There have been more search and rescue missions in Whatcom County during the first 10 months of 2024 than in all of 2023.
That’s according to Gwynne Gruizenga-Top, the treasurer of Whatcom County Search & Rescue Council.
So far, there have been at least 38 rescue missions where WCSAR volunteers were activated between January and September, compared to 30 total rescues in 2023, Gruizenga-Top said. At least 10 more calls were made between September and October.
Of the six units that make up Whatcom County Search & Rescue, the 200-plus member volunteer force has worked 245 hours as a part of those missions. That doesn’t include the thousands of hours spent doing community service, training and general responsibilities.
“The services we provide are 100 percent volunteer driven, and we never ask for reimbursement for the expenditure of our time, energy or resources,” Gruizenga-Top said.
Wilderness rescue missions completed by Summit to Sound and Bellingham Mountain Rescue are higher for the first 10 months of 2024 compared to last year. STS has completed eight wilderness rescues while BMR has completed 13 so far.
Gruizenga-Top noted that Whatcom County 4×4 and snowmobile teams are starting to gear up for potential calls as the fall turns to winter.
Lauri McBeath, who has been a part of WCSAR for 30 years, said she doesn’t know why some years are busier than others.
WCSAR has also been more active in notifying the public about rescue missions. That’s in part to WCSAR’s partnership with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Department as well as county fire districts.
Whatcom County Fire District One posted on Facebook Sunday, Oct. 20 that WCSAR had helped in a swift water rescue outside of Deming, when two individuals and a dog were trapped on top of a pick-up truck in rising floodwaters.
Gruizenga-Top said the more the public knows about what WCSAR does, the better the group can solicit donations. As a private nonprofit, there aren’t many steady funding streams.
“A lot of our donations come as a result of the work that we do,” she said. “If we have a body recovery, the family and friends will often give donations as a thank you for the work that we’ve done. We have any kind of a search, we’ll get thank you donations for that.”
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
