Rescue operations have doubled

While amateur explorers were stuck in the country because of the health crisis, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) intervened twice as often as last year to find missing or lost people.

Between April and August, 183 search and rescue operations files were undertaken by the SQ. According to estimates by specialists from the provincial police force, this is double the number of usual operations for this period.

“It’s huge compared to other years,” suggests Sergeant Hugo Fournier.

These statistics affect everything relating to land research. Among the missing, we find hikers, but also disoriented elderly people, victims of accidents and people in crisis, in particular.

Poorly prepared

The impossibility of leaving the province for months pushed amateur adventurers to explore the green spaces of Quebec. In the Groulx Mountains, on the North Shore, we recorded three times more visitors than usual.

“There are an estimated 200 or 300 hikers on average. But this year, we have certainly seen between 700 and 800. Many of them told me they had to go on a trip abroad, but because of COVID, they fell back on the Groulx mountains. Says professional adventure guide Guy Boudreau.

At least two rescues have occurred in this area in recent months, he said, a high for several years. A situation observed everywhere in Quebec, confirms for his part the coordinator of land searches of the Sûreté du Québec, Doris Poulin.

“This summer, I have been called a lot more often than usual. Due to the pandemic, people’s activities were more centered in Quebec itself, which led to a higher volume of searches and rescues for us. These people were often ill-prepared, ”he emphasizes.

In addition, individuals struggling with psychological disorders seem to have been affected by the restrictive measures of the pandemic. According to Poulin, calls for missing people in crisis were particularly numerous this year.

Limited resources

While this is not the case in all search and rescue cases, Sergeant Fournier believes that many of them can be avoided simply by being well prepared.

“What we want is to reduce the number of calls related to research. Helicopters, we have a few, but we don’t have hundreds. So, if there are many troops mobilized in one region, they will not necessarily be able to be mobilized in another, ”says Fournier.

“Currently, we are able to meet demand, but our resources are not infinite,” he explains.

The practical guide of the Sûreté du Québec Orient your excursion allows you to plan your hikes in nature to avoid being caught off guard.

Better preparation would have avoided many problems

The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) believes that several perilous situations that have arisen in recent months could have been avoided with a minimum of preparation. Here are some examples reported by the provincial police force.

▶ Snow in the mountains

A group of four hikers who left to climb and camp on the Groulx Mountains, on the North Shore, had quite a surprise the day after their first night.

As the temperature dropped several degrees after sunset, up to ten centimeters of snow piled up in the mountains.

“Not having checked the weather before leaving, the four marchers had not prepared the necessary equipment and they had to be rescued by helicopter”, explains SQ sergeant Hugo Fournier.

▶ Miscarriage

A lady who had a miscarriage a few days previously decided to go on a mountain expedition in Charlevoix.

It was not until she reached the summit, during the night, that the hiker realized that she was bleeding due to her very fragile medical condition. She had to be evacuated urgently by first aid.

“You have to make sure you are in good physical condition before going on a hike,” says Fournier.

▶ Never separate

Three hunters got lost near Lac Paulette, in the Mauricie region.

Even though they did not know the area well, they went there without a map, compass and GPS.

After a while, they decided to go their separate ways to seek help.

SQ troops had to be deployed to find one of them, who had not managed to orient himself adequately.

“First of all, you have to have the right equipment when you go to a region that is unknown to us. And you have to stay put and not separate when you are lost, ”advises the spokesperson for the SQ.