A Vernon woman who plays a pivotal leadership role in local search and rescue operations has been recognized with a prestigious provincial award.

Coralie Nairn, a level two manager with Vernon Search and Rescue (VSAR), is one of 20 recipients of a 2024 Community Award, presented by the BC Achievement Foundation.

The award recognizes extraordinary British Columbians who build better, stronger and more resilient communities.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 pretty surreal. I didn害羞草研究所檛 see it coming so it害羞草研究所檚 very humbling,害羞草研究所� Nairn told The Morning Star. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 walking on a cloud right now.害羞草研究所�

Nairn害羞草研究所檚 35-year tenure with search and rescue has been defined by her role in advancing VSAR to become one of B.C.害羞草研究所檚 leading search and rescue groups.

Starting as a ground search team member with Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (formerly Kelowna Search and Rescue), Nairn has 11 years experience with the Canadian Civil Air Search and Rescue Association. She was also a search and rescue master with the Canadian military.

On top of her role with VSAR, Nairn is a program instructor for the Justice Institute of British Columbia, where she has trained over 1,000 children and 500 adults, focusing on the importance of safety during outdoor exploration.

Asked why she chose to get involved with search and rescue, Nairn said as a teenager she was babysitting one day and saw a search and rescue documentary on TV.

害羞草研究所淚 thought I would like to do that professionally, and it turned out the only search and rescue you could do professionally was through the military,害羞草研究所� she said.

When she was starting out with search and rescue groups, she found it was a male-dominated field. But as the decades have passed, more and more women have decided to join the field.

害羞草研究所淚 think I broke the ice,害羞草研究所� she said of being the only woman in the Kelowna search and rescue group when she was starting out.

Despite being a woman, she has 害羞草研究所渘ot met any barriers害羞草研究所� in her search and rescue work.

害羞草研究所淎s long as I was capable and maintained the capability, I didn害羞草研究所檛 have any barriers in doing what I wanted to do.害羞草研究所�

Nairn has been with VSAR for almost 25 years, and said today the team is comprised of about 30 per cent women.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 more about commitment than sex or how you identify,害羞草研究所� she said.

Search and rescue operations have evolved considerably since Nairn started out in the late 1980s, and technology has been the driving force of these changes.

害羞草研究所淏ack in the day, we didn害羞草研究所檛 have the internet, we didn害羞草研究所檛 have cell phones, we didn害羞草研究所檛 have the technology, or GPS, or satellite devices,害羞草研究所� Nairn said, explaining the team relied on handlheld radios, paper topographic maps and compasses.

Nowadays, search teams have fleets of ATVs, electronic mapping and plenty of other tools that make rescue missions easier than they害羞草研究所檝e ever been.

Search and rescue work is 100 per cent volunteer based. VSAR has about 65 volunteer members, 25 of which are regulars, and the team recruits in Vernon every two years.

Nairn, ever humble, touted her entire team after being named a recipient of the Community Award.

害羞草研究所淚 really feel that I害羞草研究所檓 just one component of the team and that we all work together, and everybody is an important cog in that wheel.害羞草研究所�

Asked what makes her a good leader, Nairn said she always tries to emulate a professional standard, and enjoys mentoring new members of the team.

She says the community is 害羞草研究所渋ncredibly supportive害羞草研究所� of VSAR.

害羞草研究所淣ot every team has that support of their community, so I think I am where I am in part because of the great community that I try and serve.害羞草研究所�

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