It’s a major milestone that is expected to be a game changer for rescue operations in the Okanagan.
Penticton & District Search and Rescue (PENSAR) has successfully completed initial training in night helicopter operations utilizing Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS).
It will allow crews to safely conduct aerial search, transport and rescue operations beyond the daylight hours that search and rescue helicopters have long been restricted to.
“Ron Berlie, vice president of operations for PENSAR, calls the introduction of night helicopter operations “a huge step forward.”
“Being able to locate, access, and transport lost and injured subjects in conditions that previously would have significantly delayed a PENSAR response will be of great benefit to those requiring assistance in the backcountry,” he said.
“This technology will also significantly decrease the number of volunteers we will have to expose to difficult travel conditions while performing searches and rescues at night.”
PENSAR is now among a small number of volunteer SAR teams in the country to have this capability, a barrier initially broken by North Shore Rescue back in 2020.
PENSAR will be working in partnership with Topflight Elite Training and Charter, a local flight school that has previously utilized NVIS to support the South Okanagan search team.
On that occasion, Topflight took a break from a night training exercise to help nearby PENSAR members search for a lost hiker in the White Lake area, turning a potentially hours-long overnight search into a five-minute job.
“We are extremely fortunate to be partnered with the Topflight Elite Training and Charter, a world-leading NVIS training organization that trains agencies from around the globe,” noted PENSAR president Norman Cole.
Their expertise and professionalism have been critical in building this capability to the standard required for the work that we do.”
Cole added that it’s not just a milestone for PENSAR, but a significant advancement in volunteer SAR capability across British Columbia.
“It will decrease response times, improve subject outcomes, and enhance the safety of our volunteer professional SAR members,” he explained.
Cole said this monumental addition to the organization’s arsenal is years in the making and thanks to the hard work of several individuals and agencies.
