2-WNorth Shore News - Wednesday April 26. 2000 Local rescue team he Bob Mackin News Reporter bmackin@nsnews.am NORTH Shore Rescue collaborated with fellow search and rescue volun- teers from the Interior and Fraser Valley to save a group of snowmobil- ers and paramedics car! Easter Monday. Two paramedics from 4ape had been airlitt- ed by helicopter to a remote area near Coquihatla Lakes early sunday afternoon. They were dispatched to aid Gvo male snowmobilers and their teenage sors. One of the snowmohil ers suffered a broken back, broken femur and broken ankle ina cra.a, One of the group mem- Fire hits home in NO one was injured in a suspicious Good Friday fire in the British Properties. West Vancouver Fire Department Capt. Martin Ecnst said a fire destroyed the roof of 4 house in the 1000-block Evremount Dr. WVED and West Vancouver Police are inves- tigaung. A neighbour reported the fire at 7:36 am. Friday. Three fire trucks arrived on scene to 2.9% No Limit Purchase Financing up to 24 months a M.S.R.P. $21,690, ——— §nowmobilers, paramedics trapped in blizzard bers hiked out of the area to seek help. The paramedics became snuck in tbe area when the weather took a tum for the werse atier thev arrived. They began to feel the effects of hypothermia. The Armed Forces search and rescue squadron was unavailable, so NSR was tasked by the B.C. Ambulance regional dispatch centre around 5:30 p.m. Eight NSR volunteers, includ - ing search manager Ron Royston, rescue leader Yim Jones and Peter Haigh, fteft) North Vancouver via two Talon helicopters from Grand Boulevard and arrived south of the Coquihalla Highway tollbooths by 7 p.m. British Properties find the roof on fire. The cest of the house sus- tained heavy smoke and water damage. Ernst said the house is owned by a woman in Europe who occupies it for half the year. She was away at the time. “We've eliminated all sources but avo,” Ernst said, “and we're going to try to finish the inves- tigation (Tuesday) so the insurance company can get in there and clean things up.” — Bab Mackin Drive Select 4X4 * * 20 litre twin-camn engine 4 speaker AM/EM 5 stereo cassette 24-hour roadside assistance © rugged ladder-box frame * power steering ¢ tilt steering city: 10.4 1/100 km (27 mp) North Van Suzuki 983-2088 | OUR FIRST EVER Store-Wide . hlenway’ 85 L/s00 km (33 mpg) auto, 4dr, a/c, bal. of factory gece an? 2dr, Sspd, fully equipped EVERYTHING INTHE STORE 1010 tully equipped. looks and runs like new Ox OFF Canada’s largest importer of Antique Pine Furniture tuily equipped, low km, balance of factory wait, Priced to sett Over 2000 square foot showroom | 157 East 1st Street, North Vancouver * 986-9282 [oo Search and rescue volunteer teams trom Hope, Kent-Harrison, Chilliwack and Merntt were also dispatched. There were 40 rescuers. jones, who works as a paramedic, said res- cuers faced blizzard conditions, but benefitted from okey assistance by othe Merritt Ski/Snowmobile Club and a Buffalo. aircratt from the Comox air force base. The Buffalo dropped 46 flares to illuminate ndges in white out conditions along the rescue route. Rescuers and the Merritt snowmobilers united about 4 am, when the weather improved. “Chey arrived on scene at 5 aam. The casualties were airlifted about 6:30 a.m. 84 CHEV $10 Acyi, 5 spd, enty @2 PATHFINDER SE V6 auto, pricedto 3b 4S 62Km, very clean =. 95 PLYMOUTH NEOH 4dr, sport, only 56Km, super 4x4, loaded, fike new ips at Coquihal 96 CHEW TAHOE LT per leather, lowkm, 27" 4 Without more equipment and airborne assis- tance, Jones said the teams may not have reached the subyects ti time. * There are net many umes in search and res- cue that you actually have a crisis situation of this magnitude where the first rescuers are in peril and the secone rescuers are unable to get to them,” said Jones. “That's a real bad combina- tion, that’s the wort case scenario.” When the weather subsided and casualties were removed, the next challenge was tor the rescuer to leave themselves. “The kev to this was all the teams comple- menung each other with what they had to offer. Merntt with the snowmobiles, the (air force’s) Buffalo, us with our helicopter rescue ability and search management and field experience.” CYPRESS MOUNTAIN SPORTS loaded. privacy glass. exc. cond 2dr, 4wht ds. fully loaded, focal vehicle, low km 94 TOYOTA CAMRY V5 LE loaded including . 3 . moonrool, spoiler & more, mint, reduced $16,295 97 VOLVve 950k fully equipped local car, mint condition Teduced to ay 3 97 FORD EXPLORER XL_ 4wd, fully ime’, i loaded, privacy