where a touchdown is too unsafe.

If you’d like your SAR team featured - leave a link in the comments.

-Robin-