Revelstoke Search and Rescue started 2018 off busy, responding to eight calls in January.
More than half of the calls involved helping snowmobilers who were either stuck or missing.
According to the RCMP Community Policing Report – January 2018, which was presented to City Council on Feb. 27, the calls were as follows:
- SAR located and rescued two missing snowmobilers off Frisby Mountain
- SAR was activated for an overdue out-of-bounds snowboarder at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. The snowboarder walked out and arrived home safely at 12:35 a.m.
- SAR was activated for an overdue out-of-bounds skier at RMR. SAR located the skier the next morning safe in the Montana Bowl
- SAR located and escorted one stuck snowmobiler off Boulder Mountain
- SAR was activated for two missing snowmobilers on Boulder Mountain. SAR airlifted them the next morning
- SAR airlifted an injured skier in the Akolkolex Valley
- SAR Air located and transported a missing snowmobiler off Frisby Range.
RELATED: UPDATE: Missing sledders located safely on Boulder Mountain
Also included in the report was a note that calls and in-person visits to the detachment increased over the previous year. In January 2017, there were 313 complaint calls, 592 phone calls and 263 counter calls compared to 421 complaint calls, 718 phone calls and 334 counter calls this January.
Among the offences Revelstoke RCMP investigated were: three charges of common assault, one assault causing bodily harm, one break-in at a residence, four vehicle thefts, fourteen thefts from vehicles, three mischiefs, eight complaints of causing a disturbance, three frauds, two impaired driving charges, seven investigations into drug-related matters, 21 intoxicated persons and 29 driving complaints.
In the CSRD, collisions were well-above the previous year, with 26 incidents attended by police in 2018 compared to 5 in 2017.
Staff Sgt. Kurt Grabinsky also notes in the report that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit resulted in extra work for the RCMP.