Volunteer Search and Rescue

8408760959 9692bba844 kRoyal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue's area of operation includes more than 29,500 square kilometers of coastline, 6,500 islands, and approximately 450,000 square kilometers of internal and offshore waters.

We are a SAR resource which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If necessary, our volunteers are willing and ready to risk their lives to help anyone in distress on the water.

Read More

Pleasure Craft Operators Card

An important aspect of the mission of  RCM-SAR is to promote boating safety. A determining factor in the prevention of search and rescue incidents is effective boater education.

All boat operators of pleasure crafts fitted with a motor and used for recreational purposes in Canada must have the Card.

Read More

PCOC sample

Boating Safety

An important aspect of RCM-SAR's mission to save lives on the water is to promote boating safety. A determining factor in the prevention of search and rescue incidents is effective boater education.
Knowledgeable boaters are safe boaters and safe boaters are generally less likely to be involved in search and rescue incidents.  RCM-SAR has developed a variety of programs to convey the Boating Safety message to this broad range of recreational users.

Read More

You can help Save Lives!

dsc 8560Hopefully, you will never require the marine search and rescue services provided by our 1,000 highly trained volunteers. But simply by living in or near British Columbia's coastal communities means that the chances are quite likely you will take a trip on or over water.
Perhaps you travel by ferry, seaplane or cruise ship. Perhaps your workplace involves marine shipping and transport. Perhaps you or a family member is involved with one of the many marine related industries in B.C. such as fishing, tourism or sea transport. All of these industries and travel sectors are vulnerable to the unpredictable nature of the sea.

Read More

RCM-SAR Stations

Pender in foreground There are 46 stations currently with more coming online soon. These community-based stations are crewed by extremely dedicated and highly trained volunteers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

View RCM-SAR Station locations and details

Read More

Latest News

Station 37 - Sooke

Station37

OVERVIEW:


  

The Sooke, BC RCM-SAR station has been in service for over 25 years. On average, this station receives over 30 calls a year, sometimes over 40 calls in a busy season, ranging from mariner assistance to injured hikers on some well known west coast trails to missing persons. The Sooke station works closely with the US Coast Guard helo’s located in Port Angeles and the SARTECH Squadron 442 based out of Comox.

Sooke has the largest area to cover in all of the RCM-SAR stations on the west coast of British Columbia, from Race Rocks Lighthouse just south-west of Victoria to Nitnat Lake, located between Port Renfrew and Bamfield.

With an active roster of approx. 30 dedicated unpaid professionals, Sooke is ready around the clock, 365 days a year for any SAR related incidents on the south-western part of Vancouver Island.

 
Contact Information:

Statistics:

Avg Calls per year: 30

Assets: 1 x RHIB

Members: 30

Years Active: 25

Map:

Media Line

A new 24-hour media line is now available for reporters needing information about Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCM-SAR) activities.

You can reach the media line at the RCM-SAR office in Sooke at 778 352-1006.  

For more information, click here. 

rcm-sar-memorial sml 03

Our thoughts are with Station 12 and the family and loved ones of those who tragically lost their lives on Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

Download Image

Donate Now

An average incident costs $174 in fuel and equipment wear and tear just to have a single crew tasked. This amount does not include the initial purchase of the vessel or the purchase of sophisticated navigation.

More Info

Latest Tweets

"Could Not Retrieve any Tweets"