Ladner and Tsawwassen residents interested in learning more about seamanship, first aid and saving lives out on the water are being called to volunteer with Royal Canadian Marine Search & Rescue’s (RCM-SAR) Station 8 in Delta.
There are three types of volunteer positions, with each one having slightly different pre-requisites, but notably, you do not need to have a boating background to join.
One of the biggest reasons Station 8 Leader Rob Gibson recommends volunteering with them is the overwhelming sense of being able to give back to your community.
“We’re really trying to gain more female members. We have some ladies that are involved, but we’re totally open to anybody that wants to join. It’s not just an old boys club, and there’s a real diversity amongst the members’ ages ... lots of walks of life, lots of different occupations,” says Gibson.
Training looks a bit different depending on what volunteer position you’re aiming for, but to become a crew member who will be actively responding to emergencies on the water, you will be expected to participate in and complete the mandatory training and requirements before you’ll be allowed out on rescues.
When describing an ideal candidate, Gibson highlights those with “a desire to work with others, be on the water [and] a desire to learn and grow and improve their skills.”
He points out how there is a time commitment that applicants should be aware of, as they’ll have to do a fair amount of training to be officially brought on board, as well as regular meetings and about 10 hours of training through the month.
For more information on joining the RCM-SAR’s Station 8, check out their website at www.rcmsardelta.com or email [email protected].
