The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (Pacific) is made up of 1400 volunteers up and down the coast of British Columbia. There are 53 auxiliary units in operation; most of them provide year-round marine search and rescue services to their local communities.

Unit 35 is a group of about 70 volunteers who dedicate their time to providing 24-hour year-round emergency search and rescue services on the Victoria waterfront and beyond. Our volunteers are hard working individuals who have come together out of a love for the sea and a desire to be of service to their community. In turn, we rely on community support to keep our crews equipped and our rescue vessel on call. Together with the Canadian Coast Guard and other local emergency service providers, we're here to make sure that help is always available to mariners in distress.

• To assist the boating community in marine emergencies.
• To increase awareness of boating safety in the local community.
• To provide our members with the appropriate training and equipment to carry out their activities in support of the Canadian Coast Guard and the local community.

The unit responds to marine distress incidents and participates in many community events throughout the year.

Here is a sample of what we do:

• Tow broken down vessels to place the vessel and its occupants out of danger. This usually means we take them to the nearest safe harbour.
• Search for overdue vessels and respond to visual distress signals.
• Assist in the evacuation of people requiring medical services.
• Act as the safety boat for harbour festivities such as Symphony Splash and the Christmas Parade of Lights.

Crewmembers volunteer to be on call for shifts - typically one weekend or five weekdays per month. During that time they commit to remaining within 15 minutes of the rescue vessel and are ready to respond 24 hours a day. They carry pagers which are activated by the Rescue Coordination Centre in the event of an emergency. It is common for crews to already be on the water training when they receive a call.

Unit 35 operates a rigid hull Zodiac Hurricane 850 inflatable that is equipped with marine electronics and search and rescue gear. The vessel usually five to six people on a crew.

Each Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit has an area for which they act as the primary auxiliary resource. Our area extends out from the Victoria shoreline to Race Rocks in the west and over to Trial Island in the east. The Victoria, Oak Bay and Sooke auxiliary units work cooperatively to provide coverage around southern Vancouver Island. During busy periods it is common for a unit to respond to calls outside its area.

We provide all of the training needed to become a crew member on the rescue boat. Some of our members have extensive backgrounds in marine activities; however, it is not a prerequisite and we welcome everyone! Training is provided by the Canadian Coast Guard, the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, and by the supporting fundraising societies.We also look for "train the trainer" opportunities so that our members can share their skills and broaden our training program.

Courses include:

• Search and Rescue Techniques
• Marine Electronics
• Standard First Aid
• Boat Handling
• Navigation
• Rescue Coordination

Funding for training and the reimbursement of certain operating expenses is provided by the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary and through donations and specific fundraising events. Donations are tax-deductible and are used for the purchase and upgrade of equipment and training.

For more information on who we are and what we do and how you can get involved, please send us an e-mail.

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