Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 10/99) - A missing person call comes in, and RCMP Staff Sgt. Andrew Boland winces.

Yellowknife's RCMP jurisdiction is enormous. And every search in the area starts at the detachment.

"Right now, if a person goes missing we have to organize a search with whatever resources we have available at the time," Boland said.

"It depends on the circumstances, but it's just whatever we can patch together."

The RCMP forms the frontline of any search. When an assembled team heads out into the wilderness -- whether by foot, snowmobile or plane --each person is ultimately put at risk.

"Every time a group must wander into the bush, there's an element of danger," Boland said.

"The safety and well-being of those involved in any search is of paramount concern."

Boland hopes the push to form a citizen-based Search and Rescue (SAR) organization in Yellowknife is a successful one.

Currently, RCMP rely on friends and family of a missing person to help out. The military can be called in, but because of extreme Northern conditions, time is of the essence.

Without a network of accessible, trained volunteers the outcome of any search is disadvantaged.

"There's a small window of opportunity to recover a person in good shape, and that window closes fast," Boland said.

"It's well known if a person isn't found in the first few hours of an operation, then the probability of them being found in good health drops off dramatically every minute they're out there."

People who take outdoor adventure for granted put themselves, and others, at risk, Boland added. Simple precautions must be taken, starting with telling somebody your outdoor plan and then sticking to that plan.

Checking over your recreation vehicle, having adequate fuel, equipment, extra blankets and matches are a few simple steps to follow each time you head out.

"Generally, most search and rescue operations can be avoided," Boland said.

"If people go into the great outdoors, prepare properly so we don't have to put others at risk."