Kamloops Search and Rescue is getting its new home in Rayleigh.

“The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has obtained elector approval to borrow funds for the construction of a shared Regional Search and Rescue Hall and Training Facility, and to create a region-wide service to fund ongoing operations of the facility,” stated the TNRD on Thursday.

“The total number of response forms received was 86, which represents less than 10% (14,029) of the estimated eligible electors (140,299) who would have been required to submit a response form for the initiative not to proceed.”

As expected, the leadership of Kamloops Search and Rescue is pleased with the outcome.

“I think, overall, what it tells us is that the community of Kamloops and all the municipalities in the TNRD have confidence in Kamloops Search and Rescue and are willing to get behind us for this new facility,” Paula Davies, Search Manager and President of KSAR, told Radio NL when asked about just 86 submissions opposing the spending on their new building.

That figure represents just 0.06% of the eligible voters within the TNRD and its member-municipalities.

“It’s really wonderful,” she added.

AAP is a green-light from voters for the TNRD to borrow $6.3 million, to be repaid over the course of 20 years, to build the new regional search and rescue hall on Devick Road in Rayleigh.

The borrowing would also provide $100,000 a year to operate the Hall.

For this loan, home owners across the TNRD are going to pay an extra $1.07 for every $100,000’s their property is worth.

With the average property in the TNRD worth around $680,000, the average hit to your tax bill over the course of the 20-year loan will be $7.37 a year.

“With the successful completion of the AAP and approval of the project, we can now move forward with confidence,” stated Davies in a KSAR release after the results of the AAP were made public.   “We recognize the significant commitment that has been made by the TNRD, our partners, and our community to establish a permanent home for KSAR.”

“As we enter the next phase of this project, we remain grateful for the continued support of individuals, businesses, sponsors, and donors,” Davies added.  “Their contributions will continue to play a vital role in helping us serve and protect our communities.”

On top of being a new home for Kamloops Search and Rescue, half of the new building is going to be the new home of Kamloops Fire Rescue’s new Fire Hall 5, which covers the Rayleigh area.

The TNRD has said that construction is likely to begin next year, with the next step being to create a new detailed design.

An exact timeline for when construction could be finished should be sorted out once the designs are finalized.

Until then, Kamloops Search and Rescue will continue to operate out of its current City-run operation headquarters on Mission Flats Road.

“I think if we can get shovels into the ground in the spring of 2027, that would be really great,” said Davies when asked about their expectations on a timeline for the new facility to be completed.  “Sometimes, you know, things get hung up and it takes a little bit longer.”

She notes there are factors out of their control, including the fact KSAR will be tenants of the TNRD, who will also have to rely on the City of Kamloops to do its part, as it will be paying for the construction and operation of one-quarter of the new facility for the new KFR Hall.

The one timeline that has been confirmed is the repayment schedule, with property tax kicking in when the 2027 tax bills are issued.

KSAR completes technical rescue as TNRD prepared to release APP results

As some members of the Kamloops Search and Rescue volunteer team was hearing word of their new base of operations being given the green-light, 9 of them were most likely trying to get a bit of rest after taking part in a rescue operation in the hoodoos north of the city.

The nine-member team was mobilized around 2am on Thursday after the Mounties were called about a woman who needed to be rescued from the Slots Canyon area.

“She was out there hiking with a couple of other people, and it sounded like they kind of abandoned her,” said Davies.  “She was really not in a very good spot.”

Davies says the woman had been stuck out in the hoodoos alone for around 14 hours after setting out early on Canada Day for a hike with two other people.

“She was kind of below a steep cliff area and couldn’t get herself out,” said Davies.  “They [RCMP] did get some eyes on her, so they knew kind of where she was, what area she was, and they knew it was kind of a really tough spot.”

A two-person rope rescue team eventually made it to the woman, who was suffering from the cold, muscle cramps and didn’t have any shoes on for some unknown reason.

After getting her some water, boots to wear and some food for energy, the two KSAR members helped the victim up to a more secure location where a rescue litter was waiting.

The victim was then pulled up and handed over to ambulance paramedics at around 6am — nearly 24-hours after she set out for the hike on Canada Day.

Davies suggests the rescue highlights the need KSAR has for the group’s new home base in Rayleigh.

“We really don’t have a place to do our ropes [training] in the winter,” noted Davies.  “We have to kind of rig something up… move trucks around and get some space to rig something up… it’s very challenging and not a good use of our time.”

In announcing the approval of the new facility in Rayleigh, Kamloops Search and Rescue notes that its been helping assist with rescue operations as a registered Search and Rescue organization since 1973, with its trained volunteers putting in around 12,000 hours of combined time into operations and training last year.

Kamloops Search and Rescue is one of 78 SAR groups operating in BC.