Mountain, Sunset, Timbertop residents get first look at new plan How do you get out, if the worst is happening? Do you have a plan? Mary Brown does. Since taking on the position of Emergency Planning Coordinator (EPC) in the summer of 2025, Brown has sought and secured funding for an Evacuation Planning expert, who has generated a new plan to help Lions Bay residents address any number of potential emergencies from wildfires to earthquakes. And this week, if you are a residen

How much do you know about LBSAR? Photo courtesy LBSAR. Sunny skies and warm temperatures have local hikers shaking the dust off their hiking boots, and poring over local trail maps. But for Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR), the increasing number of hikers in the wilderness means the start of rescue season. Of course, with winter hiking and the ever-increasing number of adventurers taking advantage of the great outdoors, it's never really NOT rescue season for LBSAR. They

LBSAR Urges Caution Story by LBSAR member Maria Masiar LBSAR rescue team members assist injured hiker into ambulance after recent rescue. Photo courtesy LBSAR. Lions Bay Search and Rescue is urging hikers to take extra precautions as unusual spring conditions are creating a challenging and often deceptive environment in the backcountry. Following a recent rescue involving a hiker who became lost and dehydrated after leaving the trail to access water, teams are seeing an early

Lions Bay SAR call-out season off to a busy start Members of the SAR teams deliver an injured hiker to BC Ambulance Services via helicopter on May 1. Photo courtesy Lions Bay SAR. An injured knee and a lost backpack both proved problematic for hikers this weekend. The sunny weekend proved to be a siren song, as hikers flocked to the trails to enjoy the sun and the views. A call came in to Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR) on Friday May 1, reporting an injured hiker near Tun

'In it Together': Will you take part? by Mary Brown, Lions Bay Emergency Planning Coordinator Emergency Preparedness Week will be held May 3-9 in BC. This year’s theme is “In it Together”, recognizing that everyone’s readiness improves when we look out for one another. A strong sense of trust and belonging before an emergency means people can rely on each other when one occurs. As Emergency Program Coordinator (EPC), one of the projects I would like to see go Village-wide is

Evacuation plan pending; new volunteers in place by Ron McLaughlin Lions Bay begins the month of April with good news regarding Emergency Social Services (ESS). In recent years, a Village-wide evacuation plan has been continually talked about, and while it has been seemingly forever in the works, has never comes to fruition. However, back in March it was announced that Emergency Program Coordinator Mary Brown had awarded a qualified contractor the project. Brown worked with

Hiker succumbs to injuries sustained in fall on Mount Brunswick Talon helicopter and LBSAR team members during Saturday's rescue. Photo courtesy LBSAR. One of the hikers rescued after a fall while hiking Mount Brunswick on Saturday has died in hospital following the incident. A large crew from Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR) worked with North Shore Rescue (NSR) and Talon helicopters for hours on Saturday to rescue two hikers who had fallen on the return leg of a hike.

North Shore Rescue called in to assist LBSAR LBSAR members enroute to Mount Brunswick rescue. Photo courtesy LBSAR. Story by Maria Masiar, LBSAR After a relatively quiet winter, Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR) responded to its first call of the year on Saturday, on the steep slopes of Mount Brunswick and involving two injured hikers. While descending from the summit, a group of 14 hikers encountered steep terrain. One member of the group slipped and fell approximately 20

The case for a full-time Fire Chief LBFR, Watershed file photo. It has now been a full year that Lions Bay has been without a Fire Chief. Former chief Barret Germscheid resigned his position as Chief in March, 2025. Germscheid is a homeowner in the Village and he continues to serve as a firefighter in the community. The Village of Lions Bay recently released their 2025 Core Services Review assessing the current state of Lions Bay Fire Rescue (LBFR). (The report can be found

EPC Mary Brown wants you to think "What if...?" Story by Lions Bay Emergency Program Coordinator Mary Brown You may have heard that the village has engaged the services of a team of experts whose job it is to develop evacuation plans for municipalities. Those rumours are true. Staff and volunteers were able to secure a provincial grant to the tune of $40,000 in August, 2025. As Emergency Program Coordinator (EPC), and longtime Lions Bay resident, I know how important a workab

Still a chance to snag a free bottle Last weekend's Great Water Giveaway was a big success, with 300 bottles of free water distributed to community members to set aside in case of emergency. But if you missed out on collecting one for your family, don't despair. According to event organizer (and Emergency Program Coordinator) Mary Brown, about a pallet of water bottles remained at the end of Saturday's event. Those bottles have now been transported to the Community Recycle D

Local input sought to strengthen emergency leadership Canada Task Force One, a municipally-supported Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team, on site at the December 14, 2024 debris torrent in Lions Bay. Photo by kc dyer. Lions Bay Council is weighing in on a new national initiative to improve federal leadership in emergency management. In a December letter to Council, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea To Sky MP Patrick Weiler announced that the federal government has opened a pub

Focus on Community Preparedness by Mary Brown, Emergency Program Coordinator Water inventory from last year's Great Water Giveaway. Photo by kc dyer. In emergencies, each person needs at least four litres of water per day, and Lions Bay is kicking off the new year with a gesture that’s as practical as it is symbolic. This Saturday, January 17, the Village’s Emergency Support Services (ESS) team will host the second annual Great Lions Bay Water Giveaway — an event that has qu

Words of wisdom from LBSAR photo by Scott Mackenzie With the onset of dark and dreary days most people pack away their hiking boots and dream of balmy summer days to come. Most — but not all. For those who do make the decision to brave the elements, the experts have some advice to share. "The main issues we repeatedly see, especially coming into dark and cold season are related to navigation," says Brent Calkin, Lions Bay Search and Rescue Manager. He says the issues include:

LBSAR pushed to limit on Unnecessary Mountain photo by Scott Mackenzie Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR) was called into action on Wednesday after two young hikers lost their way on Unnecessary Mountain and were stranded overnight on the mountain's west ridge. Team manager Brent Calkin said that the twin systems of intense rain and high winds combining in the air over Lions Bay meant that initial attempts to reach the hikers by helicopter were thwarted. "In the face of

LBFR information session this Saturday LBFR in action on Thanksgiving Monday. photo by Herb Johnston It's been a busy week for members of Lions Bay Fire Rescue (LBFR). When a house caught fire at 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving Monday, LBFR with the support of members of the West Vancouver Fire Department, spent most of the day battling to keep the surrounding forest interface and a number of nearby homes from going up too. By the time firefighters were on scene just after 4 a.m., the

LBSAR sends out a timely reminder Hot on the heels of the weekend's triple rescue, Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR) were summoned into...

LBSAR breaks record with busiest season ever Unnecessary Mountain extraction. Photo courtesy LBSAR. The last full day of summer was a...

"Send me in Coach, I'm ready!" Mary Brown, right, poses with Ron McLaughlin, left, as well as Shucks and Chief, the Squamish Elders who...

LBFR event this Saturday, September 6 Looking for an excellent way to spend your Saturday? Lions Bay Fire Rescue is holding their annual...