Kaslo Search and Rescue
529 Arena Avenue V0G 1M0 Kaslo, BC, Canada

Yesterday around 13:15 on Hwy 31 at entrance to wing creek resort the SAR dog (Bute) was struck and killed by a vehicle heading north. The vehicle did not stop. The responsibility rests 100% on my shoulders as the owner and handler . Driver is not to blame . There is a huge dilemma with training a Search dog as, they must put all thoughts of personal safety aside and focus on the mission (finding people ) Bute had all the tools to go on to being a top notch working search do...g. Excelling in tracking, endurance, physical ability, a love of people and other dogs. With the contractors working on the highway unseen by me until too late Bute did what he was training to do and went charging down to say hi. My lack of situational awareness is to blame. Again there is no fault to the driver. Bute was 3yrs old around 21 yrs in human terms so still had lots of growing up to do. My thanks go out to all for the messages of support and to Pat at Kooteney Vets who dropped what he was doing to assist in the last minutes of Bute's life. Being a rescue professional in a small community means we are exposed to life and death too often on a personal level as the likelihood is we will know the person or persons involved. Unlike bigger towns and cities where everyone is a stranger. This can be both a blessing and a curse. We love living in Kaslo and and feel blessed to be part of rescue community that will step up to the plate no matter the circumstances and get the job done. Regards Andy Scott Kaslo Search And Rescue Donations on Andy and Bute's behalf can be made to the B.C. Dog Association at https://www.canadahelps.org//9b9f21d2&source_impression_id

Once again it is with heavy hearts that Kaslo Search and Rescue has had another big loss. We recently celebrated the validation of our first canine search team with Andy and his dog Bute. Our team is sad to report the tragic passing of Bute due to a road accident. We cannot say enough about how devastating this is to our team, and to Andy in particular. It is a great loss to KSAR but it is also a loss to everyone in the West Kootenays as we no longer have an active search dog that is instrumental in locating lost and missing persons

KSAR attended a recent call that lasted until the wee hours of the morning. Thank you team for all of your wonderful efforts! And thank you again to our ATV's with tracks that keep proving how essential they are.

Kaslo SAR is proud to announce we are now a registered charity and able to provide receipts to our generous donors. If you would like to donate please visit our website www.kaslosar.com A huge thank you to our members who took on this time consuming, paperwork filled task!

Here's the team during a search in the Howser and Glacier Creek area where the members and our ATV's with tracks got quite a workout in the sand/clay/mud! The ATV's were used for searching and for transporting members to and from their assignments. They sure proved their value and were a huge help.

Our team has applied for the CIP/AAP Grant via Columbia Basin Trust. Online feedback is now being accepted for all of the applicants and we would appreciate your support for our proposed KSAR Response Capability Upgrading Program. You can provide your feedback here https://forms.ourtrust.org/cip-rdck-online-engagement-form/ A full list of all the proposals can be seen via this link https://rdck.ca///grants/columbia-basin-trust-cip-aap.html... Thank you!

Some pictures of Duncan Lake taken while on our boat during a recent search. It was a chilly day and we started out plowing through a skiff of ice on the surface of the lake. The water is really low right now. In the panoramic picture you can see our boat looking pretty small parked on shore while we did some shoreline searching on foot.

It's a beautiful day out there but be wary of the snow. Here's an update from Avalanche Canada Snowpack Summary An active storm cycle has produced 60 to 100 cm of storm snow over the last week. Underneath this storm snow there is a sandwich of weak layers which are widespread throughout the region.... Just under the new snow, down about one meter below the surface is the mid December surface hoar. This layer has been failing naturally and has been quite sensitive to human triggering throughout the storm cycle. Large avalanches have been running on this interface connecting big terrain features. Below that lies the early December persistent weak layer, it's about 80 to 140 cm below the surface. This weak layer is a mixed bag that often presents as surface hoar and facets sitting on top of a stout supportive crust. There are facets below the crust too. This is a nasty weak layer, when avalanches fail on it, they have been large and destructive. Smaller avalanches in motion can step down to this one too. This weak layer is going to haunt us for the foreseeable future.

A reminder to plan ahead and know before you go. Conditions are worsening out there. Check the Avalanche forecast and ensure you have the proper gear and knowledge to make sure you have a great time and come home safe! https://www.avalanche.ca/map/forecasts/purcells

This slideshow was created for our members to enjoy at our virtual holiday gathering. We thought you might enjoy it too. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Goodie bags getting finished off for the first ever (and hopefully the last ever) virtual Christmas gathering. Fun, games, stories, trivia game and just a chance to let our hair down. #busyyear!

Reminder to plan ahead and create a trip plan before heading out this winter! www.Adventuresmart.ca https://www.theglobeandmail.com//article-into-dangerous-t/

Some team members recently brushed up on their chainsaw skills thanks to Phoenix Falling and Consulting. Chainsaws are a great tool for us on scene to create a helicopter landing zone, or to clear the path for a stretcher etc Great work team!

In memory of Lt. Keenan Tyberius (Ty) Gutierrez-Gordon, the Kaslo & Area Volunteer Fire Department and emergency services will hold a procession on Tuesday, Oc...tober 20 @ 5pm. The procession will march from the S. S. Moyie west to the end of Front Street. Ty joined the fire department in January 2018 determined to serve the community he loved. Ty was also a First Responder and in August 2020 was promoted to Lieutenant. He took on the new challenges and responsibilities with his usual enthusiasm and energy. Please remain on the sidewalk during the procession, but you are invited to bring a candle in his memory and light our way. Gone too soon, but never forgotten. Rest in Peace.

Last week the team welcomed Coroner and Nelson SAR Manager, Chris Armstrong to train our group on preserving and documenting a wilderness sudden death scene. Thanks for taking the time Chris!

Another huge congratulations to Bute and Andy (left) for becoming a certified search dog team! Along with Kibou and Glen (right) who passed their puppy assessment! The team is so proud of all the hardwork you four have put in to achieve these milestones, well done