Flare Day Report
July 25, 2019
On June 21 and 22, 2019 the Okanagan Power and Sail Squadron (Vernon location) conducted a Pyrotechnic Education and expired flare collection event. The event was held over 1½ day at the Vernon Yacht Club. The Yacht Club location was chosen because the retailer, Valley Marine, is located some miles out of the city.
The local marine retailer who sponsored and assisted us was Valley Marine. They are primarily a boat repair and storage facility, rather than a retail or chandlery outlet.
We also partnered up with the local Southern Interior Safe Boating Society (operating as Southern Interior Marine Safety), who set up a very complete Marine Safety display, and assisted us in answering the many questions about all aspects of safe boating. The group was previously affiliated with Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCM SAR), a Western Canada division of Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary.
We promoted the event using posters around town and sending e‐blasts to local Yacht Club members and to CPS‐ECP members, as well. Ads were place in the local newspaper, both classified and under ‘Community Events’. An ‘Event’ was also posted to the CPS‐ECP website.
Several years ago, CPS‐ECP and the CPS Foundation supplied each Squadron with an ‘inert flare’ training kit. We found this a very useful addition to our display.
Over the course of the event we collected 496 outdated and expired marine flares. The flares have now been forwarded to C‐I‐L Orion for neutralization and destruction.
We consider the event to have been very successful, as we have kept 496 ‘dangerous goods’ out of the landfill and the Okanagan Lake!
We wish to thank Valley Marine, the Southern Interior Marine Safety group, Vernon Yacht Club and all those boaters who took the time to drop off their expired flares ands to have as chat with us.
Special thanks to the Vernon RCMP who assisted us in the promotion of this event.
