Our Search Area
Coquitlam Search and Rescue’s search area is defined partially by the Coquitlam RCMP Detachment boundaries which are displayed on the following map. Roughly, the boundaries extend from the the middle of Indian Arm to the middle of Pitt Lake, from the Fraser River to the edge of Garibaldi Park.
The Coquitlam Detachment also covers the villages of Anmore and Belcarra, and the city of Port Coquitlam.
Coquitlam SAR also regularly responds to the Cities of Burnaby, Port Moody and New Westminster and has a close relationship with the police departments in those cities. The total population served by Coquitlam SAR is 507,703 people (2011 census).
This primary area is 1762km² and includes some of the most rugged and inaccessible terrain in the southwest region of the Province of British Columbia. Being responsible for such a large area of BC is something Coquitlam SAR takes seriously, and planning for the types of SAR incidents that are likely to happen in our region is an important part of our work.
What follows is a summary of the search area we are responsible for, and some of the types of rescues we have performed in those areas.
- Buntzen Lake: one of the busiest recreation areas in the province
- Belcarra and Sasamat Lake: a very popular regional park
- Eagle Ridge: A wilderness area in the back door of Coquitlam residential area
- Widgeon Lake: a difficult to access lake in a wilderness park
- Burke Mountain: A very busy mountain biking and recreation area
- Indian Arm: a popular marine destination
- Pitt Lake and upper Pitt River: deep wilderness and hot springs accessible by boat
- Coquitlam Range and the Boise Valley: extremely rugged terrain that is rarely visited
- Urban areas: searches in wilderness and urban rural areas