Is it time for government to fund North Shore Rescue?
Posted July 23, 2016 5:37 pm.
Last Updated July 23, 2016 5:38 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — With North Shore Rescue responding to 20 per cent more calls than this time last year, rescuers say it is time to largely fund the service at the government level.
Crews have been called out at least 72 times so far in 2016, which follows a record setting 137 call in all of 2015.
Search Manager Doug Pope says in an average year they have about 80 calls in total.
“The budget itself is all by donation. We’re one of the busiest teams in North America and we’re all volunteers. Most of us have regular Monday to Friday jobs. We’re pushing to get some kind of sustainable funding from the government.”
“August long weekend coming up is a concern where many of us will be out vacationing with their families but those left behind are going to be quite strained in responding to a lot of calls.”
Pope says rescuers thought they were already being run off their feet last year and wonders what will happen in busy weeks ahead.
“August long weekend coming up is a concern where many of us will be out vacationing with our families but those left behind are going to be quite strained in responding to a lot of calls.”
