Since 2001, Cochrane Search and Rescue (CSAR) has been the local search and rescue service with a dedicated volunteer base assisting emergency service operations across the broad Cochrane region.
Their mandate: to assist emergency service agencies in the location of lost persons and move them to a safe location.
Solely reliant on donations, the non-profit is launching their spring fundraising campaign with the hopes of fundraising $30,000 by this fall to equip their members with high-performance jackets in the field for the 2016 season.
“I am so proud to be a part of this group,” said president Andy Potton. “The members hold themselves to a high professional standard and work tirelessly to ensure all their skills and equipment are always up-to-date. Our members are on call 24/7, any day, any weather.”
With an annual operating budget of $25,000, Potton said they operated under budget last year to ensure financial security for the next two years. If fundraising expectations aren’t met, he is not confident the organization would be able to continue past 2018.
Their major annual fundraiser is a community garage sale, which will take place in the parking lot of GoodLife Fitness June 20 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. The goal this year is to bring in at least $5,000. Anyone with quality donations they are willing to part with can feel free to get in touch with CSAR.
Aside from grants ranging between $1,200-$3,000 from the Cochrane Foundation for the last three years, CSAR does not have any major sponsors.
Their other major fundraising event is a casino fundraiser once every three years.
As the primary search and rescue group northwest of Calgary, CSAR regularly assists such agencies as Alberta Parks, RCMP and municipal police and fire services on missions.
With 36 operational and 10 non-operational members currently on deck, Potton said they are ‘always recruiting’. They are also looking for someone with fund development experience to help out.
Last year, CSAR was dispatched to assist in five missions — including the missing 54 year old hiker, Ralph Cross, whose body was found mauled by a bear in the Kananaskis backcountry last September following a four-day air and ground search.
Most CSAR missions span a period of several days; their calls are often related to missing backcountry recreational users, as well as for human remains.
The June 20, 2013 flood saw members in the field for upwards of 96 consecutive hours.
Potton came on board with the non-profit in 2011 following his 2010 immigration to Cochrane from the U.K.
His inspiration to volunteer his time and efforts for search and rescue was prompted by the tragic loss of his father, Capt. Stephen Potton, who perished in a helicopter crash in Morecambe Bay, 25 miles off the coast after leaving the Blackpool Airport.
Potton said he was so grateful for the efforts of the Fleetwood Lifeboat Station, which located six of the seven bodies, including his father (the seventh was never recovered), that he felt giving back was the best way to show his gratitude.
“One of the important things is not necessarily the ‘finding’, but being able to say with some degree of confidence that the individual(s) is not there,” he said, adding that having CSAR on scene to narrow down search areas is a potentially huge savings of resources and time, as the cost to have his team dispatched is nominal.
As a team, CSAR meets twice monthly to train under training director, Nathan Van Norman. The canine unit meets weekly and the ATV unit meets monthly; the board of directors also meets monthly. Members supply their own basic gear and are responsible for annual membership fees, first aid and CPR certificates.
Partnerships exist with Calgary Search and Rescue and Foothills Search and Rescue organizations.
To get in touch with Andy Potton, email [email protected] or call 403-835-6984.
Visit cochranesearchandrescue.org to learn more.
