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A beacon of life on the trail

Rankin SAR to launch new safe cabin initiative

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (June 04/03) - The Rankin Inlet Search-and-Rescue (SAR) committee is initiating a new plan it hopes will save lives.

NNSL Photo

Technical advisor David Ittinuar says Rankin Inlet SAR is involved in a number of projects aimed at helping to save lives. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo


Technical advisor David Ittinuar says SAR owns a number of cabins donated to the organization over the years.

Although located in common areas, the cabins are not on the main traffic streams used by hunters and travellers.

Ittinuar says SAR chairperson Ishmael Nuilaalik has initiated a strategy to have the cabins made recognizable, properly outfitted and located in highly accessible areas.

"SAR will start off with six or seven units, locating a couple of them on the main trails between popular hunting destinations such as Peter Lake and the Meliadine," says Ittinuar.

"One will also be placed between Whale Cove and Rankin and two between Chester and Rankin.

"One or two more will be kept in reserve, so they can be deployed to any site needing a base camp during an extensive search."

The logistics involved with sending a Bombardier out, raising a cabin and moving it to a new location has always presented a problem for SAR.

To alleviate that problem, each cabin will be fitted with a sled so it can be moved easily.

"SAR is looking at buying an Alpine twin-track, single-ski unit.

"With one of them ready to go, you can put in two or three drums of fuel and dispatch it with a good load of supplies."

The cabins will have special markings, in English and Inuktitut, to make them easily distinguishable to hunters and travellers.

Eventually, they will be fully supplied.

"Everything will be phased in. The first stage is to get the units ready, and out on the land with bedding in them.

"Some will be on the main drag and prone to abuse, so we may not invest as much in them as we would those further out."

Rankin SAR has also purchased a new $16,000 communication system.

The network is a VHF FM frequency two-way-radio system with telephone interconnect and eight pagers.

"Our chair and vice-chair will hold two of the radio telephones and ensure that there's always a member on call 24-7.

"The number (645-3300) is a dedicated line strictly for SAR emergency calls."