GOODWATER — RM of Lomond No. 37 gave South East Saskatchewan Search and Rescue (SESKSAR) a significant boost ahead of the holidays.
The council came together Dec. 15 to donate one of their trucks to the volunteer association, trained in search and rescue operations and serving the vast southeast corner of the province.
Clarence Fradette, who is one of the volunteers with SESKSAR and also works for the RM, received the donation on behalf of the group.
Fradette said earlier this year he learned that the RM was planning on retiring one of their trucks, and he knew that SESKSAR had an incident command trailer donated to them but didn't have a vehicle to pull it. So, he got the ball rolling.
"One of our employees Clarence Fradette is a long-time volunteer with Southeast Sask. Search and Rescue, he's been a member since they started. And initially, he had talked to the search and rescue, and then he approached the council," said RM administrator Aleshia Underwood.
In a letter to the council, SESKSAR explained how they would use the truck and asked if the RM would consider donating it. Underwood said once council received their letter, it was an easy decision.
"We like being able to support groups that are active in the community. And with the Southeast Sask. Search and Rescue being all volunteer and having to obtain their equipment through donations and fundraising, we felt that it would be a good place for that truck to go and it would really help them out," Underwood said.
"It's great to have a group like that in this area, actively training and being prepared if there's an incident. So, it really is a benefit to the community."
She added that the RM of Lomond does their best to support valuable projects in the area.
"We try and help out community groups as much as we can, so if the need is there, we try and help out and do what we can," Underwood said.
Fradette put heavier springs in the GMC Sierra truck and said it will handle the trailer really well.
"The donation is greatly appreciated," Fradette said. "Those guys [the RM of Lomond] are well-known for their donations in the community."
SESKSAR was grateful for the donation, as it will allow them to have the incident command trailer with all of their gear and equipment hooked onto the new truck and ready to be dispatched instantly when they get activated for a search.
“Our SESKSAR members are beyond grateful and overwhelmed with this extremely generous donation from the RM of Lomond, its council and ratepayers,” said SESKSAR president Katia Bigney. “This truck will allow our chapter members to attend activated searches, training functions and public functions with our incident command trailer, and provide all the gear and equipment needed to serve our communities in Saskatchewan. Very sincere, thank you."
