The search and rescue team that located a missing seven-year-old girl in Chilliwack Friday afternoon returned from the field to find much of their gear had been stolen.
The team, which included members of both Coquitlam Search and Rescue and Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue, had stashed some of their basic search and rescue packs while they were on their way into the search area, explained Greg Unruh, president of Chilliwack Search and Rescue and a senior manager of Friday’s search.
“There is a bit of irony that the team that actually found the girl was the team that got their gear stolen,” Unruh said.
He said the search for the missing gear and the filing of a police report added hours to what had already been an exhausting and emotional day.
“It certainly was very disappointing,” he said. “The three team members that had their stuff stolen, it’s heartbreaking for them.”
One of the team members had left his car keys in his pack, Unruh said, adding such bags typically include basic equipment, extra clothes and personal items.
“Our personal packs can range anywhere between $2,000 to $5,000 worth of equipment and stuff, depending on what was in there,” he said. “It’s pretty custom to yourself, and some of that stuff is – money can’t always replace it.”
The five-member team had stashed three packs, which were all taken.
In the wake of the thefts, a GoFundMe page set up by a community member raised nearly $10,000 in less than 24 hours.
The fundraiser has since been put on hold, as the members are likely to receive compensation from the province’s Emergency Management and Climate Readiness program to replace their lost items.
Unruh said the support for the fundraiser is heartening, and Chilliwack SAR will use the funds – if donors provide permission for them to be diverted – to cover any expenses EMCR doesn’t reimburse, as well as to fund its operations.
Search and rescue teams are volunteer-run organizations, he said, and they rely on the support of the public to do their work.
“The community support has been amazing,” Unruh said, referring to both the donations made to the GoFundMe and the attention and offers of help provided during the search itself.
“It was a great win for everyone,” he added, describing the rescue effort.
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