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Since 1978, the Comox Valley Marine Rescue Society and RCM-SAR Station 60 Comox have been operating within the community, assisting users on the water within the Comox Valley.
“We provide help when a vessel is in danger, when there’s a risk to life or cargo, and do preventative work and education,” explained Roch Massicotte, deputy station leader who has volunteer with the organization since November 2013.
Since last April, the volunteer group has assisted with 39 missions including everything from vessels running around or adrift, to mechanical breakdown and man overboard.
The CVMRS’s coverage area is from Oyster River to Fanny Bay, and as far as Texada Island and will assist neighbouring units if the need presents itself.
All members donate hundreds of hours to volunteer in order to be trained to Royal Canadian Marine Search & Rescue standards; these volunteers go on standby 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year to respond within minutes in order to assist someone in distress.
Massicotte added there is about 200 hours of training time, and every week, each member has to have two hours of training.
The unit has 40 active members, and in addition to being on call, Station 60 is actively involved in the community and a variety of events with boating safety displays and presentations, as well as vessel inspections and safety awareness.
They work together with fire, police and ground search and rescue on a variety of missions and training exercises.
CVMRS is a charitable organization which owns the Lazo, a 37-foot rescue vessel operated by Station 60 – an all-weather, day or night capable rescue vessel that provides life saving service to any size vessel.
“Humans make mistakes on the water, and we are there to fill the need and augment the coast guard to make sure people are safe.”
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