Terrace Search And Rescue Emergency Operations Centre Receives Investment

October 9, 2019

The Prince Rupert Port Authority announced today its investment of $100,000 into establishing a new Search and Rescue Emergency Operations Centre in Terrace, BC, to grow regional emergency response capacity in the Northwest.

Through its Community Investment Fund, the Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) partnered with the Terrace Search and Rescue Society, along with other donors and significant fundraising efforts, to build a dedicated, modern emergency response facility to house Search and Rescue operations and store the vast specialized equipment necessary to fulfill their regional rescue role. The total project is valued at over $500,000.

This space will be central for faster emergency callouts and will act as an Emergency Operations Centre in the case of disaster response and relief. With the creation of this new space, the Terrace Search and Rescue Society will then be able to host training courses and offer community members and organizations the use of their space, paving the way for a more robust Search and Rescue program. Terrace Search and Rescue is driven by volunteers trained in multiple disciplines such as: swift water rescue, rope rescue, organized avalanche response, man tracking, and ground search techniques.

“Improving the safety of our region by investing in local, and in this case, regional emergency response capacity is of fundamental importance to our organization and the value we place on safety,” said Shaun Stevenson, President and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority. “The Port of Prince Rupert has an international reputation as one of the safest ports of call for large vessels due to our natural advantages, technology investments, and the world-class policies and procedures that govern their transit. But our focus on safety is not limited to our waterways. We understand that emergency response calls cover land and sea, in often challenging weather and terrain. It’s grassroots community-led organizations like the Terrace Search and Rescue Society that make significant contributions to ensuring our region’s emergency response capacity is world-class. Our appreciation goes out to them.”

“We are grateful for the investment that we have received from the Prince Rupert Port Authority,” added Dwayne Sheppard, President of the Terrace Search and Rescue Society. “Our organization is entirely volunteer-based and it is encouraging to receive assistance from organizations such as PRPA who support our efforts to ensure that best practice emergency response procedures and training are in place and available within Northwest BC. The creation of this new facility will enable us to continue our efforts.”

Terrace Search and Rescue has one of the highest call volumes in BC, with its volunteers logging over 800 hours annually in the region for different safety events and public awareness initiatives. The Rescue Society’s extensive capabilities allow it to contribute throughout the region—as far west as the Haida Gwaii, South to Bella Coola, West to Hazelton and North to Dease Lake. The Terrace Search and Rescue team collaborates regularly with smaller Search and Rescue organizations throughout the region on callouts, training, and to share best practices and procedures.