SAR Dispatches – All Hands on Deck!

By Jane Macdonald
RCM-SAR Station 12 Volunteer

September 5, 2016
Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue needs your help on the Coast. Consider joining a diverse team of volunteers and marine enthusiasts. RCM-SAR is a volunteer organization whose mission is to save lives on the water. We are looking for a range of skills and experience, for both active Crew positions and supporting Society volunteers.

Volunteers are trained to respond to any sort of marine emergencies. We also help in areas such as administration, vessel maintenance, fund-raising and boating safety/education. Becoming a crew member of RCM-SAR means a commitment of time and energy for training, being on call, and contributing to a variety of projects and ongoing tasks. Ongoing training is provided both on the water and in the classroom at no personal cost. This is a requirement for maintaining crew status.

Volunteer training includes skills such as boat handling, seamanship, navigation, radio operations, first aid, search and rescue, vessel electronics, and collision regulations.

As a non-government, not for profit organization, funds from BC Gaming Grants, corporate contributions, foundations, municipal and regional grants, and private donations remain necessary for maintaining the vessels. Donations have also paid for the crew gear and clothing. Training and life saving equipment on our vessels is also funded in the same way. The vessels are modern, well-equipped, purpose-built, rigid-hull inflatables that are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.