Local search and rescue are again reminding the public that their services are free.
Chris Armstrong, the BC SAR Public Information Officer in the West Kootenay, is speaking after the heli rescue of an injured foreign skier in the Whitewater backcountry on the weekend.
He says initially the well-equipped group had tried to get the person out of difficult and isolated terrain on their own.
Armstrong says especially this time of year when daylight hours are reduced it’s crucial people who get into trouble send out the alarm.