KSAR thanks CIMS Ltd. for providing replacement truck after November theft

Photo: Kamloops Search and Rescue

Kamloops Search and Rescue is extending thanks to CIMS Ltd. for providing search and rescue teams with a truck to use after the KSAR vehicle was stolen in November. KSAR returned the truck to CIMS in late July.

Kamloops Search and Rescue is extending thanks to a Port Coquitlam company which provided the team with a replacement vehicle after KSAR's truck was stolen in Merritt during November’s floods.

The truck was taken on Nov. 15 when KSAR’s swiftwater recovery team was in Merritt helping to rescue people from flooded homes.

The vehicle turned up the next day but was no longer running, and facing a city-wide shortage of new vehicles, KSAR turned to the public for any leads to get a new truck.

In a statement, KSAR said Patrick McGinley, the president of industrial construction and maintenance firm CIMS Limited Partnership, heard about the theft and reached out to ask how the company could help.

“They delivered a truck from Vancouver to Kamloops with a full tank of gas, and picked it up eight months later when we no longer had need of it,” the statement said.

“There was no cost to KSAR. Generous donations like these allow essential, non-profit organizations such as KSAR to continue to provide our services to the people in our region.”

KSAR confirmed the truck was picked up at the end of July.

“Kamloops Search and Rescue would very much like to thank Patrick McGinley and the CIMS Limited Partnership team for their generous donation,” KSAR said.

According to KSAR’s statement, the team includes 46 Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) certified members, with volunteers logging 9,455 hours in 2021.

Members were called out to 67 incidents, and ran 170 exercises among other events.

“This all took place during a very busy fire season, one extraordinary flood season, and a global pandemic. KSAR is ready to serve the community 24/7/365,” the statement said.