Improved Internet connectivity assists Masset Marine Rescue's work off Haida Gwaii

Cabinet Minister Jinny Sims and MLA Jennifer Rice get the 411 on the
new Rescue Response vessel Tagwaal while at a stopover in Masset
(BC Gov't photo)

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice has been showing Jinny Sims, the Minister of Citizens' services around Haida Gwaii for much of this week and one of their stops on the tour of the Islands has been to learn more about the work of the Masset Marine Rescue Society.

Stopping into their Offices yesterday, Ms. Rice and Ms. Sims heard how improved Internet access has been instrumental to the efforts of the Society, with Chris Ashurst making note of how the service improvements have helped them deliver their service to the region.

“Upgrades to our local internet network and cellular service are making a big difference in the work we do from an emergency-management perspective. In this modern world, much of our work is done online, and having stable and secure internet helps us better prepare for and manage emergency situations.”

The Masset Marine Rescue group respond to an average of 10 incidents a year, with the volunteers covering a large area that includes Dixon Entrance, Northern Hecate Strait, the Masset Inlet and many other areas around Haida Gwaii.

Much of its work includes towing disabled vessels, providing emergency medical assistance, evacuating injured mariners to medical care, and providing community support for maritime events.

It also provides training to dozens of volunteers in marine safety, certification and professional mariner skills.

As part of the tour of the Masset Operations, Ashurst explained further how the need for stable communication options is vital to their work:

“Initial alerts are communicated to us, then we have to rapidly assess the situation, often with online data, make a plan of action, call out volunteers and communicate with the co-ordination centre and each other. During an emergency, these internet upgrades are helping us get out the message faster and to a larger portion of the community, which will help keep people safe.”

While they were there, the Government officials had a chance to explore the newest asset for the Masset Station, the new rescue vessel Tagwaal.

As we outlined in early September, the new Masset vessel was funded by way of provincial resources and a helping hand from the Port of Prince Rupert.

Ms. Rice, who represents Haida Gwaii as part of the North Coast constituency, noted how the focus on improved Internet will prove valuable for many emergency situations including earthquake and tsunami events in the seismically active area.

“Like many in B.C., residents on Haida Gwaii may face earthquakes, tsunamis or marine accidents. As a Marine Search and Rescue member myself, I know of the additional challenge that many communities are especially remote, with boat-only access, which makes having a state-of-the-art vessel and reliable high-speed internet essential to improve response times, public safety and emergency preparedness."

You can learn more about the stop over at the Masset Rescue Station here.

The Masset visit is just one of a number of stops where the progress on Internet connectivity has been hailed by the MLA during the tour of Haida Gwaii, with Ms. Rice charting her course through her Facebook portal.

For more notes on the work of Emergency Responders across the Northwest see our archive page here.

Further items of interest on the MLA's work in the riding can be found on our Legislature archive page.