IT will come as no shock to the dozens of people whose lives they saved last year, but North Shore Rescue is being honoured for its contributions to public safety.
The Justice Institute of B.C., which trains many of the province's police officers, firefighters and paramedics, is giving the North Shore team the 2013 Dr. Joseph H. Cohen Award, which recognizes "outstanding contributions in the field of public safety."
"As one of the oldest search and rescue teams in Canada, your community-based team has been involved in more than 2,500 mountain search and rescue operations, averaging 90 calls a year and 20,000 volunteer hours," reads a letter from JIBC foundation chairman John Chesman.
The news is a welcomed pat on the back for the organization, according to Tim Jones, team leader.
"This award is a validation to me, as team leader, that our team is taken very seriously and we're a very relevant organization and not just on the North Shore," Jones said.
"I know that the recent activity that we've had, specifically around Christmas, really opened people's eyes as to what our team does."
Rescue volunteers found themselves being dispatched to the backcountry almost daily in late December 2012 to carry out a series of technically difficult rescues of hard-to-find hikers and snowboarders - all of which ended in success.
The amount of hours the volunteers put in both for training and rescues, is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team, Jones said.
"That in itself is a staggering number for such a relatively small team," he said.
The good news from JIBC follows other praise the organization recently received in Parliament. North Vancouver Conservative MP Andrew Saxton paid tribute to NSR in a May 21 speech.
"Their focus on mountain search and rescue, helicopter rescue, urban search and rescue, and public education provide life-saving services all year-round, day in and day out," Saxton said.
"Last winter, I was pleased to present founding member Karl Winter with a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of over 50 years of contributions to this service. . . . On behalf of the nature and sport enthusiasts who enjoy North Vancouver's gorgeous outdoor terrain, I want to thank the North Shore Rescue team for your ongoing commitment to our safety and security - and a big congratulations on your new state-of-the-art command centre."
The recent praise ought to help North Shore Rescue in its less harrowing but equally important mission of fundraising, Jones said. The team is currently seeking out donors who will be able to offer a large sum of legacy funding, which will help the team continue saving lives in the years to come.
Past recipients of the Joseph H. Cohen Award include former Lt.-Gov. Stephen Point, BARWATCH, Representative for Children and Youth Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, and former Prime Minister Kim Campbell.
North Shore Rescue volunteers will be on hand to receive the award at the 2013 JIBC foundation awards gala this fall.
