B.C. rescue teams utilize brand-new searching technology for e-biker rescue

North Shore Rescue has a new piece of technology that was recently put to the test and helped save a person stranded in the woods.

The rescue of a stranded e-biker marked a significant milestone for a B.C. search and rescue team last week, as groundbreaking new technology was put to use for the first time.

On Friday, North Shore Rescue members were called in to assist Nanaimo SAR with searching for a man who had gone missing while exploring on an e-bike the previous day.

“There was so much terrain to cover. By the time we arrived, they had been searching for several hours already,” says team leader Scott Merriman, describing how rescuers had had some contact with the man via phone, but were unable to pinpoint his exact location.

Rescuers were then able to utilise the Lifeseeker unit, a newly acquired piece of technology that works like a portable cell tower and locates the cellphones of those missing or stranded in the backcountry.

The technology, which can be attached to helicopters and 4x4 vehicles, works in areas where there are no telecommunication cell towers and thus no signal can be received.

Merriman says the deployment of the innovative piece of technology would not have been possible without the “significant” investment of funds and time – of both the rescue organization and partner Talon Helicopters. The cost of the brand-new LifeSeeker unit, tied in with the costs of fitting it onto the aircraft, totalled between $200,000 and $300,000, and the time spent configuring the equipment and training rescuers to use it spanned “two to three years of work,” he says.

“We see it as being a really really valuable, really useful tool,” said Merriman, adding that he foresees NSR being requested by other teams to assist in searches on an even more regular basis now that they are able to harness the new tech.

“This is going to dramatically decrease the amount of time it takes us to find people.”

Merriman says he believes North Shore Rescue are the only volunteer team in the province to use the LifeSeeker unit, and the only other organizations believed to be using it in the country are the military.

While the rescue ended on a positive note, Merriman says it should still serve as a reminder for those exploring the backcountry to be prepared.

“Since most people are using their phones as their primary navigation tool these days, making sure that it has a battery, and you have a backup battery, is super important,” he says.

Filing a trip plan with somebody is also “really critical” because that phone could get damaged and become unusable, he added.

“Being prepared for that possibility is vital. Knowing how to use a map and basic navigation with the compass if your phone doesn’t work, that’s really important.”