COSAR

Five Search and Rescue teams from across the Southern Interior joined Nicola Valley SAR today in the Douglas Lake Ranch area searching for a missing hunter. COSAR tracking, ground and canine teams searched the Glimpse Lake area without success. Teams return tomorrow for OP4

Busy Halloween for COSAR! From medical support at the Grizzly Enduro and an ATV incident near Bear Lake to our 13th annual Pumpkin Patrol in Lake Country. We handed out treats, fixed a flat tire and helped reunite parents with a 3-foot-tall little Scream character.

Over the past 2 days, we've be called twice to help RCMP locate missing people. The first call came Monday, but the individual was located as COSAR was mobilizing. Today, COSAR was asked t search for a missing male. The RCMP have paused the search awaiting further information.

Heading to the VIMFF at the Kelowna Community Theatre tonight? It’s a great evening celebrating adventure and the outdoors, with proceeds supporting Elevation Outdoors. And stop by the COSAR booth and say hello, and learn more about your local search and rescue team!

Last evening, COSAR assisted RCMP in searching for a missing 91-year-old with dementia. Our K9 team located him shortly after beginning a high-probability search. A strong team response helped bring the search to a quick conclusion.

A busy week for COSAR: Senior Search Manager Duane Tresnich presented at Rescue 2026 in Iceland, members toured our new hall site, teams trained in a full search scenario, and our HEART colleagues recovered the body of a paddleboarder from Okanagan Lake.

🌎 COSAR is proud to represent Canada internationally! Senior Search Manager Duane Tresnich will speak at the 18th annual Rescue26 International Search and Rescue Conference in Reykjavík, sharing insights on SAR and social media. Congratulations, Duane!

COSAR continues to support the RCMP investigation into the disappearance of Kyle Yrjola, missing since Sept 22. Our efforts on Okanagan Lake included sonar, K9, air, drone and water-based techniques. All findings were shared with RCMP. Our thoughts remain with Kyle’s family.

K1 was busy last night: 10 volunteers responded to an injured, possibly lost hiker near Little White. Hiker found, treated, and friends retrieved by 11:30 PM. Today, find K1 at the Kelowna Fire Dept Open House and Pancake Breakfast on Bernard, 8:30 to noon. Rescue demo at 10:30

COSAR has been very active over the past four weeks. On Sept. 30, 11 members led a SAR response on Spion Kop Mountain, locating, treating and extracting an injured subject. Thanks to RCMP, Lake Country FD and BCEHS for their support.

This afternoon, COSAR responded to an RCMP request to assist in the search for a missing man near the High Rim Trail. We’re relieved and grateful to share that, despite the weather, everyone — including the subject — made it back safe and sound.

We’d like to thank all the motorists along Lakeshore Road this afternoon who slowed down as they passed our crew. We were tasked to assist the RCMP, and we really appreciate the courtesy and consideration shown to our rope team working along the road.

Seven COSAR members attended the tracker training weekend in Vernon, along with SAR members from Castlegar, Nicola Valley, Vernon, Princeton, Fort St. James, Cowichan, Juan de Fuca, Kamloops and Kelowna. The course also included a mountain guide from Chile and an RCMP dog handler

A huge thank you to Fifth Element Manufacturing for hosting us for a shop tour. We appreciate their willingness to collaborate with us to customize our boat build for our operational needs. Having a team that dials in the fabrication details from day one makes all the difference.

Early Saturday we were called to help PENSAR evacuate Summerland. Hwy 97 closed due to the fire, so we assisted RCMP evacuating homes in Peachland. With Hwy 97 closed, Google Maps was routing people onto the Summerland/Peachland FSR — straight into the fire. Always check DriveBC

This morning COSAR, pensar and the rcmp continuing to evacuate additional residences along westside rd. Please watch out for our members on the road and follow the instructions being provided

21 COSAR volunteers assisted RCMP and Okanagan Indian Band Fire Department with wildfire evacuations overnight. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the fires.

Wednesday COSAR was called to assist an injured ATVer above Peachland. Sixteen members responded, including medical and ATV/UTV teams returning home by 10 p.m. Today the K9 team and 2 members headed to Salmo to assist in the search for a missing Shambhala festival attendee.

Today COSAR assisted RCMP in locating a missing Glenmore care home resident. A responding member found him safe. Drone, K9, bike & ground teams deployed. ~file photo