Shuswap Search and Rescue

08/28/2026

Our Swiftwater team was out for a paddle this last Saturday. They practiced their searching skills and paddling techniques on the Shuswap River. The water was calm and inviting - which was perfect for some of our newer members to go out and train.

Thank you to everyone that puts together these trainings!

08/24/2026

SVSAR members were out today to help someone who's Sunday afternoon took a turn for the worse. Working together with BCAS, we were able to get them off the trails and on their way to a hospital.

08/24/2026

08/21/2026

Our team will be out practicing their Swiftwater skills Saturday on the Shuswap River below skookum chuck rapids to Cooke Rec site.

We have some very dedicated team leaders who set up fun activities for the group to train and practice their searching skills.

If you happen to spot one of our training items along the river, please leave it where you find it! 🧐 Those items are part of our training setup, and moving them can affect the course for our members.

Thanks for helping us keep our training safe, effective, and ready for the real thing!

If you need SAR call 911

08/14/2026

The SVSAR Flatwater Team has been tasked out multiple times this season, which highlights how important the training sessions are. We were out again on Wednesday, making sure we are ready and efficient when the next call comes in and the clock is ticking.

08/11/2026

To the community please be aware:

Off-road vehicles prohibited on provincial Crown land in many fire centres
Updated Aug. 10, 2026: Ban in place for Cariboo, Kamloops, Southeast and parts of Coastal Fire Centre

Ban in place for Cariboo, Kamloops, Southeast and parts of Coastal Fire Centre

08/08/2026

Shuswap Search & Rescue worked with Royal Canadian Marine SAR Station 106 on Aug 4th to assist with a medical situation on Shuswap Lake. This is the 31st task for our group in 2026. So far this year we have been tasked for missing persons land & water, rope rescues, medical rescues, stranded motorists and mutual aid with other teams in our area. Our volunteers have put in 1,013 task hours and 3,393 training hours in 2026, and we respond to all sorts of calls 24/7. We can be accessed by RCMP, BCEHS, Coroner, Fire Depts & First Nations. For more information please check out our website Shuswap Volunteer Search and Rescue – Serving the Shuswap area for over 30 years.

08/04/2026

FORTUNATE RESULT TO LONG, DARK SWIM

Local ground and water SAR teams were called by RCMP out for a night-time lake search on July 26th, after boaters reported that a young man had fallen overboard unnoticed sometime after dark on Sunday night near the Narrows.

Teams from Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station 106 (RCMSAR) in Sicamous, and Shuswap Volunteer Search and Rescue (SAR), deployed to sweep-search the water surface and conduct a shoreline search.

During deployment, the crews met up with another boat containing a family member who had just located the young man, on shore well south of the Narrows. He estimated that he had been in the water for over an hour, disoriented but determined to reach cabin lights he glimpsed onshore. The lucky swimmer, who was not wearing a PFD, was transferred to a search boat and transported to a BCEHS ambulance for assessment.

SAR would like to remind all Lake users to wear PFDs while boating, and urges boat operators to remain aware of their passengers’ locations and activities at all times. An almost identical night incident on Mara Lake less than three weeks ago (July 10th) resulted in the tragic drowning of a 24-year-old man.

“Pretty sure this is the first time we’ve had a live find in over twenty years of man-overboard searches,” commented Shuswap SAR search manager Tara Stanley. “We are happy for the subject and his family that he managed to survive.”

08/03/2026

Aug 2, 2026

11 Members of Shuswap Search and Rescue assisted Vernon SAR with evacuation orders in the Township of Spallumcheen on Sunday. It’s is a stressful time for home and business owners and we appreciate your patience and kindness as we do our assignments. Thank you to Farmstrong for letting us use your parking lot an as a staging area. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the Bradley Creek Fire.

Command center staged in our parking lot yesterday (Aug 2). Shuswap Search and Rescue went door to door ensuring everyone on Rose Swanson knew about the wildfire threat. Thank you to all the hardworking volunteers! Shuswap Search and Rescue

08/01/2026

A well-maintained hall is an important part of being ready to respond when our community needs us.

Our team was excited to get cleaning after we got a delivery of our new cleaning supplies! From routine cleaning and equipment organization to building maintenance and repairs, every task helps ensure our hall remains a safe and efficient place to train, store equipment, and coordinate emergency responses.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for being exceptional at caring for the facility! 🌞



If you need SAR call 911.