Prince Rupert Port Authority commits funding for Prince Rupert Ground Search and Rescue Unit

Some well received news for Search and Rescue on the North Coast
as the PRGSAR Society receives some funding from the Port

A significant cash injection is heading the way of Prince Rupert's Ground Search and Rescue unit with the Prince Rupert Port Authority announcing today that the local unit will be the latest local group to benefit from Port's Community Investment Fund.

The PRGSAR Society will be making use of  a 52,500 dollar contribution to go towards their work across the North Coast, assisting in a comprehensive revitalization project the Society is taking on.

Included in the plans: The purchase of new training and response equipment that will all rescue unit members to establish a proper Command Post and provide some vital response gear to each of the 16 volunteer members that currently make up the SAR dedicated  group at this time.

The volunteer organization has been on the scene in Prince Rupert since 2013, forming itself as a Society in 2014 and since that time has grown significantly in the region, currently listing 30 members as being involved in all aspects of the groups work on the North Coast.

They regular conduct training exercises and hone their skills in a number of ways, accumulating 2,500 hours of training a year, as well as responding to incidents in the North Coast back country, on Mount Hays and other Mountains of the region, or  providing their expertise to any calls that may come in.

When they aren't in training, or responding to an emergency call, they offer safety education  and training sessions for local youth, working with School District 52 to increase awareness in the community.

Dallas Allison, the manager of the PRGSAR on the North Coast made note of the generosity of the Port's financial contribution and the boost to unit morale that such acknowledgement brings as well as to highlight what use the Society will make of the funding.

"Our members have supplied their time, personal equipment and funds in order to build the capacity for ground search and rescue in Prince Rupert ...  It’s incredibly rewarding for all of us to reach a point where our work has secured this community relationship and significant investment. The equipment and supplies we were able to purchase vastly improves our ability to respond safely and effectively when needed. This investment has allowed PRGSAR to improve recruitment, retention and provide professional training locally to current and future members."

Members of the PRGSAR unit at work on the North Coast, the organization
is the latest to benefit from the Prince Rupert Port Authority's Community Fund
(photos from PRPA and PRGSAR)

More on today's funding announcement, including some comments from Port President and CEO Don Krusel on the importance of the volunteer group to the area can be found from this information item from the Prince Rupert Port Authority.

You can find some of the accounts of the work of the Prince Rupert Ground Search and Rescue Society's work from our Northwest Emergency Response files.

More background on the organization and their contribution to the residents of the North Coast can be found on their Facebook page.

A look at some of the other funding the Port provides across the region from the Community Investment fund can be found here.