Halfmoon Bay RCM SAR responds to Storm Bay rescue after cabin fall

The Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) crew at Station 12 (Halfmoon Bay) was called to Storm Bay, at the entrance to Narrows Inlet, on Saturday, Nov. 22, after a 78-year-old man fell from the roof of his cabin.  

“We were told that he could walk. And just as a precaution, he wanted to go to the hospital and get checked out,”  said RMSAR Station 12 volunteer Jesse Stretch, who attended the rescue. 

Stretch said the team quickly realized the situation was more serious than expected. “When we assessed him, we suspected he could potentially have a spinal injury,” said Stetch. “He’s not able to walk; he couldn’t get himself up out of bed.”

The remote property was accessible only by water, and the shallow shoreline made loading the patient a challenging task. “We pretty much beached the boat, secured it, and went and assessed,” Stretch explained. The crew used a clamshell spine board to stabilize and transport the man to the boat, carrying the patient on a backboard through knee-deep water and then transferring him to the rescue vessel, and then delivered him to an ambulance at the launch in Porpoise Bay. 

The rescue team included three members.

A release from the team said that this incident highlights the challenges of rescue operations in remote, boat-access-only communities along the Sunshine Coast.

“Shore access can be extremely limited, and conditions can change quickly, especially in late fall,” said one Station 12 crew member. “We encourage residents in remote areas to maintain communication devices, keep access points clear where possible, and review emergency plans regularly.”

In the end, the man helped had positive news. “He did have spinal injury, but no nerve damage, and he’s been in surgery, and he’s in recovery, and he’s up and supposed to be in full recovery,” Stretch said.

“I’m very happy for the family. I’m glad we could help,” he added.