Water Safety and Serving the Shu

The RCMSAR Shuswap - Station 106 is on call 24/7/365 to help assist and rescue recreational boaters in distress on the area’s waterways.

Article courtesy RCMSAR Station 106 Shuswap

A popular boating destination all year, the Shuswap is especially welcoming during the summer as residents and visitors alike enjoy unlimited water-related recreational activities. With so much accessible shoreline, the region is a hot spot for fishing, swimming, watersports, leisurely cruises, houseboating and more.

With any on-water activity, there are risks of accidents if best boating safety practices are not employed. Since 2012, the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) has been serving the Shuswap, actively responding to marine-related emergencies, saving lives on the water, and providing support for the local communities through a number of safety outreach programs.

A not-for-profit volunteer-based service, the RCMSAR consists of approximately 900 members across 31 marine rescue stations in BC. Through partnership and/or collaboration with municipal/federal/provincial governments, First Nations, and industry agencies, the RCMSAR’s trained crews have the necessary resources. In addition to responding to calls on the water, Station 106 also has land and air support to provide effective search and rescue tactics for a variety of emergencies.

Serving the Shu

Well-equipped vessels and the Shuswap’s finest are based in centrally-located Sicamous, and ready to respond to any type of marine accident 24/7 365 days of the year. During its first year in the region, the RCMSAR responded to 44 missions in 2012 followed by 51 in 2013. To date, emergency crews have actively performed more than 340 incidences, making it one of the most active stations in the province.

“Station 106 Shuswap is the first and only RCMSAR station serving the freshwaters of inland BC,” says Station Leader Rob Sutherland. “Our team consists of 25 community volunteers across 347 sq km (134 sq mi). We respond to emergencies in 21 communities and eight Secwepemc Nation reserves that surround the lakes.”

According to Cliff Doherty of RCMSAR Station 106, 90 percent of the callouts occur in the summer between Victoria Day and Labour Day. Almost 75  percent of those missions are medical emergencies and 33 percent take place at night.

Along with support and partnership with the BC Ambulance Service’s Med-Evac helicopters, the team at Station 106 is equipped with two high-performing rescue vessels with state-of-the-art safety equipment and navigation systems including radar, GPS and FLIR.

The rescue vessels include a 1989 9 m (29 ft) 1989 Lifetime crew boat, which is capable of 43 km/h (25 kts), and a second vessel was added in 2017 due to a high volume of medical emergencies. The 12 m (40 ft) Titan 400 Fast Response Craft has a dedicated emergency care bay and is capable of 65 km/h (35 kts), making it possible to reach Canoe in 15 minutes and Seymour Arm in one hour.

“Our training is second to none,” says Sutherland. “We train all year and as soon as the ice is out, our crews are on the water performing refresher training and exercises to ensure we are operationally proficient for the summer. Our training is based on Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) criteria.”

Outreach Water Safety Support

The RCMSAR Shuswap Station 106 is also active on land throughout the Shuswap. To reinforce water safety along the shore, Operation Life Ring was initiated in 2021 providing life ring stations at public beaches and boat launches. Ten are currently located in a variety of waterfront communities and so far, one has already been used to rescue a young swimmer caught in a current.

In addition to a mandate of “Saving Lives on the Water,” the RCMSAR developed a safety education program for grades two and three students. To offer further support, The Kids Don’t Float initiative has been providing loaner children’s life jackets for the past six years at various boat launches and beaches.

“We are very excited for this summer as the season marks our 10th Anniversary of operations here,” said Sutherland. “We are also starting construction of a new rescue base facility for even more efficient support and faster response times by our crews and vessels.”

In the event of an on-water emergency dial 911. There is no charge for RCMSAR services. For more information visit www.rcmsar106.ca