CBC Doc Zone: To the Rescue
What do a snowshoer in Vancouver, a jogger in Coquitlam, and mountaineers in Denali National Park have in common? They were all saved by Search & Rescue in Canada. Last night, CBC's Doc Zone covered the amazing efforts of many volunteers to save errant backwoods explorers and what the future holds for Canada.
The search & rescue system in Canada is an emergency in the making. Ironically, the very system that should be ready to help us when we’re lost or injured in the great Canadian wilderness is sending out its own SOS call.
Stretched to its limits by the combination of an increasing number of outdoor adventurers and shrinking budgets, the SAR system relies to a massive extent on volunteers. Their skill and daring are impressive, but they’re putting their life on the line with every call - and sacrificing work and family commitments, all without pay.
Expectations of the patchwork system are also higher than ever because “weekend warriors” think they can call 911 or trigger a locator beacon from even the most remote wilderness. The traditional code of self-reliance is becoming lost, replaced by a false sense of security.
To the Rescue searches for the answer to an urgent question: who’s coming to the rescue of Canada’s haphazard search and rescue system?
Watch the episode online, or via the CBC app on your mobile device. Also check out Doc Zone's Survival Essentials article.
