Powell River Search and Rescue (PRSAR) assisted an injured hiker on the Hammil (West) Lake loop trail on Nov. 9 after a 911 call was made by the hiker and her adult son.
According to a social media post from the search and rescue, team members mobilized to the area, administered first aid and transported the woman to an ambulance standing by.
The hiker had fallen and suspected she had fractured her ankle.
“[They] did several things right, including staying put and precisely reporting their location and situation to 911,” the post reads. “These actions aided in mounting an efficient response.”
At this time of year, being unexpectedly stationary for several hours can be dangerous due to wet and cold conditions.
PRSAR is reminding the community that when doing any backcountry activities, it’s important to be prepared to spend more time outdoors than planned.
“Hypothermia is a risk,” said PRSAR’s Rishi Maharaj. “This means always bringing some extra warm clothing like an insulated jacket, a light source such as a headlamp (not your phone), drinking water and some snacks.”
He says the best thing to do when seeking help is to call 911 and let dispatchers know you will need search and rescue.
“Be mindful of whether the area you’re going into has cell signal. Many places in the qathet backcountry do not,” said Maharaj, adding that “many modern phones have a satellite emergency messaging function that can be used without cell networks. If your phone has this, familiarize yourself with it before you need it.”
Search and rescue is a 100 per cent volunteer service, available 24/7, every day and free of charge.
