As the team looks forward to celebrating its 50th year of operation in 2024, after forty-six years of continuous service to the Comox Valley, and to the Province of British Columbia, the Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue Society is rebranding as “Comox Valley Search and Rescue” and is proudly adopting a new logo.
This past winter, CVSAR members took the time to reflect upon the long history of the team and established a five year strategic plan to help carry it forward successfully into the future.
Out of this process came recognition that the deep roots of selfless service to the community that were fundamental to the creation of the team back in 1974 remains the core of our fabric, but that team has undergone significant changes over the past four plus decades.
Search and Rescue Teams across British Columbia grew from the long established tradition of civilians stepping forward to provide assistance; first in times of war and then to support civil emergencies post war. The Civil Defense movement was indeed the genesis for the creation of the initial Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue Society and it’s strong relationship with the Provincial Emergency Program, now Emergency Management British Columbia.
In its infancy, Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue society, responded to few calls for assistance per year. As skill sets advanced and equipment and training improved, so did the demand for service. With each callout the team’s reputation grew both locally and provincially.
Today the dedicated men and women of Comox Valley Search and Rescue respond to upward of 60 emergent events per year both at home and throughout our Province.
Comox Valley Search and Rescue is a team focused upon excellence, possessing highly skilled, highly trained, deeply committed team members utilizing sophisticated technology and researched-based data driven decision making to support our risk management, planning and operations. Our skill sets are deep, providing Provincially recognized instructors and leaders in rope rescue, K-9 operations, tracking, avalanche response, incident command, lost person behavior and search management.
Comox Valley Search and Rescue’s now retired logo upheld the traditional British Columbia Civil Defense logo colors and design, the yellow circle, surrounding the blue triangle. Our new logo tries to reflect the traditions of the old, while projecting today’s current realities.
Our new bold, modern logo reflects this new reality depicting the environments we operate in: on the land, on inland waters, in the air. Reflected in the logo is the tradition of triangle as well as the colors that have been part of our hallmark since the beginning. The term “ground” has been retired to better communicate our broader scope of operational environments.
For more information please contact: Paul Berry (paul.berry@cvgsar.com)
