QSAR is a community-minded organization composed of volunteers with a diverse background of experience including outdoor recreation, forestry, silvicuture, conservation, tracking, law enforcement, radio communications and technology.
The organization’s origins were in relation to civil defense in an excess of 40-years of service, with our longest-term active members being Gordie Roy Colin Carmichael and Don Martin. QSAR takes pride in maintaining it long-standing active membership with three persons over 40 years, two over 30 years and two over 20 years which is meritorious of each dedicated individual. Currently QSAR has 23 active GSAR certified team members and 7 Members-in-Training.
The total volunteer hours for 2021 was 3,442 inclusive of training, practices, tasks, meetings and administrative duties. In the last five years QSAR received an average 14 tasks per annum; 10 calls for searches and 4 for rescues.
The region covers very diverse terrain, including rivers, waterfalls, lakes some of which are glacier-fed, valleys, meadows, rolling Cariboo Mountains, snow-packed glacier peaked mountains, alpine, pine and aspen forests, volcanic lava beds, and various other types. Members train in these different areas so that they may safely operate in all the challenging environments that surround the Cariboo-Chilcotin Region, and are all encouraged to be wildlife aware and safety measures including hanging food and scented items in bear caches as part of training for overnighters.
The highest level of active trained members currently is Search Manager – Level 1, of which there are 4 certified as of this time. As well there are 4 members trained to teach the Ground Search and Rescue course. We have 4 members certified to present the AdventureSmart program.
The discipline teams include ground search and rescue, swift water non-motorized boat rescue, flat water and swift water rescue, flat ice rescue, tracking, communications, avalanche skill sets, and is in process of getting a rope team re-certified. QSAR’s response profile proficiencies include health and safety, risk management, general search, tracking, medical interventions, patient packaging and transporting, ATV/UTV, evacuations, winter response, avalanche, snowmobile, swift water, communications, AdventureSmart presenters, air spotting, helicopter long line loading and unloading, as well as hover entrance and exit training
We work closely with EMBC, BCSARA, PepAir as well as other SAR Teams providing and receiving mutual aid for swift water, tracking, rope, avalanche, winter response, and more.
QSAR responded to 21 calls in 2021, and 15 up to October of 2022, including providing mutual aid for other groups including Mackenzie SAR, Bulkley Valley SAR, Prince George SAR, Central Cariboo SAR and South Cariboo SAR since January 2020.
The QSAR Headquarters building and property has evolved from a series of expansion phases over the years with the last process of expanding into Phase 5. Phase 1 section of the building is a two bay space with one 15 foot high door for the Command Vehicle to be parked in, plus a separate bay (with a two man door for access) with a Mezzanine to store equipment on both levels and a washroom. Phase 2 section of the building is an addition that was built on the South side for a Training Room and Office. The initial two man door was moved to the Training Room and replaced with a standard 8 foot high overhead door. Phase 3 section of the building involved another two bay addition on the North side of the existing building getting built with two 15 foot high doors. Careful consideration was conducted as the growing needs for vehicles, more equipment, storage, training space, necessary security measures for theft prevention, and with zoning limitations for building expansions, it was decided for Phase 4 to place a 20 foot sea-can on the North side of Phase 3. As a result of QSAR’s most recent snowmobile acquisitions the Phase 5 expansion was complete with a second 20 foot sea-can added to the North of Phase 4.
Quesnel Search and Rescue is truly appreciative of its supportive community members who assist in its equipment purchases, upgrades and expansions. Some of these outstanding supporters are Sign Stop, Chemo RV, Hutch’s RV and Repair, Mike Austin Financial Services Limited, Royalite Industrial Maintenance, Integris Credit Union, and Baumgart’s Continuous Gutters and Downpipe and Exterior Finishing.
To learn more about Quesnel Search and Rescue, check out and like the links listed below to follow:
