Third honour for South Shore marine rescue volunteers
May 9, 2024
The dramatic rescue of eight persons from a turbulent Lake Ontario in 2022 has earned the volunteer crew of South Shore Search And Rescue its third honour in the space of a year.
The five members of D-crew who plucked four children and four adults from the lake on July 24, 2022, were recognized by the Town of Lincoln at a special ceremony at the regular Council meeting April 15, 2024. A certificate recognizing the efforts of the crew was presented by Deputy Mayor Anna Murre.
“On behalf of Council, I want to say thank you, and for the people that you rescued, I can’t imagine how overwhelmed they were when they saw you coming to their aid,” Murre told the crew who were on hand for the award. “Thank you for your service to our community.”
In September, 2023, the crew was awarded the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Medal of Merit for their efforts that day. In January, 2024, they were given the Stearns Rescue of the Year award from the Canadian Safe Boating Council for that mission.
It was a blustery summer day when the crew answered the call for what they were told were four people in distress in high winds, east of Fifty Point harbour. What they found was seven people — including the four children — clinging to three paddle boards. They recovered the frightened victims and treated them for exposure to the cold water. On the way back to the base, the alert crew spotted someone in the water: a young man had been pitched from his personal watercraft and knocked unconscious. He was also recovered and given first aid.
The entire mission took 106 minutes and saved eight lives. It is the largest rescue ever conducted by the volunteer agency.
Immediately following the Lincoln presentation, some crew members headed to the boat to continue training. The volunteers’ rescue vessel, GAMRU 240, was put into service for the 2024 season earlier in the day. The boat and its rotating crews will be available 24/7 through the boating season.
South Shore Search And Rescue is a community-based volunteer emergency service that responds to rescue calls in western Lake Ontario, serving the communities along the south shore from a base in Fifty Point. More than 30 active volunteers maintain a fully-equipped rescue vessel and train year-round to hone the skills and readiness to be effective on the water. GAMRU South Shore Search And Rescue is a member of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary and a registered charity.
