Coquitlam SAR sells survival kits to raise funds

Coquitlam Search and Rescue (SAR) is selling outdoor survival starter kits to both raise money and promote safety.

The kits include outdoor survival gear including a foil blanket, poncho, whistle, knife, and cord. It includes instructions about how to best use the gear (like how to construct a shelter), how to contact search and rescue, as well as safety tips if lost or stranded.

There’s also a list of other essentials to pack when heading outdoors, like extra clothing, fluids for hydration, and a cellphone and battery pack — take a look at the full list here. 

“If people take that, then they’re in pretty good shape to cope with whatever the outdoors throws at them unexpectedly,” said Steve Chapman, a long-time member of Coquitlam SAR.

Megan Eastwood donated the kits to Coquitlam SAR, after she tried to start a business selling them but found the marketing costs prohibitive. She said she still wanted the kits to go to good use.

“You never know when something’s going to happen. I mean, no one sets out thinking, ‘This is the day that I roll an ankle and I’m stuck,” she said.

Since Eastwood used to live in Port Moody (and still goes there to trail run), and said Chapman was supportive of her business, she wanted to use her leftover product to help the organization.

“It was a bit of a no-brainer to reach out to Steve, say, ‘Hey, do you want the inventory?’”

Coquitlam SAR sold out is previous batches of starter kits. Eastwood said this was validating, proving it was a good product. She added it is also a good feeling knowing that one of these kits could save a life.

“In Vancouver weather, you get cold and wet really quickly,” said Eastwood. “If you roll an ankle, you’re not going to die from a broken bone. You’re going to die from hyperthermia whilst you’re waiting for rescue and and even if you don’t die, it makes it a really long, miserable wait if you’re sitting there for hours absolutely freezing.”

Eastwood said she tested the kits when she launched her business. She went out one May and stayed overnight just using what was in her kit. She made a shelter out of the rope and foil blanket, put the poncho on, got in the bivy sack, and slept the night. (Her partner was nearby in a tent). 

“That was like five to seven degrees, and it did rain during the night as well, but I was in my shelter, so I was fine.”

When Eastwood is out on the trails, she said having the survival gear she would need if an accident happens and she had to spend the night brings her comfort.

Coquitlam SAR’s minimum donation request is $20 (the value in the kits is worth upwards of $60), and these funds support the nonprofit’s operations, like vehicles, equipment, and costs of training.

“It’s not only a really good fundraiser for the team, it actually promotes the educational aspects as well,” said Chapman. “Because it gets that conversation out there that, OK, if you’re going out, you should have a whole bunch of things to be safe, and this kit actually gives you a real good start with that.”

Chapman told the Dispatch they should have more kits in stock by Wednesday. People interested in purchasing can visit their webpage here.