The AR1 Program.

The Air Rescue One program provides critical rescue response to the most seriously injured, lost, and sick people of the Thompson Okanagan. When it comes to saving lives, every minute counts. While ground resources can take hours to locate, treat, and evacuate you when you are injured, the rescue helicopter can be launched within minutes, flying to your aid at over 200km/hr. Once on scene, our highly trained rescue technicians can winch down from the helicopter directly to your location. We will stabilize your injuries, treat your pain, provide warmth and comfort, and winch you to the helicopter overhead. Once onboard, your treatment continues as we fly you directly to waiting medical care.

AR1 is the primary SAR air rescue team in the Thompson Okanagan. AR1 program was created by Vernon Search and Rescue. VSAR is one of the founding Search and Rescue groups in the province, formed in 1960. AR1 is the product of a two-year trial with the province of BC, from 2014 to 2015, that explored the feasibility of winch-equipped helicopters for Search and Rescue in BC. This was a joint project with EMBC, VSAR and BCSARA. Following the conclusion of the pilot project, Air Rescue One became the first civilian SAR winch rescue helicopter team in Canada and continues to serve the Thompson Okanagan region to this day.