BY SALT SPRING ISLAND SEARCH AND RESCUE
No matter the weather or time of day, if you happen to find yourself lost, injured or missing in the outdoors on Salt Spring or the Southern Gulf Islands, you can always count on the more than 40 highly trained volunteer men and women of Salt Spring Island Search and Rescue (SSISAR) to come in your time of need.
This dedicated and selfless entirely volunteer team of Salt Springers drop everything at a moment’s notice, putting their countless hours of training and experience in search and rescue operations into action, dispatching emergency response vehicles and purpose-designed medical and technical rescue equipment they deliver help at absolutely no cost to the person in distress.
Now these same committed and community-minded volunteers find themselves in need of your help.
SSISAR needs a new home
The lease at the existing SSISAR hall on Fulford-Ganges Road will expire Aug. 31, 2026 and cannot be renewed. This centrally located site, ideal for serving our local Salt Spring and Gulf Islands communities, has functioned as our base of operations, equipment cache and training centre for over 20 years. We are grateful to the owners, the federal government, for leasing this site to SSISAR for a nominal annual fee throughout this time and recognize and understand the change in circumstances.
SSISAR now needs to appeal to the community for help finding a suitable new location to maintain this invaluable community emergency service.
How can you help?
This is what SSISAR is looking for:
Essential
• Centrally located with 24-hour access, as calls for service occur at all times of day;
• Parking for 2 SAR response vehicles; mobile incident command vehicle and rescue equipment truck;
• Space for a 20 foot sea-container to store vital SAR equipment;
• Electrical power, to keep vehicles able to respond at a moments notice and keep equipment dry and temperature controlled.
The following are desirable
• The ability to erect two shelters to protect SAR vehicles from the elements;
• Parking for an additional vehicle (rescue truck);
• Parking for member vehicles while attending training or callouts placement for additional sea-container;
• Access to a meeting room;
• A drying area for wet gear and equipment;
• Access to washrooms.
SSISAR is prepared to offer some remuneration, and is open to proposals.
If you know of any leads or have any suggestions to help your local SAR team find a new home, please send us an e-mail at: SARneedsaHome@ssisar.org.
While Salt Spring Island Search and Rescue Society does receive funding support from the provincial government and Capital Regional District, the non-profit society still relies heavily on community donations and grant funding in order to expand and improve this vital service.
To donate, please visit our website: saltspringsar.org. Help us help you.