About LSAR

Boots on the ground

We are a volunteer ground search and rescue team serving Ladysmith, BC and the surrounding area. Founded in 1963, we respond 24/7 to find people who are lost, injured, or in distress.

As members of the BC Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA), our ~35 volunteers maintain professional standards, train year-round, and deploy when called — day or night, rain or shine.

Rescue is free in British Columbia. No one pays for being found.

What we do

Six core disciplines. One unified response.

Ground Search

The core. Grid searches, containment, hasty teams. When someone's missing, this is what deploys first.

Rope Rescue

Cliffs, steep terrain, places where gravity works against you. Technical rope systems to get people out.

Swiftwater

River and flood response. Fast water doesn't wait and neither do we.

Tracking

Reading the ground. Boot prints, broken branches, the trail someone didn't know they left.

Navigation

We teach it, we live it. Map, compass, GPS — knowing exactly where you are when it matters.

AdventureSmart

Community education program. Helping people not need us in the first place.

Common misconceptions

What people get wrong about search and rescue.

Get in touch

For non-emergency inquiries and public education.

This is not an emergency line

For emergencies, always call 911. The contact information below is for non-emergency inquiries only.

Mailing address

P.O. Box 1808
Ladysmith, BC V9G 1B4

Interested in joining our team or supporting our work?