About Us
Our Team
Kent Harrison Search and Rescue is an unpaid volunteer organization with an average of 25 trained members.
Its primary function is that of a community resource to assist the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the British Columbia Ambulance Service and the British Columbia Coroners Service and Fire Departments in a variety of search and rescue functions.
2024 A year in review
With a new year coming in, it’s time to reflect on the time and effort our members have volunteered in 2024.In the last year, KHSAR was tasked with 49 incidents, including searches on ground, flat water, and in swiftwater environments, rope rescues, flat water rescues, medical rescues, and mutual aid tasks. This is lower than the 66 tasks we received last year, however more hours were committed to tasks this year. Our volunteers also participated in in-house training and several courses, totaling to 109 training events. All of our members were certified/recertified in first aid, including advanced 1st aid and wilderness 1st aid. Helicopter hover entry/exit. We gained 2 Ground Search Team Leaders, 3 GSAR Trainers, 7 Rope Rescue Technician 2’s, 1 Rope Rescue Team Leader, 2 SAR Managers, 1 Swiftwater Technician and 1 Advanced Swiftwater Technician. Additionally, several of our members received training in water bound vehicle extrication, winch operations, Crisis informed peer counselling, and Incident Command System. Two boat operators completed their SVOP certification and 6 members completed total control driving. In the early fall, we accepted 3 new Members-In-Training. So far, they have completed training in personal preparedness, CISM, radio communications, search strategies and skills, and subject evacuation skills. We are excited to see them complete the GSAR program in 2025 and become fully operational members!Collectively, 8111 hours were devoted to tasks, training, maintenance and admin duties by our 27 volunteers in 2024. Our fleet also received some upgrades this year: our 20-year-old mobile rescue truck had the chassis replaced and the box refurbished, and we purchased a new transport vehicle (See pic) Both trucks have been incredibly valuable in transporting our members and equipment along the rough FSR’s in our response area. We’d like to extend our gratitude to our tasking agencies, local and provincial governments, and communities for the support they’ve given us this year. Most of all, we’d like to thank our volunteer’s families and loved ones, whose understanding and support allows us to help others 24/7, 365 days of the year. We hope everyone has a safe 2025!
2023 Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award
Neil Brewer is the driving force that led to significant improvements to Search and Rescue (SAR) in British Columbia. He was the Provincial lead for large-scaled SAR New Initiatives Fund projects such as, the Inter-Operability Radio Project, and the Risk Assessment and Decision Support Making Tool Project and the British Columbia Ground and Inland Water Search and Rescue Training and Operational Support Model . He has been a leader in accessing grant funding programs that have allowed Kent Harrison SAR to acquire the necessary training and equipment to respond to a variety of Ground SAR responses. Having attained extensive knowledge with funding applications, Mr. Brewer worked with the B.C. Lottery’s Branch to develop information packages to assist SAR groups with their funding request submissions, and provided support as a resource contact for them. Most of Kent Harrison SAR capital assets have been funded by B.C. Gaming due to Mr. Brewer’s ability to compose and obtain project funding. He was also a driving force for Kent Harrison SAR getting a new purpose-built building, and he designed their latest Command vehicle. His exemplary and dedicated work is recognized by many with his top volunteer hours, and by greatly improving SAR resource acquisition to provide community safety.
Our History
Although originally formed in 1976, the team has only been receiving annual operating grants since 1991. Most of the team's equipment has been purchased through donations from community groups and businesses, as well as grants from the gaming policy and enforcement branch and the search and rescue New Initiatives Fund.
(National Search and Rescue
Secretariat)
Our Mission
Kent Harrison Search and Rescue, as a registered non-profit society, delivers a professional-quality search and rescue service to the community by developing and maintaining resources to safely, efficiently and effectively resolve incidents outlined in the risk assessment of the area.
We will conduct search and rescue missions when requested to do so by the authorized requesting agencies for lost or missing persons, or persons in distress in the province of BC without charge.
Our goal is to save lives.
