Skagit Bay Search and Rescue volunteers are trained to locate people in distress.
These days they are also in search of others to join their ranks.
"We're actively looking for new members in the La Conner area who can respond to calls in a short amount of time," SBSAR President Sue White confirmed to the Weekly News. "
Established in 2002, SBSAR is a non-profit organization that provides marine-based support to the Skagit County Sheriff's Office and is a familiar presence at such iconic local maritime events as the Puget Sound Rowers Race, Dash to the Pass and Deception Pass Race.
The group now finds itself needing to boost membership due to longtime volunteers having moved or retired.
The SBSAR, which trains almost monthly, has averaged a handful of calls annually since 2016.
Over the years, volunteers have responded to a variety of incidents – more than a few of which have been quite dicey – from aiding hunters stranded on an island when their boat was swept away by tidal action to helping boaters unfamiliar with local waters who ran aground to rescuing youths stuck in Padilla Bay.
"All of us get that feeling," White said, "of what would've happened it we hadn't arrived. We talk about it all the time. Our focus is to avoid terrible outcomes. We have a pretty good sense that this is an important thing to do.
"When these calls come in," White stressed, "we need to respond quickly due to our water temperatures, so we try to be underway within 15 minutes of the call out."
A general rule of thumb is that a person has only a 50% chance of surviving 50 minutes in 50-degree water.
White said SBSAR uses a 32-foot custom aluminum boat with a 130-horsepower outboard engine moored at La Conner Marina to respond to missions assigned by the sheriff's office. The organization's coverage area typically covers Skagit Bay to Deception Pass, up the Skagit River to the North Fork Bridge and on Swinomish Channel.
"We try to do training nine to 10 times a year," White said. "This year we did a polar plunge wherein our crew outfitted in exposure suits jumped overboard, practicing maneuvering in the water before swimming back to the boat and climbing aboard. We have also done two training exercises with advanced kayakers to improve our skill level in their water rescue needs, including one fast water rescue training at Deception Pass."
SBSAR team members train in boat operations, navigation, search and rescue procedures and medical support and transportation. They are required to pass Skagit County Sheriff's Office background checks and receive Skagit County emergency worker cards.
Thousands of people venture out on local waters each year in a wide range of vessels. Boaters, fishermen and kayakers can underestimate the power and speed of area tidal currents, sudden winds and waves in Deception Pass and the Skagit River and the numbing and deadly effects of cold water. That makes SBSAR operations vital.
"We're hoping to rally new volunteers to the cause," White said.
Those interested in volunteering should be at least 16-years-old, reside in the La Conner/Shelter Bay area, be in good health and able to swim, be a team player and dedicated to the work.
Email: [email protected].
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