The North Shore is blessed with some incredible service and volunteer organizations.
But we can’t think of any so selfless as North Shore Rescue. At a moment’s notice, the team members drop what they’re doing and head out into the backcountry, interrupting their home and professional lives, putting themselves in harm’s way and enduring treacherous conditions when there’s even a slim chance a life can be saved.
The team marked its 50th year by carrying out a record number of rescues.
By December, NSR had been called for 131 operations, totalling a whopping 6,179 volunteer hours. If you include training and administrative time, that’s closer to 12,000 hours. As a result, there are 191 people spending Christmas with their families this year who otherwise might not have made it out of the bush on their own.
Sometime in 2016, the province will be making a decision on whether to rename the second pump on Mount Seymour Tim Jones Peak, in honour of NSR’s late team leader. Of course, we wholeheartedly endorse this. Nothing could be a better tribute to Jones’ legacy.
Except maybe one thing.
Tim fought long and hard for sustainable funding for North Shore Rescue, so its members wouldn’t have to go tap dancing for donations in the moments they weren’t out saving lives. Along with the name change, we want to see the province show up with a new funding model to support the volunteers who do so much.
In the meantime, we say cheers to North Shore Rescue. We know how lucky we are to have you.
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
